Alachua County Animal Resources is reopened for dog adoptions effective today, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. Both dog and cat intakes will continue to be limited to emergency-only situations due to the high number of animals at the shelter.
The agency recently closed the shelter to intakes and adoptions in an abundance of caution after two dogs tested positive for Streptococcus Zooepidemicus. The bacterial infection can cause severe pneumonia, is highly contagious and can be fatal to dogs. The shelter quickly implemented protocols to prevent further spread of the illness.
During the closure, a University of Florida shelter medicine veterinarian, Dr. Cynda Crawford, visited the shelter twice and examined the dogs. On Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, Crawford found no contagious respiratory disease present at the shelter.
Respiratory illness can spread in facilities with high numbers of animals. Governmental shelters are particularly vulnerable because they are often a last resort for unwanted, neglected, and abused dogs and cats.
For more information, contact Alachua County Communications Director Mark Sexton at 352-283-2317 or msexton@alachuacounty.gov.
