Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control: Lost Pets, Animal Reports, Adoption and Licensing

The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) serves unincorporated communities and participating contract cities. This guide explains how to identify your service provider, search for a missing pet, report an animal concern, visit a care center, and use official pet licensing services.

Independent information guide: This website is not affiliated with Los Angeles County or DACC. Official agencies handle animal reports, shelter records, adoptions, licenses, and payments.

Need urgent assistance? For a human emergency or animal abuse in progress, call 911. For a sick or injured animal within DACC's jurisdiction, call the appropriate Communication Center instead of submitting an online form.

Choose Your Next Step

Starting points for common animal-related requests

Your situation	First action	What to prepare
Your pet is missing	Search shelter records and follow the lost-pet search steps.	A recent photo, last-seen location, and microchip information.
You found a dog or cat	Check its condition and follow the appropriate found-animal procedure.	The found location, animal description, and whether it is safely contained.
An animal is sick, injured, or needs urgent assistance	Call the responsible animal control provider.	The location, observed condition, and any immediate hazards.
You want to report a non-emergency concern	Check jurisdiction and use the appropriate reporting process.	Incident details, dates, animal descriptions, and contact information.
You want to adopt	Check the animal's ID, location, and current status.	The animal ID and questions about its needs and adoption requirements.
You need a pet license or renewal	Identify the licensing provider for your home address.	License or renewal details and supporting documents.

DACC Telephone Contacts

For sick or injured animals and other animal emergencies within DACC's service area, call a Communication Center. Both centers are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. DACC also directs animal availability inquiries to these numbers.

Telephone numbers by service purpose

Contact	Phone	Purpose and coverage
South County Communication Center	562-940-6898	Dispatch and animal availability inquiries for Agoura, Baldwin Park, Carson/Gardena, and Downey care centers.
North County Communication Center	661-940-4191	Dispatch and animal availability inquiries for Santa Clarita Valley/Castaic, Lancaster, and Palmdale care centers.
Pet Licensing	562-345-0400	License applications, renewals, replacement tags, and field licensing questions.
Administrative Office	562-728-4882	General administrative information. This office houses no animals and does not accept animal care center fee payments.

These groupings apply to DACC services. They do not establish that every address near a listed center falls within DACC's jurisdiction. Use the address lookup instructions if you are unsure which agency serves the location.

What to Tell the Dispatcher

• The animal's current location, including cross streets and any building, unit, or access details.
• The type and number of animals involved.
• What you observed, such as visible injury, inability to move, or threatening behavior.
• Whether the animal is contained or moving, and its direction of travel if known.
• Your callback number and whether you are still at the location.

Keep a safe distance from animals you cannot handle. Do not enter traffic, trespass, or approach an aggressive animal to obtain a photograph. See the official DACC contact page for department contact details.

Check Your Animal Control Service Provider

Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles are separate jurisdictions. DACC does not generally serve the City of Los Angeles, although small unincorporated areas within or adjacent to the city may receive county service. A postal city name or ZIP Code alone does not identify the responsible animal control agency.

1. Open the official Animal Care Service Area Locator.
2. Enter the complete street address and select the matching suggestion.
3. Review the provider shown for that location.
4. Follow that provider's instructions for the service you need.

Use the address relevant to the request: Enter the incident location for a stray animal, bite, or suspected cruelty report. Use your home address for pet licensing. For an animal already in care, contact the center shown in its record.

Azusa and Baldwin Park

DACC's website currently identifies the Inland Valley Humane Society & SPCA as the provider for the cities of Azusa and Baldwin Park. A facility named Baldwin Park Animal Care Center does not establish that Baldwin Park city addresses are served by DACC.

Service contracts and coverage can change. Use the address-based locator and current provider notices before requesting service. The official service-area page explains DACC's coverage of unincorporated communities and participating cities.

Find a Lost Pet

Begin searching promptly and continue checking. A found pet may arrive at a shelter later, remain temporarily with a finder, or be taken to an agency outside the immediate neighborhood.

Prepare Your Pet's Identifying Information

• A recent, recognizable photograph.
• The date and exact location where the pet was last seen.
• Sex, approximate size, color, and distinguishing markings.
• Collar, tag, or harness details.
• Microchip and license numbers, if available.

Search DACC Records

1. Open the official DACC animal search.
2. Start with the animal type and a relevant care center. Avoid selecting numerous descriptive filters at once.
3. If there is no likely match, remove filters and check additional locations. Breed, age, size, or color may have been recorded differently from your description.
4. Review all relevant statuses. A missing pet may be in a holding category rather than available for adoption.
5. For a possible match, save the animal ID, care center, status, and the time you checked the record.
6. Call the appropriate Communication Center and explain that you are trying to identify your missing pet.

A photograph or breed match is a starting point for identification. Provide distinguishing markings and microchip details, and ask how ownership is confirmed. Before visiting to recover an animal, ask which documents, identification, and charges apply.

If You Cannot Find a Match

• Contact other shelters that may receive animals from the area where your pet disappeared. DACC's guidance recommends contacting shelters within 30 miles.
• Notify the microchip registry and check that your contact information is current.
• Share a clear photograph and last-seen location with neighbors, nearby veterinary offices, and local lost-and-found groups.
• Review the additional search and posting resources in DACC's lost-pet guidance, including Petco Love Lost.
• Repeat shelter searches. An empty result list does not establish that your pet has not been found.

If an Earlier Listing Has Disappeared

DACC offers a separate search for animals no longer at its care centers during the previous 90 days. It requires the animal ID. Use the ID from the earlier listing and contact DACC for clarification; a missing listing alone does not explain the animal's outcome.

If you see your pet running loose, avoid chasing it. DACC recommends a quiet approach and a calm voice. Keep yourself and the animal away from traffic and other hazards.

Understand Shelter Animal Status

A status label describes an animal's current situation. It does not confirm ownership or establish a fixed release date. Statuses can change as legal, medical, or behavioral circumstances are reviewed.

DACC animal statuses and next steps

Status	Meaning	Your next step
Stray Wait	An animal found without identification is still in its required holding period.	It is not yet available for adoption. If it may be your missing pet, contact DACC for identity and ownership checks.
Ready to Go Home	The animal is available for adoption and ready to leave through the adoption process that day.	Check its location and current record before visiting. The listing does not reserve the animal.
Adoption Pending	The holding period has ended, a potential adopter has a scheduled pickup, and spay/neuter processing remains incomplete.	Ask about the existing arrangement before making an adoption visit.
Available Pending Spay/Neuter	The legal holding period has ended and sterilization surgery is pending.	Ask about adoption arrangements and timing.
Pending Assessment	A behavior assessment is pending before availability can be determined.	Ask DACC for the current assessment and placement information.
ID Hold	The animal has identification, such as a tag or microchip.	Provide your missing pet's identification details for comparison.
Quarantine	The animal is held following a bite incident or another qualifying exposure.	Ask staff about the applicable procedure and timing.
Rescue Only	Placement is restricted to an approved Adoption Partner or authorized rescue for medical or behavioral reasons.	The animal cannot be adopted directly by the general public.
Potentially Dangerous Dog	The dog is held pending a dangerous-dog investigation.	Contact DACC about the case-specific process.
Other Hold	The animal is unavailable for another reason.	Ask DACC to explain its current status.

The official search system includes the current status legend.

What to Do When You Find an Animal

Found Dogs

If a dog is sick, injured, aggressive, or cannot be handled safely, call the responsible animal control provider. For urgent assistance within DACC's service area, use its Communication Center.

If the dog can be approached safely:

1. Check for a collar or tag and contact any telephone number shown.
2. Record where and when it was found.
3. Arrange a microchip scan at a DACC care center, or ask a nearby veterinary clinic whether it provides scanning.
4. Check neighborhood lost-pet notices and share a clear found-pet photograph and general location.
5. If you cannot locate the owner or continue holding the dog safely, contact the local provider for instructions.

See DACC's found-pet guidance for additional reunification resources.

Found Cats

A healthy outdoor cat may be an owned pet, an escaped indoor cat, or a community cat. Check for identification and local lost-pet notices. A microchip scan may help identify an owner when the cat can be handled safely.

DACC does not pick up free-roaming stray cats unless they are ill or injured. Report an ill or injured cat by telephone rather than through the online service request form. If you know a cat has been abandoned, contact the responsible provider for assistance.

Found Kittens

Review DACC's Got Kittens guidance before deciding to move apparently healthy kittens. Their age, condition, surroundings, and whether a mother cat is caring for them affect the appropriate response. For kittens that appear ill, injured, or in immediate danger, contact the responsible provider.

Report Animal Concerns

Use the official DACC service request form for qualifying non-emergency matters within its jurisdiction. Categories include stray animal concerns, suspected abuse or neglect, non-emergency dog bites, and dead-animal pickup.

For animal abuse in progress or a human emergency, call 911. For sick or injured animals and other urgent animal assistance within DACC's jurisdiction, call the appropriate Communication Center.

Prepare a Specific Report

• Location: Full incident address, unit number if applicable, ZIP Code, cross streets, and where the animal can be found.
• Situation: What happened, when you observed it, and whether it is continuing.
• Animals: Number, type, color, approximate size, and distinguishing features.
• Owner: Whether the owner is known and any relevant information available.
• Contact details: The reporting information requested by the official form.

For suspected cruelty or neglect, separate direct observations from assumptions. Describe specific actions or conditions and include dates and times. For a bite report, state where it occurred, what happened, and the owner's name and address if known.

Response time depends on priority and staffing. If a situation becomes urgent after an online submission, call the responsible provider and explain the change.

Animal Noise and Wildlife

Animal noise complaints follow a separate process. Use the animal noise information linked from the official contact page.

DACC's service request instructions state that it does not generally respond to free-roaming wildlife unless the animal is sick or injured. Avoid handling wildlife yourself and contact the appropriate provider when assistance is needed.

Adoption and Care Center Visits

Search official records for animals of interest and review the DACC adoption process. Ready to Go Home animals are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and ready to leave through the adoption process that day. These animals are placed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Before You Travel

• Save the animal ID and confirm the care center shown in its record.
• Recheck the current status and use the status guide to understand any restrictions.
• Check public hours and current holiday notices.
• Ask about fees, paperwork, and the animal's medical, behavioral, and daily care needs.

Public Hours

DACC publishes regular public hours of Monday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Services include adoption viewing, lost-and-found assistance, licensing, and general pet assistance.

Sundays and holidays have limited services, with no public viewing. Necessary stray intake, lost-pet reunification, and registered Adoption Partner placements may continue. Confirm arrangements before traveling for a limited-service visit.

Pet Surrender and Support

DACC currently states that appointments are no longer required for pet surrender. Owners may visit their local DACC animal care center during business hours. Confirm that the provider serves your home address before traveling.

If cost, housing, or another difficulty is affecting your ability to keep a pet, review the department's rehoming and support resources. Assistance or a direct rehoming arrangement may offer another option.

Gather available medical and vaccination records, microchip details, medication information, and notes about your pet's behavior and daily needs. These details can help staff understand its care requirements. Contact the center to confirm the documents and fees required for your situation.

Pet Licenses, Renewals and Fees

Use your home address to identify the licensing provider. DACC does not issue licenses for every address in Los Angeles County.

Basic Requirements

DACC's licensing guidance states that dogs in Los Angeles County must be licensed. Cats must also be licensed in unincorporated areas and most incorporated cities served by the department, with exceptions. The appropriate local provider handles the application.

The guidance also states that dogs and cats older than four months must be vaccinated against rabies, with revaccination according to the approved vaccine's one-year or three-year period. It describes county sterilization and microchip requirements as well. Check the rules applicable to your address and ask the licensing provider about exemptions or special circumstances.

Application and Renewal Checklist

• Current rabies vaccination documentation.
• Sterilization documentation when applicable.
• An existing license number or renewal notice, if available.
• Current owner address and contact information.
• Eligibility documents if requesting a senior or disabled-veteran discount.

DACC offers online, mail, and care center purchase options. Mailed applications must include the documents and payment specified on the current form. Telephone renewal payment is also available using the mailed renewal notice. Start at the official licensing page for forms and payment links.

License Terms and Discounts

DACC offers one-year and three-year licenses. Its guidance states that a three-year license costs three times the annual fee. Check the applicable jurisdiction's fee schedule and vaccination documentation when selecting a term.

Reduced fees are available for eligible seniors age 60 or older and disabled military veterans. Seniors must provide qualifying proof of age. Disabled veterans must provide a Department of Veterans Affairs disability award letter or a Veterans Health Administration enrollee card showing a service-connected disability.

Late renewals and field licensing enforcement can result in additional charges. Review the current licensing instructions and fee schedule before paying.

Replacement Tags and Service Charges

Replacement tags may be requested online or by mail. Follow the current instructions for license numbers, transaction details, and payment. For assistance, call 562-345-0400. The Licensing Division's Long Beach office is not open for walk-in service.

License charges are separate from adoption, animal recovery, boarding, and other care center fees. For an animal already in care, ask the center handling it which charges apply. Consult the official service fee information and use the official payment process.

Animal Care Center Locations

Use this directory after checking your service provider or an animal's current location. The nearest facility is not automatically responsible for your request.

DACC care center addresses and shared communication contacts

Care center	Address	Communication Center
Agoura	29525 Agoura Road, Agoura, CA 91301	South County: 562-940-6898
Baldwin Park	4275 North Elton Street, Baldwin Park, CA 91706	South County: 562-940-6898
Carson/Gardena	216 West Victoria Street, Gardena, CA 90248	South County: 562-940-6898
Santa Clarita Valley/Castaic	31044 North Charlie Canyon Road, Castaic, CA 91384	North County: 661-940-4191
Downey	11258 South Garfield Avenue, Downey, CA 90242	South County: 562-940-6898
Lancaster	5210 West Avenue I, Lancaster, CA 93536	North County: 661-940-4191
Palmdale	38550 Sierra Highway, Palmdale, CA 93550	North County: 661-940-4191

The telephone numbers above are shared Communication Center contacts for dispatch and animal availability inquiries, rather than individual facility numbers.

Administrative Office: 5898 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90805. This location houses no animals and does not accept animal care center fee payments. Use the official contact directory for current department and facility information.

Prepare for an Animal Evacuation

During an active disaster, check LA County emergency notices for current animal sheltering arrangements. A regular care center may not be the designated evacuation intake site.

Prepare transportation, identification, current microchip contact details, medications, food, water, and veterinary records for your animals. Horses and livestock require suitable trailers and separate transport planning. DACC's emergency preparedness resources include guidance for pets and horses.

If you find an outdated service detail or broken link in this guide, please report it to our website editor. Animal reports, shelter inquiries, licenses, and payments should be handled through the responsible provider.