Animal Services
Residency is not required to adopt from our facility
Adopt A Pet
Apply to adopt a pet now. We urge you to please check out our urgent list first.
Urgent List
These animals need rescue or adoption by noon the next day, after which euthanasia may occur.
Volunteering
Our volunteer opportunities include anything from bathing the animals to walking dogs. Contact us for openings.
Welcome to the Apple Valley Animal Services.
Promote responsible pet ownership
Compassion toward animals
Safe human-animal interactions
Getting animals adopted
Available Pets
Animals are eligible for adoption by the public after their stray hold period. Animals are also legally available for euthanasia on this same date. Interested adopter(s) should submit an adoption application.
Animal Services Sponsors and Donors
SPONSORS
PETS ADOPTED
PROFESSIONALS
EVENTS HELD
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a dog license?
The cost of a dog license is $13.20 per year for a spayed or neutered dog. It is $87.00 per year for a dog that is not fixed. This includes a $75.00 voucher to spay or neuter the dog at a participating vet.
Animal Services can license your fixed dog for one to three years, or until its rabies shot expires. Unfixed dogs can only be licensed for one year and get a spay/neuter voucher. The second year an unfixed dog is licensed, there is an extra $75.00 fee.
What paperwork do I need to license my dog?
To get a dog license, you only need proof of a current rabies vaccination. Your vet will give you a certificate, except at town rabies clinics. Keep this certificate as long as the vaccination is valid. Your dog does not need to be there.
How old does my dog have to be to be licensed and vaccinated?
New dogs must be licensed within 30 days of arriving in Apple Valley. If your dog was licensed in another city, bring the paper license certificate to Animal Services. With the license form, you pay a small transfer fee. If you have proof of rabies vaccination but no license form, you pay the full dog license fee. You do not need to re-vaccinate your dog. Without either, your dog needs to be re-vaccinated. A certificate of sterility lowers the cost.
Talk to your vet about vaccinations. Dogs need rabies, distemper/parvovirus, and Bordatella shots. Cats may need feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, rabies, distemper, and feline leukemia shots.
How do I get the spayed/neutered discount for my dog license?
To get the spayed or neutered discount on a dog license, you must show a certificate of sterility when you buy it. You only need to show proof of sterility for the first license purchase.
Do dogs have to wear their license on them?
Dogs need not wear licenses when on their own property. Any time the dog is off its property, it must wear its license affixed to its collar.
How many dogs and cats are allowed per residence in Apple Valley?
In apartments or condos, you can have one cat or one dog. In other residential areas, you can have up to four dogs and four cats.
To keep more animals, you need a special permit from Animal Services. The permit fee is $25. With the permit, people in multi-housing areas can have two animals. This can be one dog and one cat, two dogs, or two cats. In other residential areas, you can have up to eight animals with any combination of dogs and cats, but only with an Animal Control Permit.
What kind of animals can I have?
Keeping animals depends on the zoning rules of the property. Tenants should ask their landlords if they can have animals. Landlords need to know that animal keeping is linked to the property. If tenants break the rules, landlords might have to pay fines. For more details about your property’s zoning, contact the Planning Division at the Town of Apple Valley at 760-240-7000 x 7200.
How often do I have to clean up animal waste?
Clean up waste from small animals, like dogs and cats, every three days. Clean up waste from horses and other farm animals every seven days. Take the waste off the property; don’t spread it out or mix it into the soil.
Is there a leash law for dogs?
Yes, all dogs must be on a leash when off their property, whether at a park, on the street, or in an open field. A competent handler must always control the dog and be able to restrain it.
Is there a leash law for cats?
No, there is no leash law for cats.
HAVE AN ISSUE? THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT!
Spotted a pothole? Confused about permits? Curious about facility rentals? Well, there's an app for that. Apple Valley Connect is your one-stop shop for all things Apple Valley. Visit our app page for more information.
