What Bradshaw Animal Shelter Does

Bradshaw Animal Shelter is operated by Sacramento County Animal Care Services and is one of Northern California’s largest shelters. Residents use it for pet adoption, lost and found pets, animal intake, licensing, foster care, volunteering, community cats, vaccination and microchip clinics, PAWS mobile clinic support, and animal issue reporting.

The shelter’s official website lists adoptable dogs, cats, and other animals through 24Petconnect. Because availability updates regularly but may not reflect real-time status perfectly, visitors should choose backup pets and be ready for in-person adoption steps at the shelter.

Bradshaw Animal Shelter Hours and Visit Timing

Bradshaw Animal Shelter is closed Monday and county holidays. Shelter hours are Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 5 PM, with Wednesday hours extended from noon to 6 PM. Animal intake hours are Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 4 PM, and Wednesday from noon to 5:30 PM.

Adoption processing stops 30 minutes before closing. That means visitors should not arrive near the end of the day expecting to complete an adoption. If you are serious about meeting a pet, arrive earlier so you can find the animal, speak with staff, complete interaction steps, pay the fee, and arrange safe transportation.

Bradshaw Animal Shelter Adoption Fees

Sacramento County lists adoption fees by animal type and category. The adoption fee helps offset shelter care and includes spay or neuter surgery, a microchip, and initial immunizations. Long-term pets at the shelter for 30 days or more may have waived adoption fees, and eligible veterans may also qualify for waived dog and cat adoption fees under listed specials.

Adoption Type	Published Fee	Visitor Note
Cat adoption	$81	Includes core adoption care listed by Sacramento County.
Male dog adoption	$121	Dog availability can change quickly; check current listing before visiting.
Female dog adoption	$147	Listed fee category for female dogs.
Senior for Senior dog or cat	$25	Applies to senior owner and senior pet category.
Rabbit adoption	$45	Rabbits may also be available through Friends of Unwanted Rabbits resources.
Rodents or fowl	$5	Availability depends on current shelter intake.
Exotic or livestock adoption	Market value	Ask the shelter directly for current pricing and handling requirements.
Long-term pets	Waived adoption fees	Applies to pets at the shelter 30 days or more unless a special changes.

How to Adopt from Bradshaw Animal Shelter

The adoption process begins online but must be completed in person. Sacramento County says adoptions are in-person only at 3839 Bradshaw Road, Sacramento, CA 95827. The shelter cannot hold animals by phone or email and does not ship pets.

1. Search adoptable animals online: View the 24Petconnect listings for dogs, cats, and other animals.
2. Check the location note: Some pets may be at the main shelter, while some may be at the Petco Adoption Center.
3. Choose backup pets: Lists update regularly but may not reflect real-time availability.
4. Visit in person: Go to Bradshaw Animal Shelter during shelter hours with enough time before adoption cutoff.
5. Ask about the pet’s status: Confirm whether the animal is available, spayed/neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, or subject to any special note.
6. Prepare for fees: Bring the correct payment method and confirm if a promotion or waived-fee special applies.
7. Plan transport: Bring a carrier for cats or small animals and a secure leash, collar, harness, or crate plan for dogs.

Petco Adoption Center Details

Sacramento County also lists a Petco Adoption Center at 8840 Madison Avenue in Fair Oaks. Pets at that location are listed as available from 12 PM to 5 PM on Wednesdays and from 1 PM to 4:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. The shelter notes that different pets are brought every week.

If you are adopting at Petco, confirm the animal’s current location before driving. Sacramento County also notes that cash and exact change is required when adopting at Petco, so payment planning is different from a normal main-shelter visit.

Dog Adoption Notes for Sacramento Visitors

Dog adoption at Bradshaw Animal Shelter should be based on fit, not only photos. Ask about approximate age, size, handling notes, exercise needs, kennel behavior, medical information, spay/neuter status, microchip, and whether the dog may need a slower transition into a new home.

Sacramento County’s adoption FAQ explains that many shelter animals are strays, so background information may be limited. The shelter also says it offers a thirty-day return policy if the adoption does not work out, but adopters should still ask practical questions before deciding.

Cat, Rabbit, and Other Animal Adoption Notes

Cat adopters should bring a secure carrier and ask whether the cat is shy, social, bonded, adult-only, kitten-safe, or better suited for a quieter home. If you are interested in a barn or garden cat, Sacramento County also has a barn and garden cat adoption resource for working cats used for rodent control.

Rabbits and other animals may appear in the “Other Adoptable Animals” listings. For rabbits, rodents, fowl, exotic animals, or livestock, ask about safe housing, diet, handling needs, enclosure requirements, and whether a partner organization is involved.

Lost Pets at Bradshaw Animal Shelter

If your pet is missing in Sacramento County, act quickly. Use the shelter’s lost and found pet resources, check 24Petconnect repeatedly, and visit the shelter if you see a possible match. Do not rely only on a short phone description because animals can look different in shelter photos than they do at home.

Bring proof of ownership if you believe your pet is at Bradshaw Animal Shelter. Helpful proof includes recent photos, veterinary records, microchip information, rabies certificate, license details, unique markings, and your photo ID.

Licensing, Reclaim, Boarding, and Other Fees

Sacramento County lists pet licensing and other animal-service fees separately from adoption fees. Altered dog or cat licenses are listed by one-year, two-year, and three-year terms, with senior citizen discounts for residents 62 and older. Unaltered license fees are higher.

Service Type	Published Fee	Visitor Note
Altered dog/cat license, 1 year	$15	Senior citizen discount listed at $10.
Altered dog/cat license, 2 years	$30	Senior citizen discount listed at $20.
Altered dog/cat license, 3 years	$40	Senior citizen discount listed at $25.
Unaltered dog/cat license, 1 year	$50	Unaltered licenses cost more than altered licenses.
First impound	$40	Additional boarding or other fees may also apply.
Second impound	$80	Repeat impound fees increase.
Third impound	$160	Highest listed standard repeat impound tier.
Dog and cat boarding	$10 per day	May apply during reclaim or holding situations.

Owner Surrender and Intake Rules

Sacramento County’s fee schedule lists owner surrender at $50 and owner surrender litter at $65, but it also clearly states that Sacramento County Animal Care Services does not accept routine owner surrenders. Requests are reviewed case by case depending on space and circumstances.

Before trying to surrender a pet, call 311 or 916-875-4311 and review official county guidance. Do not bring an animal assuming it will be accepted immediately. If the issue is temporary hardship, ask about pet owner support, PAWS resources, food help, low-cost clinics, or rehoming alternatives.

Foster, Volunteer, Clinics, and Community Help

Bradshaw Animal Shelter offers several ways to help beyond adoption. Sacramento County lists volunteer opportunities, foster care, the Barks & Recreation doggy field trip program, donation and sponsorship options, PAWS mobile clinic support, vaccination and microchip clinics, community cat information, and pet owner support resources.

Fostering can help animals recover from medical procedures or get a break from the shelter while waiting for adoption. Volunteers and community supporters can help with enrichment, events, donations, pet owner support programs, and shelter visibility.

What to Bring Before Visiting Bradshaw Animal Shelter

• Government-issued photo ID.
• Animal ID number, name, or screenshot from the 24Petconnect listing.
• Payment method for adoption, license, reclaim, boarding, or other applicable fees.
• Carrier for cats, rabbits, or small animals.
• Leash, collar, harness, or crate plan for dog adoption.
• Proof of ownership if reclaiming a lost pet.
• Photos, vet records, microchip details, rabies certificate, and license information for lost-pet cases.
• Cash and exact change if adopting at the Petco Adoption Center.
• Housing approval if you rent or live under pet restrictions.

Common Mistakes Visitors Should Avoid

• Going on Monday: The shelter is closed Mondays and county holidays.
• Arriving after adoption cutoff: Adoption processing stops 30 minutes before closing.
• Using adoption hours for intake: Animal intake has separate hours.
• Expecting phone holds: Sacramento County says animals cannot be held by phone or email.
• Forgetting Petco cash rules: Cash and exact change are required when adopting at Petco.
• Assuming surrender is automatic: Routine owner surrenders are not automatically accepted and are reviewed case by case.

Official Links for Bradshaw Animal Shelter

Use Sacramento County Animal Care Services pages for current pet availability, shelter hours, fee schedules, lost/found pets, licensing, clinics, foster, volunteer, community cat information, and service updates. Third-party listings can help with browsing, but official Sacramento County resources should be checked before visiting.

Source Verification and Accuracy Note

Visitor Snapshot: Who Should Use This Shelter?

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Takeaway

Bradshaw Animal Shelter is Sacramento County Animal Care Services at 3839 Bradshaw Road in Sacramento. The most important visitor details are the 916-368-7387 phone number, 311 / 916-875-4311 live-operator route, Tuesday–Sunday shelter hours, separate animal intake hours, 30-minute adoption processing cutoff, no phone/email holds, published adoption fee categories, and the need to confirm current listings and specials before visiting.