Charles County Animal Shelter, Adoption & Pets 2026
If you searched for the Charles County animal shelter, the official county shelter is the Charles County Animal Care Center at 6707 Animal Shelter Rd., Hughesville, MD 20637. The shelter phone is 301-932-1713, with a secondary listed number of 800-903-1992.
Charles County Animal Care & Control includes both the shelter and the Animal Control division. Adoption, lost-pet searches and reclaim questions usually start with the Animal Care Center. Animal abuse, bites, aggressive animals and ordinance complaints usually start with Animal Control.
Verified County Shelter
This guide is about the Charles County Animal Care Center in Hughesville. It is also still referenced in some county directories as Tri County Animal Shelter, so users may see both names online.
Animal Control Moved
Charles County Animal Control is listed at 9375 Chesapeake Street, Suite #123, La Plata. Do not confuse the Animal Control office address with the shelter’s Hughesville address.
New Shelter Project
Charles County broke ground on a new Animal Care Center at 5690 Piney Church Road in Waldorf. Until the county officially changes public shelter operations, use the current Hughesville shelter address.
Start With the Right Charles County Pet Help Route
The fastest answer depends on what you need today. Adoption and pet viewing are shelter tasks. Animal abuse, bites, scratches, aggressive animals and nuisance animal complaints are Animal Control tasks. A lost pet may involve the shelter, Humane Society of Charles County, Animal Control and neighborhood searching.
Charles County Animal Shelter Adoption Hours 2026
The Animal Care Center page lists adoption hours separately from lobby hours. Use the adoption window when you want to meet and adopt a pet, and use the lobby window for general shelter business when applicable.
| Visit type | Current official time | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| Adoption hours — Monday to Friday | 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Best listed window for regular adoption visits during weekdays. |
| Adoption hours — Saturday | 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. | Weekend adoption window; arrive early enough to meet the animal. |
| Lobby hours — Monday to Friday | 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | For shelter lobby business, not automatically the full adoption window. |
| Lobby hours — Saturday | 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. | Use the adoption hour if your goal is to adopt. |
| Sunday / county holidays | Not listed as normal public adoption hours | County holiday notices often close the Animal Care Center. |
How Adoption Works at Charles County Animal Care Center
The county page links to adoptable dogs, cats and other animals. Pet availability can change quickly, so use the listing as a starting point, not a guarantee that the animal will still be available when you arrive.
Check the official adoptable-pet listings
Use the county’s Adopt A Dog, Adopt A Cat and Adopt Other links. Save the animal name or ID and check again before you leave.
Visit during the adoption window
Use Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–4 p.m. or Saturday 10 a.m.–3 p.m., unless a county operating update says otherwise.
Ask about the animal’s status
Some animals may be adoptable to the public, some may be listed as strays waiting to be claimed, and some may be rescue-only.
Review care and fit honestly
Ask staff about medical notes, behavior observations, children, other pets, activity level, training needs and first-week adjustment.
Confirm the total fee before payment
The adopted FY2027 fee schedule lists cats at $85 and dogs at $200. Ask if any voucher, license, microchip or reclaim-related fee applies to your case.
Prepare safe transport
Bring a carrier for cats or small animals, a secure leash/collar setup for dogs, and a calm plan for the trip home.
Charles County Adoption, Reclaim and License Fees
Charles County’s adopted FY2027 Emergency Services fee schedule lists shelter fees and animal-control fees. These are government fees, so use the official fee schedule and shelter desk for the final live total.
| Fee item | Current listed amount | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Adoption / medical fee — cats | $85 | Listed adopted FY2027 cat adoption/medical fee. |
| Adoption / medical fee — dogs | $200 | Listed adopted FY2027 dog adoption/medical fee. |
| Dog reclaim | $25 | Reclaim fee for an impounded dog, before any other applicable charges. |
| Cat reclaim | $25 | Reclaim fee for an impounded cat, before any other applicable charges. |
| Boarding per day — dogs/cats | $15 / $15 | Daily boarding fee listed for dogs and cats. |
| Dog license | $5 spayed/neutered; $25 unspayed/unneutered | County dog-license fee listed under shelter fees. |
| Rabies voucher | $50 | Listed voucher fee; ask the shelter when this applies. |
| Microchipping of reclaimed animals | $10 | Listed microchip fee for reclaimed animals. |
Emergency & Important Charles County Animal Contacts
Use the correct contact for the situation. The shelter phone is not the same as after-hours Animal Control, and animal-bite questions may also involve the Health Department.
| Contact | Number / route | Use this for |
|---|---|---|
| Charles County Animal Care Center |
301-932-1713 800-903-1992 |
Adoption, shelter hours, adoptable pets, lost/stray animals, reclaim questions, working cats and general shelter business. |
| Shelter email | animalshelter@charlescountymd.gov | Non-emergency written shelter questions. Call instead when time matters. |
| Charles County Animal Control administration / field services |
301-609-3425 Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
Animal Control administration and field-service questions, including animal ordinance concerns. |
| Animal Control after hours / Sheriff’s Office route | 301-743-2222 | After-hours animal concerns and violations routed through the county’s listed Sheriff’s Office/after-hours contact. |
| Immediate emergency | 911 | Immediate danger to people, serious injury, active attack, dangerous animal emergency or other urgent public-safety emergency. |
| 9-1-1/Public Safety Communications 24/7 non-emergency | 301-609-3499 | 24/7 non-emergency public-safety communications when it is not a shelter adoption question and not a 911 emergency. |
| Charles County Department of Health — rabies/bites | 301-609-6751 | Animal bites, potential rabies exposure and public-health rabies-prevention questions. |
| Charles County Department of Health main office | 301-609-6900 | General Health Department routing when you are unsure which public-health program should handle the question. |
Charles County Animal Control: What Officers Investigate
Charles County says Animal Control Officers protect the health and safety of citizens and pets by investigating suspected violations and taking appropriate enforcement action.
Abuse, neglect or cruelty
Use Animal Control for suspected animal abuse, neglect or cruelty complaints inside Charles County jurisdiction.
Bites and scratches
Animal bites and scratches can involve Animal Control and the Department of Health because of rabies and public-safety risk.
Aggressive animals
For an aggressive animal, do not try to handle the situation alone. Use Animal Control or emergency routing depending on the risk.
Stray or at-large animals
Nuisance cats or dogs, running-at-large animals and stray-animal complaints are part of the county’s Animal Control scope.
Care and shelter issues
County FAQ language notes food, water, shelter, weather protection, veterinary care when needed, humane treatment and tethering limits.
Animal Control office
The Animal Control office is listed at 9375 Chesapeake Street, Suite #123, La Plata, not at the shelter’s Hughesville address.
Lost or Found Pet in Charles County
A lost pet search should start quickly and repeat often. Shelter intake information may change after Animal Control pickups, owner reports, microchip scans or found-pet updates.
If your pet is missing
- Call Charles County Animal Care Center at 301-932-1713.
- Check the county’s Lost Dogs, Lost Cats and Lost Other listings.
- Also check Humane Society of Charles County if the pet may have been taken there.
- Contact Animal Control if the pet may have been picked up after an ordinance or field-service call.
- Search close to the last-seen location: porches, sheds, garages, wooded edges and quiet hiding places.
- Keep photos, microchip details, rabies records, license information and proof of ownership ready.
If you found an animal
- Do not chase, corner or grab a frightened or aggressive animal.
- Check safely for a collar, tag, county license or owner information.
- Have a veterinarian, shelter or animal-control office scan for a microchip when safe.
- Use the county’s Report a Lost or Found Animal route.
- Call Animal Control for injured, aggressive, at-large or unsafe situations.
- Do not rehome a found animal privately without following the official local process.
Reclaiming an Impounded Pet
If your animal was impounded, Charles County FAQ language says you will need to pay applicable fees and show proof of ownership, including current rabies vaccination and county license.
Minimum hold language
County FAQ language says an impounded animal is kept for no less than three working days unless the animal is contagiously ill or severely injured.
Proof of ownership
Bring current rabies vaccination, county license, photos, microchip records, veterinary records and anything else connecting you to the pet.
Fees can stack
Reclaim, boarding, license, rabies voucher and microchip charges may apply depending on the animal and documentation.
Working Cats and Rescue-Only Animals
The Animal Care Center page separates regular adoptable animals from rescue-only animals and working cats. This matters because not every animal listed online is available to every public adopter.
Working cats
The shelter describes working cats as cats suited for farms, warehouses, wineries or other outbuildings. The county page says working cats have no adoption fee.
Rescue-only animals
Some animals are listed as waiting for an approved rescue partner. These animals are not normal public adoption listings.
Surrender and Rehoming Reality Check
The official pages reviewed for this update verify sheltering, adoption, lost/stray listings, rescue-only animals and working cats. A clear, current public owner-surrender instruction page with complete rules was not separately verified in the same detail, so this guide does not invent a surrender appointment rule or surrender fee.
Call first
Start with the Animal Care Center at 301-932-1713 before transporting an owned pet for surrender or intake questions.
Ask about safe options
When the issue is temporary hardship, behavior, housing or cost, ask whether any support, rescue, rehoming or partner option fits the situation.
No made-up fee
Because a specific current owner-surrender fee was not clearly verified from the official pages reviewed here, no surrender fee is published in this article.
Animal Bites and Rabies Reporting in Charles County
Animal bites are public-health matters. Charles County Department of Health says rabies can spread through saliva, usually from a bite or scratch, and tells residents to report animal bites or potential rabies exposures.
Health Department rabies contact
Charles County Department of Health rabies/bite reporting contact: 301-609-6751.
Animal Control contact
Health Department rabies-alert language also lists Charles County Animal Control for animal bites or potential rabies exposures.
Medical care matters
For a bite or scratch, seek prompt medical attention and report the exposure. If there is immediate danger or serious injury, call 911.
Humane Society of Charles County Is a Separate Organization
The Humane Society of Charles County appears in local lost-pet and animal-help context, but it is not the same thing as the county-run Animal Care Center. Keep the two separated when calling, adopting, donating or reclaiming a pet.
Separate nonprofit shelter
Humane Society of Charles County lists itself as a private nonprofit organization at 71 Industrial Park Drive in Waldorf.
HSCC phone
The county Animal Care & Control page lists Humane Society of Charles County as a lost-pet contact at 301-645-8181.
Do not transfer rules
HSCC adoption fees, clinic services and surrender rules are not the same as Charles County Animal Care Center rules.
Veterinary Care Reality Check
This page does not add fake veterinarian names, doctor schedules, VeterinaryCare schema or public hospital claims for the county shelter. The Animal Care Center may provide shelter-related medical handling, adoption medical services, rabies voucher processes or microchipping according to county fees, but the official pages reviewed here do not present the county shelter as a walk-in public veterinary hospital.
No invented doctors
No public county shelter veterinarian name or public appointment schedule was verified, so none is added.
Rabies clinics are separate
The Department of Health and Animal Control host free drive-through rabies clinics at listed times when announced.
Emergency pet illness
If your owned pet is seriously ill or injured, contact a licensed veterinarian or emergency veterinary provider.
Public Staff Listings
Kim Stephens
The county Animal Care Center contact section lists Kim Stephens as Manager. This is an administrative shelter listing, not a veterinarian appointment listing.
Jeffrey Thomas
The county Animal Care & Control contact section lists Jeffrey Thomas as Chief of Animal Control.
Before You Visit 6707 Animal Shelter Road
Adoption checklist
- Check current dog, cat or other-animal listings before leaving.
- Call if you are driving for one specific animal.
- Confirm the day’s operating status and adoption window.
- Bring photo ID, payment and a safe transport plan.
- Ask if the pet is public-adoptable, rescue-only, stray hold or working-cat placement.
- Ask what the adoption/medical fee includes and what follow-up care is still needed.
Lost / reclaim checklist
- Bring proof of ownership, photos and microchip information.
- Bring rabies vaccination and county license records if available.
- Ask about reclaim, boarding, license, rabies voucher and microchip fees.
- Check both shelter and Humane Society lost-pet routes if needed.
- Search again in person and online because intake information can update later.
Simple Call Scripts
When you are worried or rushing, a short script helps you explain the situation without leaving out the important details.
Adoption
Hi, I am interested in [pet name or ID]. Is the animal still
available for public adoption, and should I come during the
Monday-Friday 11-4 or Saturday 10-3 adoption window? What is the
exact total fee today?
Lost pet
Hi, my [dog/cat/other pet] is missing from [town/road/cross street].
The pet is [description] and is [microchipped/licensed/not sure].
Has a matching animal been brought to the Animal Care Center?
Found animal
Hi, I found a [dog/cat/other animal] at [exact location].
The animal is [safe/injured/aggressive]. Should I contact Animal
Control, bring the animal to the shelter, or follow another route?
Bite / rabies concern
Hi, I need to report an animal bite or possible rabies exposure in
Charles County. It happened at [location], the animal was
[owned/stray/wild/unknown], and the injury is [minor/serious].
What is the next step?
Map: Charles County Animal Care Center
Use this map for directions to 6707 Animal Shelter Rd., Hughesville, MD 20637. Check the current county operating schedule or call before a long drive, especially around holidays, weather events or special schedule changes.
Official Charles County Resources
Use these official sources for current hours, pet availability, fees, animal-control routing, health guidance and final instructions.
Charles County Animal Shelter FAQ
What is the official Charles County animal shelter?
The official county shelter is Charles County Animal Care Center in Hughesville, Maryland. Some county directory references still use Tri County Animal Shelter wording.
Where is Charles County Animal Care Center located?
The current shelter address is 6707 Animal Shelter Rd., Hughesville, MD 20637.
What is the Charles County animal shelter phone number?
The shelter phone is 301-932-1713. The county also lists 800-903-1992 for the Animal Care Center.
What are Charles County Animal Care Center adoption hours?
Regular adoption hours are listed as Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
What are the shelter lobby hours?
Lobby hours are listed as Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
How much does it cost to adopt a cat from Charles County Animal Care Center?
The adopted FY2027 county fee schedule lists the adoption/medical fee for cats as $85.
How much does it cost to adopt a dog from Charles County Animal Care Center?
The adopted FY2027 county fee schedule lists the adoption/medical fee for dogs as $200.
What is the Charles County Animal Control phone number?
Charles County lists Animal Control administration and field services at 301-609-3425.
Where is Charles County Animal Control located?
Charles County Animal Control is listed at 9375 Chesapeake Street, Suite #123, La Plata, MD 20646.
What is the after-hours Animal Control route?
The county Animal Care & Control page lists 301-743-2222 as the after-hours route.
What do Animal Control officers investigate?
County guidance lists animal abuse, neglect or cruelty, animal bites and scratches, aggressive animals, nuisance cats or dogs, running at-large animals, excessive barking and care/shelter concerns.
What should I do if my pet is missing?
Call the Animal Care Center, check lost/stray listings, check Humane Society of Charles County when relevant, contact Animal Control if a field-service pickup may be involved, and keep searching close to the last-seen location.
What does it cost to reclaim an impounded pet?
The adopted FY2027 fee schedule lists dog reclaim at $25, cat reclaim at $25, boarding at $15 per day for dogs/cats, dog license fees, a $50 rabies voucher and a $10 microchip fee for reclaimed animals when applicable.
How long are impounded animals held?
County FAQ language says an impounded animal is kept for no less than three working days unless the animal is contagiously ill or severely injured.
Does Charles County Animal Care Center have working cats?
Yes. The county Animal Care Center page lists working cats for farms, warehouses, wineries or other outbuildings and says there is no adoption fee for working cats.
Are rescue-only animals available to public adopters?
No. The county page says rescue-only animals are waiting for an approved rescue partner to assist them in finding placement.
Who handles animal bites or possible rabies exposure?
Charles County Department of Health asks residents to report animal bites or potential rabies exposures. The Department of Health rabies contact is 301-609-6751, and Animal Control may also be involved.
Is Humane Society of Charles County the same as the county Animal Care Center?
No. Humane Society of Charles County is a separate nonprofit shelter in Waldorf. It has different adoption fees, services and rules.
Is the new Waldorf animal shelter open?
Charles County announced a new Animal Care Center project at 5690 Piney Church Road in Waldorf. Until the county officially changes public operations, this guide uses the current Hughesville shelter address.
Is Animal-Shelter.org the official Charles County website?
No. Animal-Shelter.org is an independent informational guide. Use official Charles County, Health Department, Sheriff’s Office and shelter sources for live instructions.
Animal Shelter Action Planner: Lost Pet, Found Pet, Adoption, Reclaim & Surrender Helper
Use this free tool to create a practical next-step plan before visiting or contacting an animal shelter, humane society, rescue, or animal control agency. It does not search a live shelter database, but it helps you prepare the right documents, questions, safety steps, and official-source searches.
Build a USA-wide shelter action plan
Select your situation and location. The tool will create a general action plan, search links, call questions, and a copyable checklist.
Lost pet recovery checklist
Check the steps you have completed. This helps you stay organized during the first urgent hours and days.
Found pet safety decision helper
Use this when you find a stray or loose pet and need a safe next step.
Adoption readiness checker
This helps adopters prepare before visiting a shelter or rescue. It is not a guarantee of approval.
Pet reclaim document checklist
If your pet may be at a shelter, prepare proof before visiting. Exact requirements and fees vary by agency.
Owner surrender preparation helper
Surrender rules vary. Many shelters require appointments, proof of residence, behavior/medical information, and may offer alternatives.
Animal control contact decision helper
Choose the situation and get a general USA-wide contact path. Local rules may differ.
Adoption and first-month budget planner
This is a planning guide, not a shelter fee database. Always confirm adoption fees and included services with the shelter.
Your generated shelter plan
Your action plan, search links, call script, checklist, or budget guide will appear here.
Start with the Planner tab
Select your state, city/county/ZIP, pet type, and goal. The tool will create a practical USA-wide shelter action plan.
Privacy note: this tool runs in your browser. It does not send your entries to animal-shelter.org.