Madera Animal Shelter & Control: Adoption Hours 2026
If you searched for Madera animal shelter, the official county shelter route is Madera County Department of Animal Services, commonly called Madera County Animal Services or the Madera Animal Shelter. The current official Animal Services contact page lists the shelter at 205 Tozer St., Madera, CA 93638.
This guide separates adoption, animal-control reporting, after-hours emergency routing, lost-pet reclaim, found-pet reports, bite/rabies quarantine, dog licensing, surrender alternatives, foster help and community-cat guidance so you can contact the right official source before driving or moving an animal.
Current Official Address
The current County Animal Services contact page lists 205 Tozer St., Madera, CA 93638. Older web listings may still show Road 28, so this page uses the current County contact page address.
County Animal Services
Madera County Animal Services handles shelter adoptions, animal control reporting for county jurisdiction, lost and found pets, bite quarantine, dog licensing for county residents, and shelter volunteer/foster routes.
Independent Guide
Animal-Shelter.org is an independent informational guide. It is not Madera County, the City of Madera, City of Chowchilla, the Sheriff’s Office, Public Health, a veterinarian or emergency dispatch.
Start With the Right Madera Animal Help Route
Madera animal questions are time-sensitive. A lost pet may have a short stray hold. A bite must be reported quickly. A city-limit call may route differently from a county-area call. Use the route below before you drive, surrender a pet, or move a found animal.
Madera Animal Shelter Adoption Hours 2026
The County lists phone lines separately from adoption/walk-in hours. If your goal is adoption, plan around the public adoption window—not only the phone-line schedule.
| Day / service | Current listed hours | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| Phone lines | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. | Use for questions, reporting and routing before you visit. |
| Monday | Adoptions/walk-ins 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Check the pet listing about an hour before visiting. |
| Tuesday | Adoptions/walk-ins 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Good weekday option for adoption and shelter questions. |
| Wednesday | Adoptions/walk-ins 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Bring the animal name or A-number you want to meet. |
| Thursday | Adoptions/walk-ins 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Call first if you are driving for one specific pet. |
| Friday | Adoptions/walk-ins 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Arrive early enough for paperwork and questions. |
| Saturday | Adoptions/walk-ins 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. | Shorter weekend window; do not arrive near closing. |
| Sunday and County holidays | Closed unless posted otherwise | Check official social updates for special events or closures. |
How Adoption Works at Madera County Animal Services
Madera County’s adoption page says adoptions are currently available in person. The process depends on whether the animal is already spayed or neutered before adoption.
Check current dogs or cats first
Review current adoptable animals online before visiting. The shelter says its population changes every few minutes, so check about an hour before you go.
Write down the name or A-number
Save the pet’s name or A-number. This helps staff find the animal faster and reduces confusion if listings change.
Visit during adoption/walk-in hours
Plan for Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., or Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., unless the County posts a special update.
Complete the paperwork in person
Bring photo ID, payment and household decision-makers when possible. Ask about the animal’s health, temperament and first week at home.
Understand the altered-animal rule
If the animal is already altered, it may go home the same day. If not, the animal must stay at the shelter until spay/neuter is done.
Know the no-hold rule
The County says pets may not be held. If you are interested in a specific animal, verify status close to your visit.
Madera Animal Shelter Adoption Fees
Madera County’s current adoption page lists simple dog and cat adoption fees. Dog licensing is separate for county residents outside city limits.
| Fee / category | Current listed amount | Important note |
|---|---|---|
| Cat adoption | $75 | Madera County does not require cats to be licensed. |
| Dog adoption | $125 | County dog license fee is not included in the adoption fee. |
| County dog license add-on | $10 yearly | For county residents outside city limits when applicable. |
| Senior dog license add-on | $5 yearly | For seniors age 65 and older when applicable. |
| California veterans | Adoption fee waived for qualifying dog/cat adoptions | Veterans must show qualifying veteran/military ID; license fees may still apply. |
What Comes With a Madera Shelter Adoption
The adoption page lists basic care that shelter animals receive before going home. Exact timing can depend on species, age and whether the pet has already been altered.
Dogs in the shelter are given
- 4-in-1 vaccination for distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza.
- Bordetella vaccination.
- 30-day flea and tick treatment.
- Rabies vaccination for adopted dogs 3 months and older.
- Spay/neuter before leaving the shelter.
- 24PetWatch microchip with registration.
Cats in the shelter are given
- 3-in-1 vaccination for feline distemper, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus.
- 30-day flea and tick treatment.
- Rabies vaccine.
- Spay/neuter before leaving the shelter.
- 24PetWatch microchip with registration.
- No Madera County cat license requirement listed.
Emergency & Important Madera Animal Contacts
The correct phone number depends on where the animal issue happened and whether it is a routine shelter question, county-area animal-control call, city-limit call, bite report or after-hours emergency.
| Contact | Number / route | Use this for |
|---|---|---|
| Madera County Animal Services | 559-675-7891 | Shelter questions, adoption, lost/found, animal-to-human bites, county-area animal-control routing and general MCAS help. |
| Animal Services officer email | AnimalServicesASO@Maderacounty.com | Officer-related animal service communication during appropriate business routing. |
| County after-hours animal emergencies | 559-675-7769 | After-hours animal emergencies within county jurisdiction through the Madera County Sheriff’s Office route. |
| City of Madera Animal Control | 559-675-4220 | Animal-control issues inside City of Madera limits. City page lists Tuesday–Saturday 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. for Animal Control. |
| City of Chowchilla Animal Control | 559-665-8600 | After-hours emergency routing within Chowchilla city limits when that jurisdiction applies. |
| Immediate public-safety emergency | 911 | Immediate human danger, active attack, serious injury, serious bite or urgent public-safety emergency. |
| Lost & Found text assist line | 833-545-0636 | Text the word Lost or Found to submit a lost/found assistance report through the County’s listed text route. |
| Madera County Public Health communicable disease reporting | 559-675-7894 | 24/7 public-health reporting, including animal bite reporting where public-health involvement is needed. |
Madera Animal Control Routing
Madera County Animal Services and city animal-control offices are not interchangeable. The address where the issue happened controls which office should handle it.
County-area animal calls
Use Madera County Animal Services for county animal-related issues such as injured stray animals, cruelty, abandoned animals, neglected animals, barking dogs and vicious animals when county jurisdiction applies.
City of Madera calls
Inside City of Madera limits, the City’s Animal Control Unit is listed under the Madera Police Department and uses 559-675-4220 for non-emergency animal-control contact.
Emergency response
Madera County’s “What We Do” page lists 24-hour response to emergency calls, while the contact page routes county after-hours emergencies through the Sheriff’s Office.
Animal Bites and Rabies Quarantine in Madera County
Animal bites should be reported quickly. Madera County Animal Services says animal-to-human bites should be reported as soon as possible to Animal Services, and Madera County Public Health lists 24/7 reporting for animal bites through Communicable Disease reporting.
Report bites to Animal Services
During business hours, call 559-675-7891 and gather the animal owner’s name, address, phone number and a description of the animal when possible.
Dogs and cats
Madera County’s bite page says dogs and cats involved in bite incidents must be quarantined away from other animals and people for 10 days after the bite.
Livestock
The County bite page says livestock quarantine uses the same general requirements, but the quarantine length is 14 days.
Lost or Found Pet in Madera County
Lost-pet work is stressful, and timing matters. Animals without ID may have a shorter stray hold, while microchipped pets can be held longer. Search repeatedly and act fast if you see a possible match.
If your pet is missing
- Fill out the official Lost Pet Report.
- Email Animal Services with a photo of your lost pet.
- Check current dog and cat listings because all shelter-held animals are listed online.
- Check the Madera Animal Shelter Lost and Found Facebook page.
- If the pet has a microchip, contact the microchip company and confirm your contact details.
- Keep searching nearby; the County page says many pets are found by residents before they reach a shelter.
If you found an animal
- Submit a Found Pet Report with a clear photo and found location.
- Check safely for tags and ask nearby homes before moving the pet far away.
- Take the animal to the shelter or a local veterinarian for a free microchip scan.
- If a microchip is found and you need help locating the owner, call 559-675-7891.
- Do not give a stray animal directly to adopters, fosters or rescues before the legal process is handled.
- Use emergency routing if the animal is injured, aggressive, in traffic or involved in a bite/rabies concern.
Reclaim Rules if Your Pet Is at the Shelter
If you find your pet on the shelter’s website, contact MCAS and visit quickly. Bring the animal ID number and proof that connects you to the pet.
Bring proof of ownership
Madera County lost-pet guidance lists vaccination and licensing records, pet photos and the animal ID number as useful documents for reclaim.
Positive identification
Staff may guide owners through the kennels so they can make a positive identification before the return-to-owner process begins.
Fees may apply
Fees can depend on how long the animal has been at the shelter, sterilization status, vaccine status, license status and penalties.
Found Animal Warning: A Courtesy Post Is Not a Legal Stray Hold
Madera County’s found-pet page clearly says the Found Pet Report is a courtesy post and does not constitute a legal stray holding period. That detail matters if an adopter, foster or rescue is interested.
Best first steps
- Submit the Found Pet Report with a photo and location.
- Check tags, collars and nearby homes.
- Scan for a microchip at the shelter or local veterinarian.
- Call MCAS if a chip exists but you need help contacting the owner.
Do not shortcut ownership rights
The County found-pet page says giving lost or stray animals directly to adopters, fosters or rescues may make reunification harder. MCAS can assist with transfer after a legal stray hold.
Madera County Dog Licensing
Madera County uses DocuPet as its official licensing partner. The County page says licenses may be purchased for one-, two- or three-year periods as long as the rabies vaccination is valid for the same period.
| License type | 1-year | 2-year / 3-year |
|---|---|---|
| Spayed/neutered dog | $10 | $20 / $30 |
| Unaltered dog | $50 | $100 / $150 |
| Senior spayed/neutered dog | $5 | $10 / $15 |
| Senior unaltered dog | $50 | $100 / $150 |
| Late renewal | $20 late fee if not paid within 60 days after due date | License fee still applies |
Community Cats, Feral Cats and Kittens
Outdoor cats are not all handled the same way. Madera County FAQ snippets and cat guidance separate healthy community cats, sick or injured cats, kittens and feral cats.
Feral cats
County FAQ guidance says the shelter does not take in feral cats or kittens and points to Friends of Madera Animal Shelter assistance with Trap-Neuter-Return.
Sick or injured cats
If a cat or kitten is injured or ill within county jurisdiction, call MCAS immediately for pickup or, when safe, bring the injured pet during business hours.
Mom and kittens
Madera County TNR guidance says kittens should usually stay with their mother when mom and kittens are doing well outdoors.
Surrender and Rehome Options
Owner surrender should not be treated as a same-day drop-off unless MCAS confirms the process. The adoption page also points pet owners to Home-to-Home and Rescue Me as rehoming options where animals may move directly from one home to another.
Call first
Call 559-675-7891 before bringing an owned pet to the shelter. Ask what intake, appointment or resource options apply.
Try safe rehoming
Home-to-Home or other safe rehoming routes may avoid a shelter stay and reduce stress for the animal.
Be honest about the problem
Tell staff whether the issue is housing, cost, behavior, allergies, illness, safety, time, transportation or another crisis.
Foster and Volunteer Help
Madera County Animal Services uses volunteers and foster homes to help shelter animals. Foster care may include neonate, medical, behavioral, short-term, long-term, Doggie Day Out and sleepover fostering.
Foster email
The County contact page lists HelpingHands@Maderacounty.com for volunteer/foster communication.
Foster coordinator route
Foster page snippets direct questions to foster coordinators at 559-675-7891.
Volunteer age note
County volunteer information says volunteers must generally be 16 years or older with required waiver/training steps.
Veterinary Reality Check: No Public Vet-Hospital Claim
This page does not add fake veterinary hospital schema, fake doctor names or invented appointment fees. Madera County shelter pages describe vaccinations, spay/neuter before adoption, microchips and bite quarantine, but the lost-pet page also says MCAS does not have a veterinarian on staff for rabies vaccination during reclaim.
No invented veterinarian
No official public veterinarian roster or routine public appointment schedule was verified for this page, so no doctor schema is added.
Adoption medical basics
Adoption care includes listed vaccinations, flea/tick treatment, microchip and spay/neuter before leaving the shelter.
Emergency pet illness
If your owned pet has a life-threatening medical problem, contact a licensed emergency veterinarian. Do not wait for shelter hours.
Before You Visit 205 Tozer St.
Adoption checklist
- Check current dogs or cats online about an hour before visiting.
- Write down the pet’s name or A-number.
- Bring photo ID, payment and safe transport.
- Ask whether the animal is already altered or must stay for surgery.
- Ask about vaccine records, microchip registration and license fees.
- Confirm any Pets for Vets documentation before expecting a fee waiver.
Lost / reclaim checklist
- Bring pet photos, animal ID number and proof of ownership.
- Bring vaccination and licensing records if available.
- Bring microchip information and confirm the chip registry is updated.
- Ask staff about all reclaim fees before arriving.
- Walk through the kennels if staff directs you to identify the pet.
- Act quickly because stray holds can be short.
Simple Call Scripts
When you are worried about a pet, a short script helps you give the right details clearly.
Adoption
Hi, I am interested in pet [name/A-number]. Is the animal still
available, already spayed or neutered, and what is the total amount
due today including any dog license fee if I live in the county?
Lost pet
Hi, my [dog/cat] is missing from [street/city/area]. The pet is
[description], has [tag/microchip/license], and may match animal
ID [number]. What should I bring to reclaim?
Found animal
Hi, I found a [dog/cat] at [exact location]. The animal is
[safe/injured/aggressive]. Should I submit a Found Pet Report,
bring it for a microchip scan, or request animal-control help?
Bite / rabies concern
Hi, I need to report an animal-to-human bite at [location].
The animal is [owned/stray/wild/unknown], the person bitten is
[adult/child], and medical care is [needed/underway/not yet].
What is the correct report route now?
Map: Madera County Animal Services
Use this map for the current official Animal Services contact-page address: 205 Tozer St., Madera, CA 93638. Check hours before driving, especially on Saturdays, holidays or special-event days.
Official Madera Resources
Use official pages for current animal availability, forms, closures, report routes, fees, licensing and public-health instructions.
Madera Animal Shelter FAQ
What is the official Madera animal shelter?
The official county shelter route is Madera County Department of Animal Services, commonly called Madera County Animal Services or Madera Animal Shelter.
Where is Madera County Animal Services located?
The current County Animal Services contact page lists the shelter address as 205 Tozer St., Madera, CA 93638.
What is the Madera Animal Shelter phone number?
The main Madera County Animal Services phone number is 559-675-7891.
What are Madera Animal Shelter adoption hours?
Current adoption/walk-in hours are Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The shelter is closed Sundays and holidays unless posted otherwise.
What are the phone-line hours?
The County contact page lists phone lines open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
How much does it cost to adopt a dog?
The current adoption page lists dog adoptions at $125. A county dog license fee may be separate for county residents outside city limits.
How much does it cost to adopt a cat?
The current adoption page lists cat adoptions at $75.
Can Madera Animal Shelter hold a pet for me?
No. The adoption page says pets may not be held.
Can an adopted pet go home the same day?
If the animal is already altered, it may go home the same day. If the animal is not yet spayed or neutered, it must remain at the shelter until the procedure is completed.
Do California veterans pay adoption fees?
The adoption page says qualifying California veterans may have dog or cat adoption fees waived under the Pets for Vets Act, limited to one pet every six months. License fees may still apply.
What should I do if my pet is missing?
Fill out the Lost Pet Report, email Animal Services with a photo, check the current dogs and current cats pages, check the Lost and Found Facebook page, update microchip information and keep searching.
How long are unidentified animals held?
Madera County lost-pet guidance says animals brought into the shelter without identification can only be held for 72 hours as a stray hold.
How long does the shelter hold microchipped pets?
The lost-pet page says if a pet has a microchip, the shelter will hold the pet for 10 business days.
What should I do if I found a pet?
Submit a Found Pet Report, check for tags, ask nearby homes, have the animal scanned for a microchip and call 559-675-7891 if a microchip is found and you need help contacting the owner.
Does a Found Pet Report count as a legal stray hold?
No. Madera County’s found-pet page says the Found Pet Report is a courtesy post and does not constitute a legal stray holding period.
Who handles animal-control emergencies after hours in the county?
The County contact page routes after-hours emergencies within the County to the Madera County Sheriff’s Office at 559-675-7769.
Who handles animal-control issues inside City of Madera limits?
City of Madera Animal Control handles city-limit animal-control matters. The City page lists non-emergency phone 559-675-4220 and emergency phone 911.
Where do I report an animal-to-human bite?
Report animal-to-human bites to Madera County Animal Services at 559-675-7891 during business hours. Madera County Public Health also lists 559-675-7894 for 24/7 communicable disease and animal bite reporting.
How long is dog or cat bite quarantine?
Madera County’s bite page says dogs and cats involved in bite incidents must be quarantined for 10 days after the bite.
Does Madera County require dog licenses?
Yes. The County licensing page says the law requires all dogs over four months old to be licensed. City of Madera and Chowchilla residents must use their city animal-control agency or police department route.
Does Madera Animal Shelter have a public veterinarian on staff?
The lost-pet page says MCAS does not have a veterinarian on staff for rabies vaccination during reclaim. This page does not present the shelter as a public walk-in veterinary hospital.
Is Animal-Shelter.org the official Madera County website?
No. Animal-Shelter.org is an independent informational guide. Use official Madera County, City of Madera and Public Health pages for live instructions, fees, closures and reporting rules.
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.