Polk Sheriff Animal Shelter & Control: Adoption Hours 2026
If you searched for the “Polk Sheriff Animal Shelter,” the official facility is the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Section at 7115 De Castro Road in Winter Haven, Florida. It combines a public animal shelter with county animal-control responsibilities, including adoptions, lost and stray animals, bite investigations, dangerous-dog cases, quarantine work and Polk County rabies-license tags.
A shelter visit is much easier when you know which clock matters. The public kennel is currently listed Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., while administrative services begin earlier on weekdays. Reclaiming your own pet also has an extra appointment-only window on weekday evenings.
Which Polk County Animal Service Do You Need?
The shelter and Animal Control share the same PCSO operation, but adopting a pet, reclaiming your own animal, reporting a bite and surrendering an owned pet are different processes.
Adopt a shelter pet
Search the live PCSO animal listings, save the animal ID, then visit during public kennel hours. Adoptions are first come, first served.
Your dog or cat is missing
Search online, but also check the shelter in person. PCSO specifically warns that frightened, sick or injured animals may not be recognizable online.
You found a stray animal
Call Animal Control at 863-577-1762 and explain the exact location and condition of the animal.
A person was bitten or scratched
Get medical care when needed, report the incident to Animal Control, and report possible rabies exposure to DOH-Polk.
Buy or renew a Polk County rabies tag
Dogs and cats four months and older require a current rabies vaccination and county license tag under the county ordinance.
You need to surrender your own pet
PCSO Animal Control currently says it does not provide routine owner-surrender service. Use the local rehoming/surrender alternatives later in this guide.
Polk Sheriff Animal Shelter Adoption Hours 2026
The current PCSO Animal Services page separates public kennel hours from weekday administrative business and the late-afternoon reclaim window. Use the schedule that matches your task.
| Service | Current schedule | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Adoption / public kennel |
Monday–Saturday 10:00 AM–4:00 PM |
Use this window to see shelter animals, adopt, or check kennels for a missing pet. |
| Administrative office |
Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM |
PCSO lists this window for animal drop-off, rabies-tag sales and other administrative business. |
| Saturday administration / kennel |
Saturday 10:00 AM–4:00 PM |
The current main PCSO service page lists the shelter and kennel open 10–4 on Saturday. |
| Weekday reclaim extension |
Monday–Friday 4:00–6:00 PM |
For reclaiming your own pet only. An appointment is required; call the main Animal Control number. |
| Sunday | Closed | No normal adoption or public kennel visit. |
How to Adopt From Polk County Sheriff’s Animal Control
Adoption is first come, first served. If one particular dog or cat has caught your attention, save the animal ID but keep an open mind—availability can change before you arrive.
Search current PCSO adoptable animals
Start with the official Polk County Animal Control adoptable-pets page . Check the dogs, cats and other animals currently displayed.
Save the animal ID number
PCSO recommends bringing the animal’s ID number if you have already found a pet online. Staff can use it to locate the animal more quickly.
Check the current fee before leaving home
Open the official PCSO fee page because special events can sometimes reduce the normal adoption price.
Visit between 10 AM and 4 PM
Go to 7115 De Castro Road in Winter Haven during the Monday–Saturday public kennel window. Arriving earlier gives you more time to meet animals and complete the process without rushing.
Ask practical questions before choosing
Ask what staff know about health, energy level, handling, behavior, parasite treatment, heartworm testing and the animal’s shelter history.
Prepare safe transportation
Bring a secure cat carrier or a safe dog-transport plan. Do not wait until after adoption paperwork is complete to figure out how the animal will travel home.
Polk County Animal Control Adoption Fees
These are the regular adoption prices currently published by PCSO. Special events or off-site adoptions may use a different promotional fee.
| Adoption | Current listed fee | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Cats & kittens | $40 | Standard published PCSO adoption fee. |
| Dogs under 35 lb | $70 | PCSO’s current fee table uses weight to determine the dog fee. |
| Dogs 35 lb and over | $40 | Lower standard fee than the under-35-lb dog category. |
| Senior adoption | $30 | PCSO lists this discount for adopters aged 55 and older. |
| Adoption microchip line item | $5 | PCSO’s fee page says the adoption microchip charge appears as a separate line item on the receipt. |
What Is Included With a Polk County Adoption?
Spay or neuter
PCSO states that adopted dogs and cats are surgically sterilized before release under the county ordinance.
Vaccines and parasite care
Current PCSO adoption information includes first shots, worming, rabies vaccination and flea treatment.
Heartworm testing
PCSO’s published adoption package includes heartworm testing and heartworm preventative when applicable.
Microchip
Adopted dogs and cats receive an implanted microchip before release. Check the adoption packet for registration instructions.
Polk County license
PCSO’s adoption FAQ states that the adopted pet leaves with a valid Polk County license tag.
No guaranteed reservation
PCSO says adoptions are first come, first served. An online listing is useful for planning but does not guarantee the animal will still be available when you arrive.
Lost a Dog or Cat in Polk County?
Searching online is useful, but PCSO specifically recommends checking the kennels in person. A frightened pet can look very different from a familiar family photo, and some sick or injured animals may not be displayed online.
Search the current shelter list
Start with the official PCSO lost-pet search page and its 24PetConnect search.
Do not rely on the photo alone
Check age, sex, approximate size, markings, intake location, collar details and shelter ID. Stress can change an animal’s appearance.
Visit the kennels promptly
PCSO allows owners to check for lost pets Monday–Saturday from 10 AM–4 PM. Waiting several days can matter because unclaimed stray hold periods are limited.
Bring ownership and rabies documents
If you find your pet, have photo ID plus accepted ownership evidence and rabies-vaccination proof ready for reclaim.
How to Reclaim Your Pet From Polk County Animal Control
Documents PCSO says it accepts
- Bill of sale
- Medical/veterinary records showing owner and pet information
- Breed or kennel-club registration papers
- Adoption contract
Bring vaccination proof
PCSO asks owners to bring proof of rabies vaccination. Other reclaim charges may apply depending on why the animal was impounded, length of stay and medical care required.
How Long Does Polk County Hold a Stray Animal?
| Stray situation | Current PCSO hold | Why owners should act quickly |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy stray with no identification |
4 days
Not including the impound date |
A missing pet without identification can move through the shelter process quickly, so search in person as soon as possible. |
| Animal wearing a valid tag |
7 days
Not including the impound date |
Identification creates a longer hold, but owners should still contact the shelter promptly. |
Found a Stray Animal in Polk County
If the animal can be safely contained
- Look for a tag without putting yourself at risk.
- Have a veterinary clinic or shelter scan for a microchip when practical.
- Call PCSO Animal Control at 863-577-1762.
- Give the exact location where the animal was found.
- Describe injuries, aggression or unusual behavior.
If the animal is injured or unsafe
Do not chase or handle an animal when doing so could lead to a bite, traffic accident or additional injury. PCSO Animal Control handles sick or injured dogs and cats as part of its field responsibilities.
Emergency & Important Polk County Contacts
These numbers serve different purposes. Do not treat the Sheriff’s Office general line, 911 and Animal Control as interchangeable.
| Contact | Number | Verified purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control | 863-577-1762 | Shelter, stray animals, Animal Control, bite investigations and animal-related field-service routing. |
| Animal Control toll-free | 1-888-275-8941 | Toll-free PCSO Animal Control contact published on the current Animal Services page. |
| Emergency | 911 | Immediate life-safety emergency requiring police, fire or emergency medical response. |
| Polk County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency | 863-298-6200 | Sheriff questions or non-emergency crime/reporting matters. PCSO also publishes toll-free 1-800-226-0344. |
| DOH-Polk — possible rabies exposure | 863-519-8300 | Florida Department of Health in Polk County contact for human animal-bite/scratch and possible rabies-exposure reporting. |
Animal Bite or Possible Rabies Exposure in Polk County
Polk County uses both Animal Control and public-health follow-up. A bite is not just a shelter issue—it can also be a medical and communicable-disease concern.
Wash the wound and seek medical care
Florida health guidance recommends thoroughly washing an animal-bite wound and seeking medical evaluation, especially when rabies exposure is possible.
Report the animal to PCSO Animal Control
Call 863-577-1762. PCSO Animal Control investigates bite cases and handles animal quarantine when applicable.
Report possible human rabies exposure to DOH-Polk
Use the official DOH-Polk rabies program or call 863-519-8300.
Keep the animal’s description and location
If it can be done safely, record the animal’s appearance, owner information, exact incident location and where the animal can be found.
Can You Surrender an Owned Pet to Polk County Animal Control?
Humane Society of Polk County
The Humane Society currently handles pet surrender by appointment only.
Current official information lists: 863-324-5227. A $10 non-refundable appointment fee is required when booking, with a separate surrender fee if the animal is accepted.
SPCA Florida
SPCA Florida is a managed-intake organization serving Polk County. Current owner surrenders require an application and depend on available space.
Current surrender/rehome contact: 863-577-4618.
Review SPCA Florida’s current surrender and rehoming options .
Polk County Rabies License Tags: Current Fees
Polk County requires dogs and cats four months and older to have a rabies vaccination and valid county license tag. PCSO uses a renewable lifetime physical tag system, so an existing tag normally stays with the pet while the license is renewed.
| License | 1 year | 3 year |
|---|---|---|
| Altered dog or cat | $10 | $15 |
| Unaltered dog or cat | $25 | $60 |
| Replacement current tag | $2 | $2 |
| Cat no-snag collar | $1 | $1 |
Make sure rabies vaccination is current
A current rabies-vaccination certificate is required. Three-year tags require a qualifying three-year rabies vaccination.
Find your existing pet record when renewing online
PCSO’s online system can search using the Animal ID, Person ID, last name, microchip number or reminder reference number.
Use the official online payment page
Start through the PCSO online rabies-tag payment system . Online transactions currently carry a convenience fee.
Veterinary Care at the Sheriff Animal Shelter: What Is Publicly Offered?
PCSO has veterinary staff for animals in its care
PCSO materials refer to veterinary staff and document shelter medical services such as vaccination, sterilization, microchipping, parasite treatment and care for sick or injured impounded animals.
No public PCSO veterinary appointment program verified
The current PCSO shelter pages reviewed for this guide do not publish a general owned-pet veterinary appointment service, public veterinarian schedule, named shelter doctor, exam fee or public wellness-clinic schedule.
For that reason this article does not invent a doctor name, appointment fee or `VeterinaryCare` schema for PCSO Animal Control.
Wildlife and Alligator Calls
Domestic strays and sick/injured pets
Use Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control for normal domestic-animal field-service questions in its jurisdiction.
Larger alligators
PCSO’s Animal Services FAQ directs larger-alligator issues to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s alligator hotline: 1-866-392-4286.
When the Animal Is Outside Polk County
Central Florida shelter jurisdiction changes at county lines. Do not drive a found animal to Winter Haven merely because Polk Animal Control is the first shelter result you found online.
Osceola County
If the animal is actually in Osceola County, use the Osceola County Animal Shelter & Control guide for that county’s shelter, Field Operations and bite-reporting route.
Orange County / Orlando
For an animal found across the Orange County line, see the Orange County Animal Shelter guide instead of assuming Polk County has jurisdiction.
Tampa / Hillsborough County
West of Polk County, use the Tampa Animal Shelter & Control guide for Hillsborough County’s separate shelter and Animal Control routes.
Pasco County
If the animal issue is farther northwest in the Tampa Bay region, the Pasco County Animal Shelter guide covers that county’s separate services.
Map: Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control
The shelter is near the entrance to the North Central Landfill, off CR 540 / Winter Lake Road and convenient to the Polk Parkway Winter Lake Road exit.
Use this exact shelter address
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control
7115 De Castro Road
Winter Haven, FL 33880
Main Animal Control: 863-577-1762
Official Polk County Animal-Service Links
The important information is summarized on this page. Use these official links when you need live pet availability, payment, a changing fee or a current government procedure.
Polk Sheriff Animal Shelter: Top 10 FAQs
1. Where is the Polk County Sheriff’s animal shelter?
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control is located at 7115 De Castro Road, Winter Haven, Florida 33880.
2. What is the Polk County Animal Control phone number?
The current Animal Control number is 863-577-1762. PCSO also publishes a toll-free Animal Control number: 1-888-275-8941.
3. What are Polk County Animal Control adoption hours?
The current PCSO Animal Services page lists public kennel hours Monday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The shelter is closed Sunday and on listed major county holidays.
4. How much does it cost to adopt from Polk County Animal Control?
Current regular fees are $40 for cats and kittens, $70 for dogs under 35 pounds, $40 for dogs 35 pounds and over, and $30 for adopters aged 55 and older. PCSO’s fee page also lists a separate $5 adoption microchip line item.
5. What is included with a Polk County Animal Control adoption?
PCSO states that the adoption package includes spay/neuter, first shots, worming, heartworm testing, heartworm preventative when applicable, rabies vaccination, county tag, flea treatment and microchip identification.
6. Are Polk County Animal Control adoptions first come, first served?
Yes. PCSO’s current FAQ says adoptions are first come, first served. If you find a pet online, bring the animal ID number so shelter staff can locate that animal.
7. How long does Polk County Animal Control hold a lost pet?
PCSO currently lists a four-day hold for healthy strays without identification and a seven-day hold for animals wearing a valid identification tag. The impound date is not counted in those periods.
8. What do I need to reclaim my pet?
Bring proof of ownership and rabies-vaccination proof. PCSO says accepted ownership evidence includes bills of sale, veterinary records showing owner and pet information, breed/kennel-club registration papers and adoption contracts.
9. Can I surrender my own pet to Polk County Animal Control?
PCSO’s current FAQ says routine owner surrender is not offered. It directs owners toward a humane society or SPCA. SPCA Florida and the Humane Society of Polk County currently have separate managed or appointment-based surrender processes.
10. Who should I call for an animal bite or possible rabies exposure in Polk County?
Report animal-control/bite information to Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control at 863-577-1762. For a person bitten or scratched with possible rabies exposure, seek medical care and contact the Florida Department of Health in Polk County at 863-519-8300. Call 911 for an immediate life-threatening emergency.
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.