
Help our VCAS Foster Families feed the 1,500 expected kittens this year. Your help keeps our Foster Parents fully stocked with lifesaving food. Visit our Amazon Wish List to donate the 3 types of food needed.

This Saturday is Clear the Shelters, our largest pet adoption event of the year! Last year, 77 animals found loving homes, and were aiming to top that number this Saturday. We’ll be opening extra early at 11:00am, with early-bird adoption sign-ups starting at 7:00am at the Camarillo Shelter.
Adoptions will be FREE, and adopters will go home with lots of free gifts from event sponsors. Animals go home spayed or neutered, vaccinated, flea-treated, and come with a FREE first vet visit!
Browse the DOGS, CATS, and BUNNIES in our care to see who you’d like to take home this Saturday!

FREE ADOPTIONS this Saturday! Ventura County Animal Services is participating in California Adopt-a-Pet Day, a statewide pet adoption event organized by CalAnimalsand sponsored by the ASPCA! The event is this Saturday, June 7th, 2025 at both the Camarillo and Simi Valley Animal Shelters from 1:00pm – 6:00pm.
All adopted animals will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped before going home. Each adopter will receive a special FREE Adoption Gift Bagcourtesy of Supervisor Janice Parvin!

Over 50 amazing dogs have been in our care for more than 100 days! To help them find loving homes, we’re offering a fee-waived adoption promotion for these long-stay pets.
Please note: All adoption procedures still apply despite promotions.
Adoption Hours: 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Tuesday – Sunday
Locations: Camarillo & Simi Valley Animal Shelters
View Available Animals: www.vcas.us/pets
Learn About the Adoption Process: www.vcas.us/adopt

VENTURA COUNTY — In a heartwarming effort to give shelter dogs a second chance, 37 pups from Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) are on their way to Wisconsin to find loving homes—many of whom had been long-stay residents, patiently waiting for their forever families.
This lifesaving transport, made possible by the Humane Society of the United States, comes at a crucial time as VCAS faces a critical overcapacity crisis, recently reaching 142%. “With shelter space stretched beyond its limits, collaborative efforts like these are essential to ensuring every pet has a future filled with love and care.” Says Randy Friedman, Public Information Officer for VCAS.

We are at 142% capacity in our dog kennels. To help relieve overcrowding we are holding a free dog adoption promotion* from January 16th – 19th, 2025 at both the Camarillo and Simi Valley Shelters. Can’t adopt? Please share the flyer above. Thank you.
Ventura County Animal Services
*Please note: Promotions do not guarantee the adoption of a shelter pet. All interested parties must participate in the full adoption process to ensure the best possible matches are made. Promotions do not include the cost of a pet license if applicable.

Our Volunteer Gardening Team is hoping to add more vibrant, eye-catching potted plants to the Camarillo Animal Shelter to make our shelter more inviting — and they could use your help!
They’ve already secured plants from local nurseries, including pet-safe succulents, and drought-tolerant native perennials. Now, they’re looking for additional supplies to help create a welcoming garden space for our animals and visitors to enjoy.
TAP/CLICK HERE if you’d like to contribute. (Please note that items on the Wish List have been carefully selected and we kindly ask contributors to follow this list.)

Due to a high influx of animals arriving at VCAS, we will be offering fee-waived adoptions for all available animals in our care (dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.) through November 30th. Our hope is to create space for incoming critical cases.
Preview animals at www.vcas.us/pets.
View our full adoption process at www.vcas.us/adopt.

We are facing a critical situation at Ventura County Animal Services. Due to a recent 140% kennel capacity issue, a severe illness has taken hold within our dog population, with several cases escalating to pneumonia. To control the outbreak and ensure the recovery of our sick dogs, we urgently need to increase adoptions.

VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County Animal Services is in extreme crisis. The Camarillo Shelter has just passed 140% capacity, with 205 dogs occupying 146 indoor/outdoor kennels suitable for around-the-clock housing. This unprecedented overcrowding has led to a severe outbreak of upper respiratory infection (URI) among our canine population, jeopardizing their health and well-being.

VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) has an exciting opportunity for a third veterinarian to join our team!
Our hospital is staffed with an incredible group of talented and passionate veterinary professionals who are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the animals in our care and within our community. And while we take our job very seriously, we have a lot of fun and know how to have a good time along the way!

Dear Friends,
We just past the 50% mark of our Kitten Food Drive goal. 2,200 cases of food are needed to help feed the 1,500+ kittens who will come into our care this year, many of whom are underweight and need to be fed every 3 hours! Please TAP/CLICK HERE to visit our Amazon Wish List. All food should be delivered directly to the Camarillo Animal Shelter at 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010. Thank you for your support!
Warm Regards,
Ventura County Animal Services

WE DID IT! Thanks to you! 205 dog beds were donated in just 36 HOURS by shelter supporters in the community! The folks at Kuranda said, “We’ve NEVER seen a donation drive this big go this fast!” They asked how we did it, and we told them we have a close-knit community of animal lovers who know us, trust us, and believe in our lifesaving mission! That’s how we did it!
Thank you to ALL who donated to this Donation Bed Drive! Will be having a Build-A-Bed event on Saturday, February 3rd, 2024. Stay tuned for event details.

Every few years Ventura County Animal Services holds a Dog Bed Donation Drive to replace kennel beds that have become damaged due to the wear and tear of thousands of animals. We need 205 beds to replace all beds at the Camarillo and Simi Valley Shelter. Will you donate a dog bed?
Visit www.vcas.us/DogBedDonation to donate a bed directly to the shelter. On this page you will find the exact type of bed our dogs need, and you’ll see how many beds have already been purchased. Beds are automatically shipped to the Camarillo Shelter. Feel free to leave an “In Memory of” or “In Honor of” message when checking out. Thank you so much for your support!

It’s Husky Week at Ventura County Animal Services! Husky Week is a week-long celebration of Siberian Huskies which includes education about the breed and, of course, FEE-WAIVED adoptions! Husky Week ends Sunday, November 19th, 2023. Visit www.vcas.us/huskyweek to view all Siberian Huskies. When you’re ready to adopt, you can either schedule an appointment at www.vcas.us/adopt, or simply come down to the shelter during normal business hours of 1:00pm – 6:00pm, Tuesday – Sunday.
If you’re unable to adopt, please help spreading the word to friends and family. With over 40 Siberian Huskies in our care, it is critical to find homes for as many as possible! Please note that pet promotions do not guarantee the adoption of a shelter pet. All interested parties must participate in the full adoption process to help ensure the best possible matches are made!

VENTURA COUNTY — Over 40 Siberian Huskies currently reside at the Camarillo and Simi Valley Shelter. Animal Welfare officials believe the increase of this breed’s appearance in local shelters is, in part, due to the popularity of the HBO series Game of Thrones, where Huskies played integral roles.
To help Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) find homes for these beautiful dogs, they are holding a rather creative promotional campaign called Husky Week, a parody of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. VCAS is waiving all adoption fees for Huskies (and Husky Mixes) from Saturday, November 11th – Sunday, November 19th.

Dear Friends,
Our shelters are, once again, OVERCAPACITY with cats, kittens, and dogs. To help alleviate the overcrowding we are holding a FEE-WAIVED pet adoption promotion through Sunday, September 24, 2023. This is an urgent call for help from adopters, fosters, and rescue partners. Overcrowding is an ongoing issue despite the success of our recent adoption event, Clear The Shelters, where 115 animals were adopted out.
Pets available for adoption, foster, or waiting to be reclaimed can be found at www.vcas.us/pets, and our adoption process is outlined at www.vcas.us/adopt.
Thank you,
Ventura County Animal Services
*Please note: Promotions do not guarantee the adoption of a shelter pet. All interested parties must participate in the full adoption process to ensure the best possible matches are made. Promotions do not include the cost of a pet license if applicable. This promotion applies to all animals EXCEPT dogs under one (1) year of age.

VENTURA COUNTY — On Monday, August 28th, 2023, five (5) dedicated members of our Ventura County Animal Services’ Animal Care Team embarked on a compassionate journey 170 miles to Coachella Valley Animal Services in Riverside County. Their mission was to provide mutual aid to Coachella Valley Animal Shelter, whose facility was landlocked by flood waters amidst the aftermath of Cyclone Hilary.
The devastating flooding had rendered their shelter inaccessible, forcing their staff to rely on shuttle rides via 4-wheeled vehicles, trekking over submerged terrain just to reach the shelter. The primary access road, once solid ground, now lay submerged under several feet of water, causing the shelter to close their facility to the public.

Fee-Waived Bunny Adoptions this weekend (March 18th -19th) at the Camarillo Animal Shelter in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day! Rabbits make the perfect indoor pet as they’re quiet, litter-box trained, and don’t require walks! Visit www.vcas.us/rabbits to view our bunnies, submit an application, and schedule an appointment. Questions? Contact our VCAS Bunny Brigade directly at VCASbunnybrigade@gmail.com. Applications must be submitted by March 19th to qualify for this promotion, but know that promotions do not guarantee the adoption of a shelter pet. All interested parties must participate in the full adoption process to ensure the best possible matches are made. 🙂

Many of our life-saving programs depend on donor dollars from the community. Please consider making Ventura County Animal Services your end-of-year charity. Visit www.vcas.us/donate to make an online donation to our non-profit Foundation. And make your donation before December 31, 2022 to claim the deduction on your 2022 Tax Return. Thank you for your support of our lifesaving mission!

December 9-11, 2022 is National Adoption Weekend and Best Friends Animal Society is celebrating by sponsoring a part of all dog and cat adoption fees with Network Partners! Adopt a dog or cat during this promotion and pay only a $40 fee for a dog adoption, and $55 for a cat adoption. View all of our pets online at www.vcas.us/pets and learn more about our adoption process at www.vcas.us/adopt.
Thank you and we hope to see you at the shelter!

Make a difference in the lives of animals. No previous, formal medical experience required. Learn on the job!
VCAS is an open-admission, life-saving, municipal animal shelter serving the residents and animals of Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Simi Valley, Ventura and all Unincorporated areas of the county. Our veterinary hospital employs two (2) Veterinarians, four (4) RVTs, three (3) Vet Assistants, and a workforce of dedicated volunteers who ensure each animal receives the best medical care possible! If you feel this position may be right for you, TAP/CLICK HERE or visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ventura/jobs/3578453-0/veterinary-assistant.

Ventura County Animal Services Needs Your Help! 3,000 cans of kitten food are needed to get us through the rest of “Kitten Season” (the time of year when unaltered cats go into heat and produce litters). Below are the three (3) types of food that underweight kittens have historically liked the most and have put on the most weight with. If you choose to donate, please choose from these options.

VCAS is thrilled to participate in the Best Friends Animal Society nationwide pet adoption event this weekend, Friday, May 20th – Sunday, May 22nd. Best Friends has partnered with Bounty to help ABSORB a portion of adoption fees during National Adoption Weekend. $50 off each dog adoption and $25 off each cat adoption. (Regular adoption fees are $90 for dogs and $80 for cats.) As always, promotions do not guarantee the adoption of a shelter pet. All interested parties must participate in the full adoption process to ensure the best possible matches are made. Promotions do not include the cost of a pet license if applicable.

We are thrilled to share with you our 2021 Ventura County Animal Services Annual Report. As you can see, we had very successful and busy year as we navigated a challenging landscape. We hope this snapshot provides a glimpse into our daily life-saving activities during the 2021 calendar year. There were many other events which did not make into this publication, so we encourage you to join us on social media to learn how else we are making a difference in the lives of animals in need.

Welcome to HUSKY WEEK, a week-long celebration and education of Siberian Huskies followed by a weekend of FEE-WAIVED ADOPTIONS for all Huskies at the Camarillo Animal Shelter (March 12-13). Check out our husky education posts on Facebook then view our furry friends at www.vcas.us/huskyweek. If you’d like to adopt, please learn about our adoption process at www.vcas.us/adopt.
Please note that promotions do not guarantee the adoption of a shelter pet. All interested parties must participate in the full adoption process to ensure the best possible matches are made. Adoption Counselors are standing by during adoption hours to answer questions and match you with your next best friend! Promotions do not include the cost of a pet license if applicable. Each Husky adoption comes with a FREE Pet ID tag and lint roller.

We are THRILLED to offer Fee-Waived Adoptions this weekend (JAN 29-30). This promotion applies to all dogs who have entered Ventura County Animal Services in 2021. Please view available dogs at www.vcas.us/dogs. Each animal’s “Intake Date” is located on each profile page.
Adoptions are by appointment-only. Sorry, no walk-ins! There are two (2) ways to schedule an adoption appointment:
1) Online at www.vcas.us/adopt, or
2) Email our Adoption Counselors at PetAdoptions@ventura.org. Please include the Animal ID# of the 2021 dog of interest. Only use this email address for dogs who entered our care in 2021.

What a year this has been for all of us! Despite the many challenges that 2021 brought, we are happy to report that our agency remained committed to our life-saving mission, having reunited thousands of lost animals with their families, and found new, loving homes for thousands more. Innovative programs we have created over the years continue to grow and evolve as the needs of our community change. But none of our many accomplishments would have been possible without the passionate dedication of our staff and volunteers who give their heart and soul to each and every animal, every day.

I am excited to announce that the Simi Valley Animal Shelter is, once again, fully open for all business, including pet adoptions! I am equally pleased to report that pet adoptions have steadily increased to match the expected rise of stray animals coming into our care.
As a reminder, adoption hours are 1:00pm – 6:00pm, Tuesday – Sunday, at both the Camarillo and Simi Valley locations. We encourage everyone to preview our dogs, cats, rabbits and other critters online prior to your visit. Also, please take a moment to review our new and improved adoption process which employs text messaging to reduce wait times and long lines.
Our staff and volunteers are here to answer questions and help make the best matches possible! Thank you for your continued support of our lifesaving efforts!

The VCAS Bunny Brigade is offering fee-waived adoptions for those who submit a rabbit adoption application between August 1st – 8th! Visit www.vcas.us/BunnyBrigade to submit yours, today!
All house rabbits adopted out by VCAS must be indoor-only!
Domestic rabbits are family members and need your love and affection.
All rabbits leave VCAS spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped before going home.
Rabbits also live longer when living with fellow rabbits. So, consider adopting a bonded pair already in our care. Questions? Need more information? Email VCASbunnybrigade@gmail.com.

Ventura County Animal Services will be re-opening the Simi Valley Animal Shelter on Saturday, July 10th, 2021 as a holding facility only, for the reclaim and drop-off of lost/found dogs and cats. This is the next step in our phased reopening plan. Pet adoptions at this location will resume at a later date. Animals not reclaimed by their owners during their stray hold period will be transferred to the Camarillo Animal Shelter or further services and to be made available for adoption. The Simi Valley Animal Shelter will be open Tuesday – Sunday from 12:00pm – 5:00pm.

We are thrilled to partner with Petco Love as they launch Petco Love Lost — a central, searchable resource helping lost pets reunite with their families.
1 in 3 pets will go missing in their lifetime and almost 10 million pets go missing every year, but, together, we can change the outlook for lost pets. Petco Love Lost is a free, easy-to-use national resource, using patented pet facial recognition technology to make it easier than ever to find possible matches from community members and shelters like VCAS.
Do you know of a lost or found pet in Ventura County? Help them reunite with their families at petcolovelost.org!

Ventura County Animal Services is thrilled to announce that we have received a $27,500 grant investment from the newly named, Petco Love, to support our lifesaving work for the animals in Ventura County.
Petco Love is a nonprofit leading change for pets nationally by harnessing the power of love to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since their founding in 1999 as the Petco Foundation, they’ve empowered organizations with nearly $300 million invested to date in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. And, they’ve helped find loving homes for more than 6.5 million pets in partnership with Petco and more than 4,000 organizations, like ours, nationwide.

Welcome to our first VCAS newsletter! We will be sending this out quarterly to help you stay informed about all the great work we are doing at Ventura County Animal Services.
Although this has been very difficult year for us all, we remain 100% committed to all live-saving activities! To help illustrate these efforts, please take a moment and view our 2020 Annual Report. It contains a lot of great information about who we are and what we do each and every day to care for the thousands of homeless animals who enter in our care each year.
We hope you enjoy reading all about VCAS!

Wow, what a year this has been for us all! Here we are at the end of 2020 and I want to take a moment to share some of the operational enhancements we were able to accomplish despite these unprecedented times, as well as provide an update regarding some of the changes we have made as a result of COVID-19.
First, we created new processes and procedures to ensure a safe environment for all shelter guests and made significant modifications to the shelter to adapt to this new environment. These changes included the following:

Effective Tuesday, September 1, 2020, all new pet licenses purchased or renewed through Ventura County Animal Services will be powered by PetHub. These state-of-the-art “Smart Tags” feature unique QR codes that, when scanned by a smartphone, displays contact information which the pet owner has specifically chosen to share. Pet owners have full control over what information is provided to Good Samaritans who find their lost pet.

Ventura County Animal Services has received approval from Dr. Levin, Ventura County Public Health Officer, to reinstate pet adoptions on a limited basis at the Camarillo Animal Shelter. This authorization applies only to pet adoptions — all other COVID-19 restrictions are still in effect. All adoptions will be conducted by appointment only and the shelter still remains closed to the public for casual visitation.
On Saturday, May 2nd at 10:00am, VCAS will activate their online scheduling system for Adoption Counseling appointments and will begin scheduling these sessions starting Sunday, May 3rd.