City of Palo Alto Homepage
TEXT VERSION 
SEARCH FOR:
Contact Us
Location:
275 Forest Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Telephone:
Phone: 650-329-2413 (non-emergency)
Fax: 650-617-3120
Hours:
Field Operations: 24/7
Front Desk: 8-5 (M-F)

For emergencies
dial 9-1-1
Animal Services

Palo Alto Animal Services

3281 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, California 94303

Open: Monday - Saturday, 11:00am - 5:30pm, except holidays. Closed every other Friday.

Main: 650-496-5971
Clinic: 650-496-5933
Fax: 650-856-8591

Welcome to the Palo Alto Animal Services (PAAS) website. Learn more about our programs and services through the links on these pages.

Palo Alto Animal Services protects and cares for animals within our jurisdiction that are at risk of injury, neglect or homelessness. Our Animal Control services help protect the public and public property from injury, harm, and disease from animals. Our pleasant, user-friendly shelter offers animals for adoption, a low-cost neuter and vaccination clinic, volunteer opportunities and a selection of pet supplies.

Palo Alto Animal Services promotes responsible pet ownership through adoption counseling, education and support services. We provide animal rescue and medical treatment. Animal-control services for Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills are also provided. We minimize animal-related risks to public health and safety by providing population and disease-prevention services within our jurisdiction.

Palo Alto Animal Services is a not-for-profit organization funded and governed by the City of Palo Alto and is a division of the city's Police Department.

Directions
We are conveniently located near the 101 Bayshore Freeway, between the Embarcadero and San Antonio Road, bordering on the Palo Alto Baylands. Our street address is 3281 E. Bayshore Road.

  1. Animal Control
    1. General Animal Control Information
      A summary of frequently asked animal control topics.
    2. Animal Policy
      How long do we keep animals?
    3. Lost and Found
      General lost and found Information
    4. Volunteer with Animal Services
      How to volunteer at Animal Services
    5. Regulations that Vary by Community
      Summary of regulations that vary by community.
    6. Complaints about Nuisance Animals
      General complaint information for animal bite, barking dog, animal cruelty or abuse, sanitation, wildlife and more.
      against infection.
    7. Surrender an Animal
      Information on surrendering an animal
    8. Animal Services Statistics

Wild Life

    1. Living with Wildlife
      Steps you can take to prevent wildlife from making your home their home.
    2. Mountain Lions
      General information about mountain lions.
    3. Tree Squirrels
      General description and control information
  1. Training Your Pet
    1. General Behavior Information
      General pet behavior information
    2. House Training Your Dog
      The golden rules of house training, including details of how to set up a daily routine and praising your dog for a job well done.
    3. Teaching the Quiet Command
      One method that can be used to reduce barking. With a few tools and a bit of patience this is really effective.
    4. Reducing Barking in Dogs
      11 tips on how to reduce unwanted barking in dogs.
    5. The Barking Dog - Why Dogs Bark
      Why dogs bark, what type of barking is good or bad and how to tell if your dog is out of control.
    6. Scratching Furniture
      Preventing your cat from ruining your furniture.
    7. Dog Crates
      An article by Danny Canino discussing why dog crates are your dog's best friend.
    8. Back Yard Blues
      How leaving a dog in a yard can cause behavioral problems
  2. Pet Health and Safety
    1. Controlling Fleas
      Recent breakthroughs have significantly changed how we think about and approach flea control.
    2. Micro chipping your Cat or Dog
      A complete, unique system for pet retrieval.
    3. Toxoplasmosis - Your pregnancy and your cat
      Toxoplasmosis, the effects it can have on your unborn baby and precautions
    4. Exercise Areas for Dogs
      Dog walk and off-leash exercise areas.
    5. Foxtails: Seeds that Can Maim and Kill
      The danger of foxtails and the barbed seeds of wild grasses.
    6. Low-cost Spay/Neuter and Vaccination Clinic
      Information on our low-cost spay/neuter and vaccination clinics
  3. Animal Adoption
        1. Pet Adoption Information
        2. Essential Information for New Owners
          Essential information for new pet owners
        3. Introducing 'Fido' to 'Fluffy'
          Introducing a dog to a cat.
        4. Bringing Home a Playmate for 'Fido'
          introducing a dog to a dog.
        5. Should I get a Puppy, Adolescent or Adult Dog?
          General information on all three.
        6. So, You Want to Get a Puppy...
          A puppy is a lifetime commitment, and that means for its entire lifetime.
        7. Before You Bring a Second Dog into Your Home
          Questions you should ask yourself before bringing a second dog home.
        8. Bringing home a playmate for 'Fluffy'
          Introducing a cat to a cat.
        9. Licensing and Identification
          Licensing is the single most effective way to provide a network of protection for your best friend.
        10. Rabbits
          General and behavior information
        11. Adoption Application Forms

Pet Adoption Information
General animal adoption information.
( visit the animal service home page )
[more]

Low-cost Spay/Neuter and Vaccination Clinic
Information on our low-cost spay/neuter and vaccination clinics.
( visit the animal services home page )
[more]

Volunteer with Animal Services
How to volunteer at Animal Services
[more]

Lost and Found
General lost and found Information
[more]

Licensing and Identification
Licensing is the single most effective way to provide a network of protection for your best friend.
[more]

Animal Services Statistics
 
[more]

The Barking Dog - Why Dogs Bark
Why dogs bark, what type of barking is good or bad and how to tell if your dog is out of control.
[more]

Rabbits
General and behavior information
[more]

Microchipping your Cat or Dog
A complete, unique system for pet retrieval.
[more]

Living with Wildlife
Steps you can take to prevent wildlife from making your home their home.
[more]

Adoption Application Forms
Printable application forms.
[more]

Essential Information for New Owners
Essential information for new pet owners.
[more]

General Animal Control Information
A summary of frequently asked animal control topics.
[more]

Exercise Areas for Dogs
Dog walk and off-leash exercise areas.
( visit the neighborhood parks home page )
[more]

So, You Want to Get a Puppy...
A puppy is a lifetime commitment, and that means for its entire lifetime.
[more]

Should I get a Puppy, Adolescent or Adult Dog?
General information on all three.
[more]

House Training Your Dog
The golden rules of house training, including details of how to set up a daily routine and praising your dog for a job well done.
[more]

Before You Bring a Second Dog into Your Home
Questions you should ask yourself before bringing a second dog home.
[more]

General Behavior Information
General pet behavior information
[more]

Controlling Fleas
Recent breakthroughs have significantly changed how we think about and approach flea control.
[more]

Reducing Barking in Dogs
11 tips on how to reduce unwanted barking in dogs.
[more]

Dog Crates
An article by Danny Canino discussing why dog crates are your dog's best friend.
[more]

Teaching the Quiet Command
One method that can be used to reduce barking. With a few tools and a bit of patience this is really effective.
[more]

Back Yard Blues
How leaving a dog in a yard can cause behavioral problems.
[more]

Surrender an Animal
Information on surrendering  an animal.
[more]

Foxtails: Seeds that Can Maim and Kill
The danger of foxtails and the barbed seeds of wild grasses.
[more]

Bringing home a playmate for 'Fluffy'
Introducing a cat to a cat.
[more]

Scratching Furniture
Preventing your cat from ruining your furniture.
[more]

Bringing Home a Playmate for 'Fido'
Introducing a dog to a dog.
[more]

Toxoplasmosis - Your pregnancy and your cat
Toxoplasmosis, the effects it can have on your unborn baby and precautions against infection.
[more]

Regulations that Vary by Community
Summary of regulations that vary by community.
[more]

Animal Policy
How long do we keep animals?
[more]

Tree Squirrels
General description and control information.
( palo alto animal services )
[more]

Mountain Lions
General information about mountain lions.
[more]

Introducing 'Fido' to 'Fluffy'
Introducing a dog to a cat.
[more]

Complaints about Nuisance Animals
General complaint information for animal bite, barking dog, animal cruelty or abuse, sanitation, wildlife and more.
[more]

Animal Adoption
Downloadable forms for animal adoption.
Cat Adoption Application
Cat adoption application to download, fill out and bring in with you.
Revision Date: 06/19/2006
Dog Adoption Application
Dog adoption application to download, fill out and bring in with you.
Revision Date: 06/19/2006
Dog License Application
Dog License Application
Revision Date: 06/17/2008
Other Small Animal, Bird or Snake Adoption Application
Bird, snake, or other small animal (other than dog, cat or rabbit) adoption application to download, fill out and bring in with you.
Revision Date: 06/19/2006
Rabbit Adoption Application
Rabbit adoption application to download, fill out and bring in with you.
Revision Date: 06/19/2006
Acceptable Use PolicyAccessibilityYour PrivacySite MapSearch EngineComment FormMissing Content