Animal Care & Protective Services

When Team ACPS saw those adorable viral videos of AI shelter dogs choosing their owners, we knew we had to do it for real!! We got picked by so many adorable pups and we promise: HUNDREDS of dogs and cats are choosing you. They just need you to choose them back. ❤️ #yourcityshelter #jacksonvilleflorida #shelterdogsrock #viralvideo #adoptdontshop

Excited is an understatement!! Today, in partnership with @thearcjacksonville , @fscjofficial , and @cityofjax , we got to officially kick off a first-of-its-kind program—not just in Jacksonville, but in all of Florida. Our partnership is launching the Professional Animal Workers Certificate (PAWS) program. 🐾 This program offers individuals with intellectual and developmental differences (IDD) the opportunity to gain education, job experience, and industry certifications in animal care, and our role at ACPS is to provide the invaluable hands-on experience to supplement their classroom learning. During today's kickoff press conference, we got to hear from folks who were key in getting this initiative going AND we got to hear from two of our future students who are excited to continue their education and pursue a job that aligns perfectly with their love of animals. 💗 PAWS aims to: 🌟 Open doors to employment opportunities in animal-related fields to a traditionally underserved community 🌟 Support and engage compassionate, skilled professionals 🌟 Foster a culture of inclusivity within Jacksonville’s animal care community ACPS, The Arc Jacksonville, and FSCJ are committed to setting a new standard for workforce development and diversity in animal welfare. Together, we’re building a brighter future for both people and pets in our community. Check out some photos below from our press this morning and trust us, SO many more will be coming! #communityiseverything #yourcityshelter

No one knows how she got there — watch her ask for belly rubs once she gets rescued 🩵 We talked to Kyle about how scary this rescue was, and the moment he knew she was gonna be OK! Follow @jaxacps to learn about more rescues

❣️ TODAY’S THE DAY! ❣️ We’re kicking off this beautiful Sunday with the BISSELL Pet Foundation’s #EmptyTheShelters event! 🐾 We have SMALL dogs, MEDIUM dogs, BIG dogs, DOODLES…a little somethin’ for EVERYONE. Come visit us at 2020 Forest St, Jacksonville, FL 32204 and meet hundreds of adoptable pets ready to go home today. Best of all — ALL adoption fees are WAIVED! (Duval County residents will only pay a $20 city tag fee.) 🐶 Doors open at 10 AM Come check out TV personality Feather Weight! 🤩 See ya soon, Jax! #jacksonville #thingstodo #AdoptDontShop #event

🚨 THE WAIT IS OVER 🚨 Fur, paws, happy tails… tomorrow we’re cleaning house at our @BISSELL Pet Foundation’s #EmptyTheShelters event. 🐶✨ At 10 AM, we’re opening our doors to future adopters, animal lovers, and everyone ready to help us sweep the shelter clean. Somewhere inside our shelter, a wagging tail or soft little purr is waiting to become part of your story. ❤️ 🐶 ALL adoption fees are WAIVED* 📍 2020 Forest St ⏰ TOMORROW | 10 AM – 5 PM Come early. Bring your friends. Help us empty the shelter and send animals home where they belong. 🏡🐾 *Duval County residents will pay a $20 city tag fee. #jacksonville #todoinjax #adoptionevent #animalshelter #pets

Animal Care & Protective Services would like to extend a sincere thank you to the students of Atlantic Beach Elementary’s Animal Care Club Leadership Pod for their generous donation collection benefiting the animals in our care. We are incredibly grateful to these students for their compassion, community involvement, and dedication to animal welfare at such a young age. Their efforts will directly support the daily care and enrichment of shelter animals while they await adoption. We would also like to thank Coral Reef Animal Hospital, one of FOJA’s heartworm treatment partners, for taking the time to speak with students about responsible animal care, veterinary medicine, dentistry, and emergency triage. Educational opportunities like these help inspire future leaders in animal welfare and veterinary care. Together we can make a HUGE impact on the animals in the Jacksonville community. #jacksonville #communityiseverything #animalwelfare #education #pets

Thanks to the brand-new Check Meow-t program, ACPS had some well-read kitties—and FSCJ had some fantastic emotional support shenanigans during finals! 😻📚️ When Sharon from Florida State College at Jacksonville's Kent Campus Library approached us with the idea of “loaning” shelter kittens out to staff and faculty, library-style, our foster team was ALL over it. The Check Meow-t program allowed two of our kittens, Sonny and Cher, to live in the library for two weeks, promoting fostering and adopting and alleviating shelter crowding during kitten season. Sonny and Cher made so many new friends (and got into just a tiiiiiiny bit of mischief). 🤣 Over the 8 days they spent in the library, Sonny and Cher were loaned out to 8 different employees who brought them to their offices and classrooms for some much-needed de-stressing. Additionally, the kitties were visited in their room off of the main library ✨ 41 ✨ times! Anyone who knows anything about young kittens knows that this kind of exposure to new people and places is HUGE for their wellbeing. And anyone who knows anything about colleges during finals time knows that some cute kitten therapy is a total game changer!! Team ACPS is super excited about this new partnership with FSCJ. Community is truly at the heart of everything we do, and creativity like this betters both the pets and people in our community. See ya in the fall! ❤️ #jacksonvilleflorida #fscj #kittenseason #fosteringsaveslives #adoptdontshop

A huge THANK YOU to Dory Bishop, President of the Sweetwater Volunteer Club, and the entire Sweetwater volunteer community for your generous donations and continued support of the animals in our care. ❤️🐾 Your kindness and dedication help us provide comfort, care, and second chances to so many shelter pets in need. We are incredibly grateful for a community that continues to show up for animals in such a meaningful way. Thank you for making a difference. 🐶🐱 #jacksonville #communityiseverything #donations #animalshelter #pet

When TikTok trends perfectly fit the derpy looking chihuahua puppies that just came into Animal Care & Protective Services yesterday 😭🐾 @jaxacps These tiny babies need foster homes ASAP and are ready to go TODAY. 📍2020 Forest St, Jacksonville, FL 32204 Jacksonville please come help these weird little nuggets 🥺🩷 #ACPSJax #FosterDogs #AdoptDontShop #JacksonvilleFL #904Finds

Jacksonville!!! 🐾❤️ If you missed the birthday adoption event last month, this is your sign to come out THIS Sunday for another chance to adopt with waived adoption fees thanks to the incredible @bissellpets celebrating 10 YEARS of Empty the Shelters 🥹 Join us May 17th from 10AM–5PM at Animal Care and Protective Services for a full day of furry friends, food trucks, ice cream, and hopefully forever homes 🐶🐱 PLUS my favorite coffee van @theharrisbrews will be there giving: ☕ FREE pup cups to every adopted dog or cat 🎀 FREE bandanas to the first 20 adopters 💸 10% off your order if you adopt that day Adopt. Don’t shop. Let’s empty these shelters again, Jacksonville 🫶 #EmptyTheShelters #AdoptDontShop #Jacksonville #AdoptionEvent #904Finds

Congratulations to our PAWS I and PAWS II graduates! 🐾💙 Through our partnership with @jaxacps , @thearcjacksonville , @cityofjax and @tesorifamilyfdt , students gained valuable skills, hands-on experience and opportunities for future careers in animal care. We’re proud to celebrate all they’ve accomplished!

🚨🚨HAPPENING NOW🚨🚨 We urgently need emergency fosters for TWO momma dogs and their litters. We also have several other dogs in need of foster or adoption RIGHT NOW. Please come down to the shelter immediately if you can help. Can’t foster or adopt? 🐾 Share this post 🐾 Tag friends and family 🐾 Help us spread the word FAST Questions? Leave a comment below and our team will answer as quickly as possible. #jacksonville #dog #puppies #adoptdontshop #florida