Marion County Animal Services has nearly doubled its dog play area, enhancing outdoor enrichment for shelter dogs. This expansion, announced on March 1, aims to alleviate the severe overcrowding and improve animal welfare ahead of a new shelter opening in December 2025. The current facility, facing an urgent need for adopters and volunteers due to an influx of animals, including 53 dogs from a cruelty case, is located at 5701 SE 66th Street in Ocala. For adoption or volunteer information, visit the Marion County Animal Services website.

Prime Location in the Works For New Animal Shelter For Dogs & Cats.

The donor of the 137-acre farm that was declined by county commissioners for a new enhanced animal shelter, has now offered an additional 20 acres of land located north of the Ocala International Airport with prime frontage on State Road 40 for a new domestic animal shelter facility. The newly donated property is partially located within the city limits of Ocala and would replace the over 40-year-old outdated and extremely outgrown location for Animal Services at 5701 SE 66th St., Ocala.

According to preliminary information received from the city, the donated land would need to be annexed to be completely within the city’s jurisdiction as well as reviewed for land use and zoning compliance.

At this point, the incredibly generous donor has reviewed the concept for the facility. To keep this project moving swiftly, the commission approved the recommendation to grant the county commission chair the ability to execute the donation agreement once approved by the county attorney, rather than waiting for the document to be presented for approval at a consecutive county commission meeting.

The preliminary plans feature an extensive walking trail, a 5.3-acre dog play area, a 29,000 sq ft state-of-the-art veterinary, administration, and adoption center, and plenty of garage space for the animal control vehicles, the neuter commuter, and other vehicles used daily by the shelter. There are also hundreds and hundreds of kennels. The preliminary plans also have space set aside for future expansion. While we may not think we need this right now when you consider that we have not built an animal shelter in Ocala for over 40 years. So what will be the needs for our furry Ocala residents in the year 2064? The current facilities do not meet the needs of our county today, much less for another 40 years.