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1. What are your operating hours?

FCAC is not currently open to the public. Animal Care Staff continue to be in the building every day of the week to provide care for our animal residents.  Administrative Staff are scheduled from Monday through Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm and Saturday 9:00am to 3:00pm to answer phones and handle essential services.

2. What are Essential Services?

Essential services include assisting people with missing pets, taking in stray animals, owner-requested euthanasia and operating the Pet Food Bank.  For all services, you must call first to be sure staff will be available to assist you.

3. Can we visit and adopt an animal?

The shelter is closed to the public until further notice.  However, we have implemented an innovative Virtual Adoption process.  Please check out our Facebook page, webpage, or contact the shelter for more information.

4. Will you be euthanizing more animals?

No.  We will not be euthanizing animals as a result of these temporary operating procedures.  At FCAC, we do not euthanize for population control or length of stay.  We only euthanize for reasons of health and behavior/temperament.  There will not be any changes to our euthanasia protocol during this period.

5. Can I become a foster care provider?

We are not currently taking on new foster care providers. Our program requires a home visit and to protect the health of our employees we are not conducting those visits at this time. Our recommendation for folks who would like to interact with animals on a temporary basis is to foster for one of our rescue partners. Hedgesville Hounds and Tara’s House are looking for foster care providers. If you haven’t fostered before, it is an extremely rewarding experience. You get the benefit of having a pet temporarily—the pet gets the benefit of a home environment and 1:1 attention

6. What if my pet is lost?

If your pet is lost, please emailanimalcontrol@frederickcountymd.gov or call 301-600-1546. Please provide as much information as you can about your pet for the lost report. If possible, attach a picture. We will check to see if any animals matching your description are in our facility. If so, we will call to schedule an appointment for you to come in and verify.

7. Can I still surrender an animal?

Yes.  If you need to surrender an owned pet, please call 301-600-1855. Good Samaritans who need to surrender a stray animal should call 301-600-1546 so our staff are expecting you.

8. Can I still purchase my county license or pay a citation?

Yes. To purchase a license, you can mail a Pet License Application, a copy of your pets rabies certificate, and a check or money order to:               

Frederick County Animal Control              
1832 Rosemont Avenue              
Frederick, MD 21702

If you would like to pay your citation using a credit card, please call 301-600-1546. We can take your payment over the phone. You may also mail a check or money order to the address above.  Please write the citation number on the check or money order.

9. How do I pick up pet food from the Pet Food Bank?

Our food bank is an essential service and is still operational. Those needing that service should call 301-600-1546 and provide information about what kind and how many pets are in your household. We ask that you call ahead so we can be prepared to meet your needs.

10. Do I qualify for the Pet Food Bank?

We have temporarily suspended the qualifications for the food bank which is typically forthose with financial hardships and the elderly.  At present, there is not criteria for people who are in need.

11. Are you still accepting donations?

Yes—thank you for asking! At this time we are only accepting the following essential items:  - UNOPENED PET FOOD (both dry and canned) - CAT LITTER You may place these items in our outside donation bins. If you would prefer, you can also donate through Chewy and Amazon and ship items directly to our facility.

12. Can I come volunteer?

No. Effective March 26, 2020 volunteers are no longer allowed in FCAC’s facility.  Since volunteers will not be present to assist with socialization and enrichment, staff have made this their number one priority.  In order to protect our staff and limit the spread of COVID-19, we are limiting exposure from one human to another.

13. Are Animal Control Officers still responding to calls?

Yes.  At this time Animal Control Officers will work shifts from 7:00am-8:00pm daily and be on-call for emergencies overnight.  

Officers will still provide a physical response for priority calls. Rabies testing of animals will continue. 

o Phone (301) 600-1544 to speak with an Officer, file a complaint or for further information.

o For an animal related emergency, phone (301) 600-1603 or 911 at any time. From 8:00pm until 7:00am the following morning, Officers are available to assist with animal related emergencies only.  

o For issues involving wild animals and wildlife problems, contact the Maryland Department of Natural Resources at 1 (877) 463-6497 or visit their webpage:https://dnr.maryland.gov/Wildlife/Pages/plants_wildlife/wildlifeproblems.aspx

14. What should I do with my pet if I get hospitalized and can’t care for it temporarily?

If you are an animal owner, the time to make an emergency plan for your pets is now. Have a list of family members, friends, neighbors or a local boarding facility to safely care for you pets if you are not able. Keep Veterinary records and medical information readily accessible with a supply of food and medications. In an emergency, the Animal Control Center should be a last resort to house your pets

15. Can I get COVID-19 from my pet?

“There is no evidence that COVID-19 is spread by pets”-- ASPCA, March 31, 2020

“Currently there is no evidence that companion animals, including pets, can transmit [COVID-19] to people.”

--David Crum, DVM, MPH, Chief, Center for Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, Maryland Department of Health, March 31, 2020