Animal Services

Mulligan arrived at the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center in early January, but it hasn’t been a very good new year for this 6-year-old pit bull mix because he is still waiting for a forever home. 

For some reason, Mulligan has not received any adoption interest, which makes no sense because he is a sweet dog.  

Meet Chadwick, a sweet young cat that is living a normal, active life with three legs.  

Just over a year old, Chadwick was turned into the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center as a stray with a leg issue. His left rear leg was turned up in an odd manner, making it completely unusable. The center immediately sent Chadwick to a veterinarian who – after examination and X-rays – determined Chadwick would be better off without the leg, which he was not using. The issue was caused by an old injury that never properly healed or a birth defect.

One-year-old Twinkie was rescued by Mission Viejo Animal Services from a high intake shelter in January. She was adopted shortly after, but unfortunately, she was returned. 

David grew up in the local area and after graduating from high school, he worked as a service technician at a car dealership. In search of a new profession, David enrolled in the Orange County Park Ranger academy as a Reserve Ranger in 2010. For numerous years, David worked as a reserve ranger for Orange County Parks. David was reassigned to Orange County Animal Control as a reserve Animal Control Officer serving in the Special Investigations unit during his stint as a reserve ranger. David became interested in animal control during this time.

Our volunteers of the month are our father-and-son team Mike and Brad Kelly.

Mike and Bradley started volunteering at the center in September 2022 because they love all animals. They started as greeters for the center greeting and directing visitors and moved on to work with the small animals in our care. Mike and Bradley are dependable and committed to the bunnies and guinea pigs. They enjoy socializing them and making sure they are cozy and have lots of toys to keep them entertained after they leave.  

One of the most common wild animals that Mission Viejo Animal Services Officers interact with are opossums. These creatures are often thought of as pests, but they are actually interesting animals. Their main food source is ticks, which carry many dangerous zoonotic diseases. In North America, opossums are the only known marsupial, a small class of animals who raise their young in a pouch.

Many national and local organizations mark April as a month to raise awareness against animal cruelty. The images that we sometimes see of animal cruelty cases can be profoundly disturbing - they strike a deep chord within us. The topic of animal welfare is not limited to domestic family pets. Animal welfare is a significant national concern with a lengthy history in American law extending back to the early colonial times.

Hop over to Mission Viejo Animal Services Center on Saturday, April 1 for the second annual “Critter Care 101” adopt-and-shop event.

The fun takes place from noon to 3 pm at 28095 Hillcrest.

Shop several vendors that specialize in small pet products including Poppyseed Paws, Buttercup’s Bunny Boutique, The Organic Bun Co., Paw Kreations, and Bunny Bunch Boutique. With Love, From Scratch will also be on hand selling delectable delights for attendees.

Only one of Mission Viejo Animal Services Center's long-time dogs was adopted during the St. Pawtrick's Day special. Ten loving dogs are still available - Korra, Archer, Tasha, Flo Jo, Sparkplug, Mulligan, Twinkie, Gwen, Ernie, and Ophelia.

If you want to be lucky to adopt a special furry friend, head to the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center for the St. Pawtrick's Day adoption event now through March 31. The goal is to find loving, forever homes for the dogs that have been at the center the longest.

Could the path to the pot of gold be paved with pawprints? Stop by the center to meet with Korra, Archer, Tasha, Flo Jo, Sparkplug, Venice, Mulligan, Twinkie, Gwen, Ernie, and Ophelia.