Animal Services

Thanks to an amazing outpouring from the community, all 30 parakeets recently abandoned on a Laguna Niguel trail have been adopted into loving homes. The parakeets were found by a local resident who reported them to the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center, which rescued and rehabilitated them.

The City shared the story with television, print, radio and online news media and via social media, which led to several stories about the plight of these parakeets and their availability for adoption.

After receiving reports late Tuesday of a mountain lion sighting near the intersection of Los Alisos Boulevard and Trabuco Road, Mission Viejo Animal Services (MVAS) is stepping up patrols in the area.  

Roughly 30 parakeets that were abandoned on a trail will soon be available for adoption at the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center.

The parakeets were discovered by a Laguna Niguel resident while walking his dog on a local trail. When the resident called the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center, he said the birds were "not wild, could not fly and must have been abandoned."  

Six-year-old American Bulldog Drake is unfortunately the longest resident at the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center.  Since he arrived in December, he has been passed over repeatedly as folks choose younger or smaller dogs instead.  Despite this, he is cheerful and mellow; however, he does deserve a forever home and family. 

Join Mission Viejo Animal Services for "Critter Care 101" on Saturday, April 2 from noon to 2 pm. Shop, adopt and learn about small animals at this fun event.

Attendees will see why small animals make fantastic pets and learn about small animal care. Two short classes will be available - guinea pig care presented by the Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue (12:30-1 pm) and rabbit care presented by Save SomeBunny Rabbit Rescue (1-1:30 pm).

The Potocki Center for the Arts is kicking off spring with a nature theme and expanded hours and programs. After nearly two years, the center is launching a full suite of spring art classes, workshops, and programs. The center's current hours and class lineup here.

The Mission Viejo Animal Services Center has confirmed reports of a mountain lion sighting near the crossing of Marguerite Parkway and Alicia Parkway near Lake Mission Viejo. The center received reports that after 45 minutes without any incident, the lion swam across the lake toward the Mollorca Condominium Community. (Mountain lions can swim but do not like to and will only do so if absolutely necessary.) Mountain lions hunt deer, which live in the surrounding area as well as coyotes, raccoons, skunks, opossums, rodents, rabbits, etc.

The Mission Viejo Animal Services Center recently learned about an animal hoarding case in Diamond Bar where the Inland Valley Humane Society rescued more than 100 animals from an elderly woman's home.  

Animal hoarding happens when someone has more animals than they can properly house. It's a complex mental health issue in which the person keeping the animals believes he or she is helping them in a way that no one else can. Unfortunately, in most cases, the home is in disarray and the animals are in poor health.

Kindra McMahon is our March 2022 Volunteer of the Month!

Kindra has been a dog walker since 2014. She is punctual and often helps with extra shifts throughout the week - sometimes on a moment's notice. Her love for our homeless animals is evident on every shift, and it's obvious that love is mutual.  

She chose to volunteer here after adopting her dog Winston from our shelter. Winston was rescued from the overcrowded Riverside shelter. 

"He is so special that I wanted to give back to the place that saved him," Kindra said. 

Mission Viejo Animal Services (MVAS) on February 19 received word from OC Animal Care that an escaped serval cat was traveling through the County's jurisdiction. It was first reported to be loose in the Lemon Heights neighborhood in Tustin.  The last sighting of the cat was near Whiting Ranch in Foothill Ranch.  OC Animal Care was unable to capture the animal and advised that it would likely appear in our jurisdiction next.