Animal Services

Meet Brynn Lavison, our Animal Care Supervisor. 

Brynn has been working at our center for more than 20 years. She began as a licensing representative in 2000 before being promoted to supervisor. She left Mission Viejo briefly in 2004 to accept the supervisor position at the San Clemente Animal Shelter but returned to Mission Viejo a couple years later. She has been with us for so long because she loves it and can't imagine working anywhere else.

Along with rescuing dogs, through our A Mission for Home Rescue Program, we rescue cats and kittens.  Last October, when OC Animal Care was overflowing with kittens, we transferred nine from that shelter to ours.  Since they came from a busy shelter, most of them immediately showed signs of upper-respiratory infection, so we had to isolate and treat them for two weeks.  DAWG paid for their treatment so they could be adopted.

Henry is a 1-year-old boxer mix that came from the Desert Hot Springs Animal Shelter. He was one of 22 dogs housed in 10 kennels until the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center stepped up and brought Henry and some other dogs here.

At only 40 pounds, Henry is smaller than the average boxer but has all the traits of a boxer.  He is goofy, wiggly and jumpy, fun and playful, and loves everyone he meets. However, he can be mouthy at times and needs some training to be polite.  He is a typical young dog that acts like a silly kid. 

The Mission Viejo Animal Services Center on Saturday, March 12 will host a low-cost pet vaccination clinic for Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills residents.

The drive-through clinic is from 8:30-10 am at 28095 Hillcrest.

Join Mission Viejo Animal Services for the second annual "Critter Care 101" on Saturday, April 1 from noon to 3 pm. Shop, adopt and learn about small animals at this fun event.

Nearly a year ago, the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center rescued a dog from a Texas shelter through the center's A Mission for Home Rescue Program. 

Drake is a handsome 6-year-old American Bulldog that was turned in as a stray in late December. Typical of his breed, Drake is confident, social, and affectionate. American bulldogs generally bond strongly with their owners and crave attention, which is why the perfect home for Drake would be with someone who is home a lot, would take him on a couple of walks a day, and would love to hang out on the couch with Drake for the rest of the day. 

Prince is a goofy and playful pit bull-America bulldog mix with adorable slightly crossed eyes. 

Brought to the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center as a stray, he was covered in bite wounds of differing ages and depths - one so serious it caused a deep infection and lameness in his front leg. 

Mission Viejo Animal Services works with the Search Dog Foundation (SDF), a non-profit agency that searches shelters and rescues for exceptional canine recruits to train to become search-and-rescue dogs. SDF strengthens disaster response in the United States by producing highly skilled canine disaster search teams for missing people and victims of disasters. 

Jack is a young, active mixed-breed dog that was rescued from a hoarding situation in San Bernardino.

Formerly known at the shelter as Flynn, this 1 ½-year-old pup was the first of the rescued dogs adopted from the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center because he was always the most outgoing and friendly. Unfortunately, he was returned a month later because he became a bit too active and dominant with the older dog in the adopter's home.