Florida Keys SPCA

The Florida Keys SPCA runs two campuses, at 5711 College Road in Key West and 10550 Aviation Boulevard in Marathon. Both handle adoptions six days a week, closed Sundays, with dogs, cats and small animals including rabbits, hamsters and gerbils looking for homes.

Two programs are worth knowing about. The Golden Paw Project covers pets aged seven and older, waiving adoption fees and adding support for the animals hardest to place, and it was expanded in 2026 with a grant from the Grey Muzzle Organization for veterinary and dental care. The 6/60 program lets anyone aged 60 or older adopt an animal aged six or older with the fee waived, which is a quietly brilliant piece of matchmaking.

Beyond the shelter, the SPCA holds Monroe County's animal control contract, and that work is broader than most people realize. It covers investigating cruelty and neglect, handling dangerous dog and bite cases, managing rabies quarantines, responding to strays and injured wildlife, assisting law enforcement and enforcing animal ordinances. They also run a clinic, behavior counseling, emergency pet housing, end of life services, lost and found, and humane education for schools and youth groups.

Volunteers and foster homes carry a great deal of this. There are programs for youth, teens, adults and groups, and fosters take in the animals not yet ready for a shelter environment. Reach the Key West campus at (305) 294-4857 and Marathon at (305) 743-4800.