IN GREATER GAINESVILLE
For those new to Greater Gainesville, please be aware that you must procure a license and proof of vaccination tag for all dogs and cats within a 30-day window of arrival. Alachua County Animal Services is happy to accommodate your pets’ relocation by providing the mandatory rabies vaccination and also sterilization and microchipping services. If you choose these preferred add-ons, the price is $10, and if you elect to not microchip or sterilize your animals, the price is $40 annually. Aside from the basic lost and found, Animal Services also offers a Virtual Kennel and Kitty Kam for those residents who might be looking to add to their extended family with a furry friend. If you do decide to take a dog or cat home to join your lives, spay and neuter surgery is provided at a nominal cost. Animal Services also supplies humane education classes, animal cruelty investigations, and disaster preparation tips for safeguarding your pet should an unexpected emergency arise.
Your pet’s health is well taken care of with 27 veterinary practices offering medical, surgical, and dental care, covering the spectrum from dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, amphibians to small mammals, including ferrets, chinchillas, rodents, and rabbits. Gainesville is also home to the only College of Veterinary Medicine in the state at the University of Florida, which was recently ranked 9th overall in the country. Open only to graduate students and having recently generated $18.8 million in research grants and $26.7 million in clinical services, UFVM is the major animal referral center in the Southeast, creating an estimated 44,000 “patients” each year. The heart of this clinical teaching environment is UF’s Small and Large Animal Hospitals, where board-certified specialists, residents, and veterinary technicians join forces to diagnose, treat and research all manner of conditions with groundbreaking techniques on a menagerie of creatures. From the house to exotic pet, to cows, horses, and pigs, UFVM provides Greater Gainesville’s residents, whether farmers or dog lovers, with the confidence and security of knowing your animals are in great hands.
With a variety of pet stores, markets, grooming services, and even a bakery catering to your canine’s sweet tooth with dog-friendly cakes and treats, there is no shortage of places to stock up on pivotal pet supplies. With three off-leash dog parks, a variety of neighborhood paths and nature trails, including the much-loved Payne’s Prairie and Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, exercise opportunities for your pets abound. Local dog trainers are also at the ready to instill your beast with rave-worthy manners. Going out of town and can’t take your cat or dog with you? No problem. There’s an assortment of shelters, pet hotels, and even a pet spa, replete with individual playtime, daily cuddles from staff, and groomers on-site to take care of any hairstyling and nail needs. A day at the salon is not just for humans in Greater Gainesville.
Featuring expert advice from the UF Veterinary Hospital vets and technicians, Animal Airwaves is a daily call-in radio show that answers questions on all aspects of animal health and behavioral guidance. Learn about cutting edge training techniques, seasonal concerns for pets, and much more on this daily exploration open to any and all that tune in to 89.1 WUFT-FM.
With a rich tapestry of natural resources, top-notch animal health care, and enough shops and amenities to make your animal swoon, Greater Gainesville is the place your pet will love to call home.
For a complete listing of pet services available in Greater Gainesville visit guidetogreatergainesville.com/directory.
Author- Brandon Duff