Beaufort County Animal Shelter and Animal Services

The shelter is at 10 Pritcher Point Road, Okatie, SC 29909, open Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The phone is (843) 255-5010 and the email is shelter@bcgov.net. The county’s stated purpose is to promote responsible pet and livestock ownership, prevent the spread of animal diseases and protect the public. It shelters stray, unwanted and homeless domestic animals, not wildlife.

Hilton Head has its own no-kill shelter, the Hilton Head Humane Association, which is a separate nonprofit and not part of the county. The county’s own FAQ points visitors to the Humane Association to view animals, daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at (843) 681-8686. The island’s pet pages are collected in the pets guide.

The county calls its adoption program relocation. Every animal gets a health screening, vaccinations and mandatory spay or neutering before it goes home, and the adoptable animals are listed on the county’s animal services page.

Fostering is for animals not ready for adoption: those too young for surgery, nursing mothers, injured or ill animals and heartworm-positive dogs. Apply by emailing shelter@bcgov.net. Volunteers must be 16 or older, pass a background check and sign a Volunteer Service Agreement. They help with animal care, cleaning, dog walking, training and office work, in long pants and closed-toe shoes. The shelter also offers spay and neuter services, and vouchers for residents.

Report a lost or found animal through the county’s Beaufort County Connect app or by emailing shelter@bcgov.net, or call the shelter at (843) 255-5010. Found animals are posted on the county site and on the shelter’s Facebook page. Check with the Humane Association on the island too, since the two shelters are separate.

For visitors and short-term rental guests: a dog that slips out of a rental is usually picked up as a stray. Put the Okatie shelter number and the Humane Association number in the check-in message, along with the dog’s license or microchip details.

Under the county ordinance, a pet over four months old needs a current annual or lifetime county license, and registration is free if the pet is spayed or neutered and microchipped. Licenses can be bought online through the county’s online licensing page.

The shelter cannot give rabies shots: a veterinarian must. The county runs low-cost vaccine clinics on weekends in April.

The shelter handles domestic animals only. For a wildlife problem, such as a raccoon in the attic or an injured wild animal, the county’s FAQ sends callers to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources at (800) 922-5431. Alligators have their own alligator guide.

In an emergency, call 911. For a non-emergency after hours, call (843) 255-5010 and leave a message. For an animal bite, get medical attention first.