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    Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority

    4.1 (127 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    My first cat from SVACA
    Quynh Nhu D.

    As a mom of 5 cats, I got 2 of them at SVACA. I like this shelter so much we recently helped a depressed family member get her own baby boy here. This has been one of my favorite shelters since they have such nice facilities and the room for the little sweeties is so fun and clean. You can visit the room and sit and hangout with them. Previously they did take a family picture for you when you leave but the last time we were not offered one which is a little sad but it's ok. The paper work was simple. You even get a free bag of food they normally eat so you won't have to figure out what to give them. We also got some free toys! That was so sweet of them. What was even better was the baby was free!?!? He is 7 months old so he's a big bone boy looking a little bit more massive then his roommate. He was too shy and hid so I think they worried he wouldn't get adopted. But I advice the family member to bring him home because of how calm he was and such a chill cat is a good first pet. I appreciate they set some cats to be free to encourage harder to adopt cats to receive a home. All 3 cats we met from here have been absolutely perfection. We really lucked out here. I would recommend this shelter to anyone who want to bring some joy into their world. They also have dogs and smol animals too.

    2 week old kitten w/ infection in both eyes found at my office, 12 minutes from this facility, and rejected by Cara
    I F.

    These miserable people put their heartless and cold bureaucracy over animals in desperate need. TLDR: Silicon Valley Animal Control, today you were absolutely useless, cold, and petty. You were more concerned with geographic technicalities that you were willing to let this 2 week old sick kitten suffer, and die. Thank goodness for my colleague's mom who did what you refused to do. Background: At 6 AM this morning I drove into work, exited my car to the desperate cries of a 2 week old kitten. He was so small, that I didn't see him in my rearview camera as I was backing into my parking space, and had he been sitting 6 inches to the left, he would've been tragically crushed by my back tires. This baby was cold, shivering, scared, and suffering from an infection in both eyes. Not only that, he was sitting in the middle of a busy parking lot. After looking around for a good hour for other cats that might claim him, I concluded that he had been abandoned, and his chances of survival would be slim. I searched animal shelters nearby, and found the Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority opened at 8 AM. I thought, "Great, I can just start work later, and drop this little guy off". Well, it wasn't that simple. The review: I sat in my car for over an hour waiting for this place to open, and walked up to the door 10 minutes before their opening time of 8 AM. The girl sitting at the front desk did everything she could to ignore me. Okay fine, I'll wait another few minutes for them to open the door. At 7:58 AM I knocked when I saw another girl arrive at the front desk (I think her name tag said Cara). She signaled for me to wait, then went back to scrolling on her phone. **I had an abandoned 2 week old kitten, who was cold, hungry, and sick, and these people were pressed on being petty.** I had taken hours out of my own workday to wait for this place to open, but apparently opening a few minutes early was too much of a lift for these people. Finally, at exactly 8:01 AM, Cara opened the door. On this chilly morning, I would've found more warmth standing out on the curb ... My ONLY concern was getting this kitten help, and all Cara cared about was where I had found it, because apparently, this facility will only service animals within in Santa Clara. I work at the Google offices, which is 4 miles away and not 12 minutes from here, and all she was good for was throwing policy at me. They said that since TECHNICALLY my office sits within San Jose, this kitten was an animal outside of their jurisdiction. She actually advised me to leave this vulnerable kitten back in the parking lot where I found him, and call the San Jose Animal Care and Services (a good half hour away) to pick him up. I offered to pay for them to take care of this kitten until later in the day when I could pick him up and take him to a shelter within the jurisdiction, and they refused. I was absolutely demoralized with these people, that I almost broke down crying right at their front desk. San Jose Animal care wouldn't be open for another 3 hours, and who knows what time they'd be able to come to pick the kitten up. No way would this 2 week old kitten with an eye infection survive that long if I left it where I found it. Completely heartless and cold. I ended up taking him back to my office, and keeping him wrapped in a towel in my car for warmth, resolving to drive him myself to San Jose Animal Care during my lunch break. **THANKFULLY** after sharing all this with a few colleagues, someones relative had the kind heart to come pick him up and provide the care that this shelter would not.

    John F.

    We are the proud new owners of the most loving cat we've ever known! It's clear that this place fills their temporary guests with the love all animals deserve. Hong and Beatriz (sorry for the misspelling) treated us wonderfully and were incredibly knowledgeable about each and every animal. We love our cat so much that we're going back for a second one! The cat was so affordable that I donated extra on top of what I paid. It's only been 24 hours, and this cat is already cuddling with my mom as if they've known each other for decades. Fun fact: My mom originally wanted a dog, but when we arrived, the dog she had seen two days earlier had already been adopted! The facility is top-notch, with beautiful pictures and quotes everywhere. You can definitely tell they love animals. Our cat had already been vaccinated, neutered, and microchipped. It's clear this place isn't in it for profit--they're doing it because it's the right thing to do. GOD BLESS SVACA! You can find me on I nsta gram johnfsorena We'll be back!

    Gloria S.

    I am so impressed with this pet shelter! The facilities are so clean - it's like a 5 star resort for pets! Not only that but the kitten we got was so well trained and went inside the litter box every time! No accidents at all. Would definitely recommend coming here to adopt your next pet. Everyone was super friendly and helpful!

    Kitten
    Lindsey M.

    We found the love of our life here about 2 weeks ago. The facilities are clean and the staff clearly care about the animals there. The process is a little stressful because you can't take your time with a decision (first come first serve) so be prepared to move quickly if you want the pet you meet. It's all worth it in the end...I think lol. #NewFamilyMember

    Stephanie T.

    We just adopted our new fur ball here today!! Lots of kittens to choose from. They were a bit understaffed so it was a long wait, but it was all worth it to have a new member to our family. Thank you guys for being super helpful.

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    Francesca F.

    Thank you for your very positive feedback!

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    Ruthie, thank you for your excellent feedback!

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    Ask the Community - Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority

    What are the volunteering requirements here?

    Hello, information about our volunteering opportunities can be found here: https://www.svaca.com/how-to-help/volunteers.

    Can I walk in to surrender pets?

    Hello Ada, Please refer to our Animal Surrender page on our website:… 

    Is it possible to play/interact with some of the pets?

    Hi Deija, Thanks for contacting SVACA.… 

    View All 4 Questions

    Review Highlights - Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority

    The staff is super helpful and you can spend time with the cats in their rooms or the larger "getting to know you" room.

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Companion Animal Rescue Effort

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    Local cat rescue located in downtown San Jose and it's a great place to visit if you're looking to…read moreadopt or just wanting to hang out with cats. The Dancing Cat is a peaceful place where they have approx 6-12 cats that live in the space, just depends on how many get adopted and other factors. I came by during my birthday because I love cats and it was so nice seeing them so at peace and comfortable. Some cats prefer peace and quiet while others are actively seeking out play and treats! Would recommend people to check this place out. Love their mission and what they aim to do.

    Lovin' All the Babies Pet Services

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    Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority - animalshelters - Updated July 2026

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