Okaloosa County splits animal control coverage between county crews and City of Crestview
Okaloosa County, Florida – Animal control in Okaloosa County now has a new dividing line, and for residents, where an incident happens will determine who answers the call.
Beginning Sept. 23, 2026, animal control services for unincorporated areas were split between Okaloosa County and the City of Crestview, with Eglin Air Force Base serving as the geographic boundary between the two service areas.
For areas north of Eglin Air Force Base, the City of Crestview will provide animal control through the Animal Services Division of the Crestview Police Department. Residents in the northern service area can call (850) 682-2055.
South of Eglin Air Force Base, Okaloosa County’s Animal Control Division, which operates under the Public Safety Department, will handle calls in unincorporated areas. Residents needing animal control assistance there should call (850) 651-7400, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency dispatch line.
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The services include responses involving dangerous dogs and animal bites, cruelty and neglect cases, livestock running at large, disease reporting and ordinance violations connected to quality-of-life concerns.
There are limits under the new setup. Neither Okaloosa County nor the City of Crestview will currently handle non-emergency stray animal pickups or owner surrenders.
Sheltering and veterinary care will follow the same north-south division. Crestview Animal Services will provide sheltering for animals taken into custody in northern Okaloosa County. In the south, the county will use its vendor for sheltering and veterinary services.
“This initiative will bring animal control services in-house so that we can better serve the residents of Okaloosa County with ongoing animal control issues,” Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin said.
“We are very fortunate to have partnered with the City of Crestview and local businesses to streamline the process between animal control and sheltering to keep costs down.”
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County officials said the system could continue to change, particularly in southern Okaloosa County as municipal contracts develop.
Public Safety Director Patrick Maddox also asked residents for patience as the operation gets underway.
“Please be patient with us as we ramp up this operation to meet the needs of the County. It won’t be perfect on day one, but our commitment to you remains the same- we’ll be better each day,” Maddox said.
Additional information about animal control services in unincorporated Okaloosa County is available at myokaloosa.com/animalcontrol.
