Marion County Animal Services is putting out an urgent call to the community for donations of clean towels to help care for the animals housed at its brand-new shelter in Ocala.
According to officials, bath-sized and body-sized towels are the most frequently used items at the facility. Any spare clean towels from residents will be used by the staff and animals for day-to-day operations.
Locals who wish to contribute may drop off their donations directly at the new Marion County Animal Services shelter, which is located at 6405 W. Highway 40 in Ocala.
For those utilizing a GPS or smartphone map application to navigate, officials recommend entering the address specifically as 6405 FL-40, Ocala.
The facility is currently open to the public and accepting drop-off donations from Tuesday through Saturday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
For more information, visit the Marion County Animal Services Center online.
The request for supplies comes shortly after hundreds of local residents gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the highly anticipated facility.
The $22 million complex, which broke ground in October 2024, represents a massive expansion over the county’s former, heavily constrained two-acre facility previously located on SE 66th Street. The new campus sits on a 20-acre parcel and features 37,361 square feet of total building space, designed to provide compassionate care, enrichment, and expanded space for pets in need.
Alongside 18,036 square feet of modernized, air-conditioned kennel space, the facility boasts major medical upgrades, including a 2,017-square-foot clinical area equipped with multiple surgical tables, overhead lighting, and modern sanitation features.