Emergency right now?
Call before you drive - hours and services change. If you are in danger on a highway shoulder, call 911 first.
Lost or found pet in Columbia County
Columbia County changed how it handles strays in January 2026. The Lake City Humane Society now takes only animals from inside Lake City's city limits; outside the city, County Animal Enforcement handles them and posts impounded animals on its "current animal intake" list. If your dog got loose at an I-75 or I-10 exit, it is almost certainly outside the city - call Animal Enforcement during office hours and the Sheriff's dispatch line after hours, and check the intake list daily.
Emergency and after-hours vets
There is no 24-hour emergency vet in Columbia County. Local clinics send after-hours emergencies to the University of Florida's Small Animal Hospital in Gainesville, about 45 minutes south on I-75. Caring Hands in Lake City takes walk-in urgent cases on weekday daytimes.
One warning: some local clinic websites still list BluePearl in Gainesville for after-hours care, and it appears to have closed. Use UF.
Veterinarians by town
Lake City clinics with their own websites. We did not find a vet clinic in Fort White.
Lake City
Injured wildlife, or a run-in with it
FWC's North Central Region office is right in Lake City on US 90. For an injured animal at night, the Florida Wildlife Care Center in Gainesville runs a 24-hour helpline.
Hurricane season: pet-friendly shelters
Columbia County Emergency Management states plainly that it has no pet-friendly public shelters. If you are traveling I-75 or I-10 with a pet during a storm evacuation - and this junction fills up fast when South Florida evacuates - book a pet-friendly hotel ahead, or keep driving north.
About Columbia County
Columbia County sits where I-75 meets I-10. Lake City is the county seat and the only city; Fort White, in the south near Ichetucknee Springs, is the one town. Five Points, Watertown, Ellisville, Lulu and Columbia City are among the unincorporated communities, and the northeast of the county is Osceola National Forest.
Highways through it: I-75 runs north-south and I-10 east-west, crossing just west of Lake City. US 90, US 41, US 441 and US 27 all pass through, and SR 47 heads south to Fort White and the springs.
What catches pets out here:
- Exit ramps and truck stops are where road-trip dogs get loose. Leash the dog before you open the door, every time.
- Osceola National Forest is black bear country and a wildlife management area with hunting seasons. Keep dogs leashed, and wear bright colors in season.
- Springs and rivers: Ichetucknee and the Santa Fe River are cold, clear and full of tubers in summer. Pets are restricted at state park springs – check the park’s rules before you go.
- Venomous snakes: all six of Florida’s venomous species live in North Florida’s woods and river bottoms.
- Rabies vaccination is required by state law for dogs, cats and ferrets four months and older. Carry the certificate when you travel.
Before you drive through
Most lost dogs on a road trip get out at a gas stop. Four cheap things make the call above far less likely - or far shorter.
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Every listing on this page was checked against an official source in September 2026. How we check
These listings come from public sources - business websites, county and state agencies. Apart from the few marked "We've been here", being listed is not a recommendation - we have not used them and do not rank them; we list that they exist and how to reach them. Always call ahead.
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