he Humane Society of Marion County is a non-profit no-kill shelter dedicated to the care and protection of animals in Marion County, Florida. We have been serving homeless and neglected animals in Ocala and Marion County for over 40 years. We’ve come a long way since our humble beginnings in 1964 with a couple of foster homes and a few good people with a burden to care for these helpless creatures. The first facility, built in 1979 was located about 15 miles west of Ocala off Hwy 200 in the black jack woods where very few people lived. Today, this area is very heavily populated and continues to grow. Shown below is a picture of the first facility, taken shortly after the facility opened.