The invention generally encompasses an animal cart system for safely carrying, transporting and offloading an animal from an examination or surgery area to a recovery area, the cart system comprising a floor cart, the floor cart comprising an upper platform having rails, a lower platform, an actuator secured to the upper platform and the lower platform, and a pivoting connection coupled to the upper platform and the lower platform that tilts the upper platform in response to the actuator, and an examination cart slidably and releaseably coupled to the upper platform.