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animal control
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Animal Control officers patrol our streets from 8 am until midnight,
7 days a week. Officers are also on call overnight in case emergencies
come up. While our officers are constantly looking out for the
welfare of animals, their number one priority is public safety. So
reports of dangerous animals, dog bites, or animals in immediate distress
take precedence over barking dogs, and nuisance wildlife. Still,
every call is important. We rely on community members to alert
us when they see stray, mistreated, or unhealthy animals.
Dog Bites, cat bites or any incidents involving a
warm blooded mammal, either domesticated or wild, breaking the skin
of a person need to be reported to animal control immediately. While
rabies transmission is rare among domesticated animals it is still
found today and it is fatal to humans. Steps
to take if bitten:
- Identify the animal if possible. This is
vital. If the animal is a pet a quick check with the owner
and veterinarian will indicate whether or not it has been vaccinated.
If no animal can be located—the
victim will usually be forced to undergo Pre-emptive rabies
shots. Although
not as painful as they were in the past, rabies shots are expensive,
unpleasant and best avoided if possible.
- Seek necessary medical treatment for the victim.
- Contact Animal Control at 444-7800 and press 1. Officers
will arrive to contain the animal, make a report, explain the procedures
and issue any necessary citations.
- Animal Control Quarantines the biter. All pet
animals identified as having bitten are to be quarantined for a period
of 10 days for observation. If the animal has a current rabies
vaccination and has not been designated “dangerous” it
can be quarantined at the owner’s home. If the animal
has no rabies vaccination, or no owner can be located, the animal
will be quarantined at the Nebraska Humane Society or by a licensed
Veterinarian. Wild animals are sent for immediate rabies testing.
- Reporting the Outcome. Once testing or quarantine
is done, victims will receive a report on the outcome.
Because rabies is fatal to humans all cities in the metro area require
a rabies shot before an animal can be licensed. Do your part
and vaccinate your pet!
Barking Dogs are inevitable. Lets face it,
dogs bark! But when the noise continues and the owners do nothing
to stop it, it becomes a nuisance to neighbors.
- The first step is to talk to your neighbors about their barking
dog. If they leave their dog outside when they’re not
home, chances are they don’t know the dog is creating a ruckus.
- If the owners do nothing about the noise, or are unreachable, your
next option is to call Animal Control at 444-7800 ext 1. You
need to call when the dog is barking.
- An officer will respond to the area, park up the street and listen. If
the barking continues steadily for several minutes (8-10) the officer
will knock on the door and attempt to make contact with the dog owners. Often,
simply informing owners that they face citations if the dog doesn’t
stop barking provides enough incentive to get them to take the dog
inside and abate the nuisance.
- If the officer can’t make contact with the owners, he or
she is authorized by city ordinance to enter the yard (if possible)
and impound the dog to abate the nuisance.
- The officer will leave notice on the door informing the owner of
the impound and the owner is then required to retrieve the dog at
the Nebraska Humane Society subject to all impound fees and citation
fines.
*If your dog is a barker and you need help to control the behavior
click on “Training and Petcare” on our home page. Under “Behavior
Help” you’ll find a whole list of articles that can help!
Stray Dogs are illegal in Omaha and most of the
surrounding communities. Wandering dogs often end up hit by cars, tormented
by non-animal lovers, and, if frightened can bite strangers out of fear
and pain. Reporting
stray dogs is a true service both for the public’s and the dog’s
safety. Call 444-7800 ext 1.
- Animals picked up in Omaha are held for 3 days (per city ordinance)
at the Nebraska Humane Society.
- Animals picked up in Sarpy County are held for 5 days (per city
ordinance) at the Nebraska Humane Society
- Animals not claimed in the allotted time period become property
of the Nebraska Humane Society and are evaluated for entry into our
adoption program.
Stray cats are not illegal in Omaha and Unincorporated Sarpy County.
Because of this, Animal Control officers do not pick up stray cats
in these two municipalities. Other surrounding cities do have
cat leash laws.
Wildlife often tries to coexist with us, even in
residential and urban areas. Often our housing and businesses
encroach on areas that have been habitat for groups of wild animals
for years.
Animal Control will respond to any wildlife call involving an animal
that appears to be sick, is threatening, or creates a public safety
issue. Call 444-7800 ext 1.
Officers are not authorized to trap healthy or non-threatening wildlife simply for relocation. However if you are having difficulty with encroaching wildlife click on the “Wildlife” button on our homepage and scroll through “Living with Area Wildlife” for helpful tips on humanely discouraging them from your property.
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