# Does Animal Control Have The Day Off In Your Area?



## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

They do in mine. I was walking the boys in our neighborhood and a few blocks from home, I saw three dogs loose and traveling together. They came up to us, seemed very friendly and had collars. 

I called the number on Schnitzel's collar, the address was for the next city over, and got VM so I left a message. I then called Animal Control and was told by the PD officer who answered that Animal Control doesn't work on Saturdays. I could take them with me (and darn I forgot the extra leashes I normally carry) or I could watch them wander off and hope for the best. They would answer a bite call, and they'd probably collect a carcass, but good luck to those dogs. 

Fortunately, the person responsible for them happened to notice as I was fussing at the PD, came out and got them back inside.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Thank you for helping those dogs! I'm glad their owner was nearby. 

Our city animal control has Mondays off, but we also have a humane society that is open every day. 

When I lived in L.A. all the city and county (I believe?) animal shelters were closed on Monday.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Animal Control??? We live on the very northern edge of San Diego County and we are lucky if Animal Control responds for anything in less than two days. I used to catch strays and call their owners to come get them, or Animal Control, if there was no identification on the dog, but I soon got tired of having doggie guests for two days. People are better about keeping their dogs confined now, than they were twenty years ago. Back then, anyone who walked carried golf clubs for protection. Last year one of our neighbors called Animal Control on our escaped tortoise, and they actually arrived within the hour. Fortunately we were out looking for the "lug" and got him before he was hauled off.


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## Dogs4Life (May 27, 2018)

Thank you for helping those dogs, especially since you had your own with you!

I'm actually not sure what the hours are for animal control or the pound in my area. The two times my family was able to help loose dogs in the area, we were able to get the situations resolved rather quickly. The first time we drove the dog to our house to give it some water and then dropped it off at the local pound. The second time we were able to call the dog's vet based on the information on the rabies tag, and then we dropped the dog off at home.


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

Yes here too, it a monday thru Friday 9-5 job.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

You deserve the owner’s gratitude. It’s sometimes dicey to have a dog on a leash and try to read the collar of a loose, unfamiliar dog. Then make the call. Animal Control is not usually abundantly funded. I had a situation happen to me early on a Sunday morning:seeing a line of loose dogs spread across the road ahead. Luckily, I saw them and another walker and I linked arms and backtracked. I wrote my city councilman after getting a recording when I called Animal Control that Sunday. Public threats involving animals happen 7 days a week, clearly the department needed more personnel. Imagine my surprise when I got a call a few weeks later from the director of AC, thanking me for my letter and saying it swayed his case for a more money from the city budget. No one had ever mentioned his department and now they could hire two more officers. He was happy and I was thankful not to have been mauled to death. If you are not satisfied with your community’s Animal Control hours, write or call your elected representatives.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

I've rescued so many dogs off the streets over the years, fear usually doesn't even enter into my mind. The only dogs that I would probably leave would be pits (but maybe not even them, depends on that body language!).


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

MaizieFrosty said:


> Thank you for helping those dogs! I'm glad their owner was nearby.
> 
> Our city animal control has Mondays off, but we also have a humane society that is open every day.
> 
> When I lived in L.A. all the city and county (I believe?) animal shelters were closed on Monday.


There was no way I could just walk away. The guy who eventually came out of the house and retrieved them wasn't actually the owner. He said the phone number I called was his sister-in-law's so it looks like he was sitting them. I bet that wasn't a happy conversation when they spoke.



Charmed said:


> Animal Control??? We live on the very northern edge of San Diego County and we are lucky if Animal Control responds for anything in less than two days. I used to catch strays and call their owners to come get them, or Animal Control, if there was no identification on the dog, but I soon got tired of having doggie guests for two days. People are better about keeping their dogs confined now, than they were twenty years ago. Back then, anyone who walked carried golf clubs for protection. Last year one of our neighbors called Animal Control on our escaped tortoise, and they actually arrived within the hour. Fortunately we were out looking for the "lug" and got him before he was hauled off.


Glad you got your tortoise before he was arrested . I've called AC a few times over the years, but it was always a loose dog that came in or near my yard. Apparently I just never noticed one loose on the days they didn't work. I found out that local law would declare me the owner if I kept an animal for three days, so if I couldn't get AC for the rescue, I'd have to try to corral them and get them to a shelter asap. It gets expensive,with city fines and shelter fees, if the pet doesn't get reunited quickly, so that's another issue. 



Dogs4Life said:


> Thank you for helping those dogs, especially since you had your own with you!
> 
> I'm actually not sure what the hours are for animal control or the pound in my area. The two times my family was able to help loose dogs in the area, we were able to get the situations resolved rather quickly. The first time we drove the dog to our house to give it some water and then dropped it off at the local pound. The second time we were able to call the dog's vet based on the information on the rabies tag, and then we dropped the dog off at home.


I really thought I'd get a response when I called the number on the tag. It wasn't til I hung up that the penny dropped and I realized that the address on the tag was miles from where I was. Then I started losing hope. I was so happy and annoyed when the guy came out and rounded them up. He hadn't noticed that three dogs were missing from his house or yard. It was just luck that he came out when he did. I think he was getting ready to drive off somewhere.



Mfmst said:


> You deserve the owner’s gratitude. It’s sometimes dicey to have a dog on a leash and try to read the collar of a loose, unfamiliar dog. Then make the call. Animal Control is not usually abundantly funded. I had a situation happen to me early on a Sunday morning:seeing a line of loose dogs spread across the road ahead. Luckily, I saw them and another walker and I linked arms and backtracked. I wrote my city councilman after getting a recording when I called Animal Control that Sunday. *Public threats involving animals happen 7 days a week*, clearly the department needed more personnel. Imagine my surprise when I got a call a few weeks later from the director of AC, thanking me for my letter and saying it swayed his case for a more money from the city budget. No one had ever mentioned his department and now they could hire two more officers. He was happy and I was thankful not to have been mauled to death. If you are not satisfied with your community’s Animal Control hours, write or call your elected representatives.


So glad you got thru that incident safely! For a moment, the boys considered adding to the drama, but settled very quickly (Good Boys!). It was a bit awkward manipulating leashes, my phone and my bad near vision trying to read the tag, but I slipped the leash handles over my foot and it worked out. I immediately posted my experience on the city FB page but, you're right, this needs to be sent up the food chain. This is a safety hazard, potential bite hazard, potential vehicular accident. It makes little sense to send someone after the damage is done.



MaizieFrosty said:


> I've rescued so many dogs off the streets over the years, fear usually doesn't even enter into my mind. The only dogs that I would probably leave would be pits (but maybe not even them, depends on that body language!).


I've been lucky in that any loose dog I've tried to capture apparently wasn't aggressive. I don't know how good I am at reading nuanced behavior but calling a cheerful "Here Puppy" and seeing body language that I read as "Oh Yay! A person to go to who will help!", I only worried about what to do next.



Mufar42 said:


> Yes here too, it a monday thru Friday 9-5 job.


I looked after I got home and based on the city website, I'd say they're the same here but the hours are listed under the phone number, making it seem like those were business office hours. All the other info pertaining to AC makes not a single mention that you'll get help only on certain days and only during certain hours. Who the *&^% reads a website before calling for help capturing a loose pet that is already 2 houses down the street? The officer eventually sounded almost embarrassed, I think he was putting himself in my place, and offered to have his superior call me. I asked if that would help get the dogs caught. I declined that offer.


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