Animal Protection

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Contacting Animal Protection

Animal related calls for service in unincorporated areas of Mendocino County are handled by the Animal Protection Unit.

Please call the Animal Protection Unit at 707-472-2685 if you have an animal related call for service (animal for pick up, loose dogs, loose aggressive animal, barking dogs, humane complaints or animal bites etc) for county addresses.

When calling the phone number 707-472-2685, this number doesn't always have an Animal Protection Officer present. Please note that the Animal Protection Officer(s) could be assisting other callers and to please leave a message if your call goes to voice mail. An Animal Protection Officer will call you back as soon as possible.

All calls for service received that come in overnight from the hours of 4:30 p.m. to 08:00 a.m. will be reviewed when Animal Protection Officer(s) comes on duty. Please make sure to leave a good phone number for the Animal Protection Officer(s) to call you when leaving your message. Animal Protection Officers will call you back the next morning.

If at anytime you have an animal related emergency please call the Sheriff Department Dispatch at 707-463-4086. Dispatch will contact / forward the call information to the Animal Protection Officers.

For animal related calls for service in the City of Ukiah please call the Ukiah Police Department at 707-463-6262.

For animal related calls for service in the City of Fort Bragg please call the Fort Bragg Police Department at 707-964-0200.

Attention Animal Owners

Dear Community Members,

We kindly request your cooperation in ensuring the safety and well-being of all animals in our area. Recently, we’ve received several reports of dogs and livestock wandering freely. We urge you to please secure your animals within your property and double-check your fencing to prevent any accidental escapes. It’s also essential to communicate this message with other household members to maintain the safety of our furry friends.

We want to remind everyone that any impounded dogs not reclaimed promptly may unfortunately face euthanasia due to the high number of dogs currently in our care. Similarly, for livestock owners, citations may be issued, and impounded animals will be held until all fees are settled before being released.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter, as it ensures the safety and well-being of all animals in our community.

Thank you,

Animal Protection

Are you prepared for a disaster?

Depending on the location of the incident, the size of the incident, the amount of people & animals being evacuated Mendocino County & Animal Care Services might only be able to offer limited animal sheltering services.

Owners of animals need to be prepared for disaster incidents. Make arrangements to house your animals with friends, family co-workers in other locations not effected by the disaster incident.

Prepare your resources such as dog crates, cat carriers, horse or stock trailers, food & water, medicine, copies of vaccination records, animal id tags-collars etc.

Plan your exit and know several ways to get out of your areas.

Practice your the plan with family, friends or neighbors by conducting mock exits.

Go to the below link to find out if you are prepared.

Disaster Preparedness

Dogs in Hot Cars and on Hot Pavement

Click on the above link to know what to do.

What is the law regarding transporting dogs in Pick Up Truck Cargo beds?

California requires any animal transported in the back of a vehicle “in a space intended for any load” on the highways to be either (1) cross tethered to the vehicle or (2) protected by a secured container or cage, to prevent the animal from falling, jumping, or being thrown from the vehicle (Cal. Vehicle Code § 23117).

The animal does not have to be restrained if it is in an enclosed space in the vehicle or in a vehicle that has side and tail racks at least 46 inches high.

The law does not apply to livestock or a dog that is transported for a ranching or farming purpose.

A violation is punishable by a fine of $50 to $100 for the first offense and $75 to $200 for a subsequent offense if it occurs within one year of the prior infraction (Cal. Vehicle Code § 42001.4).

Neglected Dogs

Recently Animal Care Services & Animal Protection has been seeing a lot of the impounded dogs coming into the Animal Shelter that are underweight and malnourished.

It is a crime to deprive an animal of food, water and shelter under the below CA state statue.

CA Penal Code 597.1

(a) Every person who intentionally maims, tortures, wounds, or kills a living animal is guilty of an offense punishable by imprisonment in the state prison, or by a fine $20,000, or both, or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year.

(b) Every person who having charge or custody of animal overworks, tortures, deprives of necessary sustenance, drink, or shelter, cruelly beats or kills any animal, or as owner subjects any animal to needless suffering, cruelty, or abuses any animal, or fails to provide the animal with proper food, drink, or shelter or protection from the weather, is guilty of a punishable crime as a misdemeanor or a felony offense.

If you find it hard to be able to provide food or medical care for your dog or cat please contact us. We might be in a position to assist you.

The assistance provided may include providing you with food, medical treatment, vaccinations, toys, dog treats, a dog crate or pet carrier etc.

Unfortunately, with the Animal Shelter being full with dogs at this time we are not in a position to take owner surrender dogs. We will request that you be placed on a waiting list.

Thank you.

Animal Care Services

State of California Animal Cruelty Laws

See below link regarding the State of CA - Animal Cruelty Laws.

California-Laws-Animals

Attention Livestock Owners

Animal Protection has been receiving a lot of calls lately regarding livestock animals running free - not being penned or corralled.

As a reminder please check your fencing, pens and corrals to ensure your livestock animals are not roaming free.

Thank you.

Animal Protection

New Animal Protection Facebook Page

Reporting Animal Concerns

Citizens wishing to make complaints may be contacted by the Animal Protection Officer via phone to ask questions regarding your concerns or complaint.

Animal Protection doesn't give out reporting person's information.

Animal Protection may request you fill out a witness statement based on the situation.

Please note that Animal Protection wishes to assist the citizens when they're making an animal related complaint but upon investigation any fake or embellished complaints by citizens will be dismissed and possibly prosecuted for falsely reporting a crime under CA Penal Code 148.5.

Field Services - Animal Protection Officers

Animal Protection Officers play a vital role for people and animals within our community. Their job encompasses public safety, enforcement of animal ordinances, animal care & rescue, nuisance abatement & community education and pet owner support.

Services provided in the field by the Animal Protection Unit are rabies prevention, impounding stray or lost animals, responding to injured or sick animals, investigating suspected cruelty to animals and promoting responsible pet ownership.

Location & Hours

The Animal Protection Unit operates out of the Animal Shelter located at 298 Plant Road, Ukiah, CA.

Animal Protection Officers work calls for service from 08:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m on a daily basis.

Online Complaint Form

Citizens can go to the below link, fill out the online complaint form and submit. Please make sure that you leave your contact information in case an Animal Protection Officer needs to contact you. Animal Protection doesn't give out complaining persons information.

Upon submittal of the online complaint form a Animal Protection Officer will contact you.

Online Complaint Form

Online Bite Exposure Report

Please go to the below link if you were bitten by an animal that resulted in a break of skin resulting you being exposed to the biting animals saliva. Once the report is submitted the applicable Animal Protection Department will contact you.

Online Bite Exposure Report

Online Witness Statement

Citizens can go to the below link, fill out the online witness statement and submit. Please make sure that you leave your contact information in case an Animal Protection Officer needs to contact you. Animal Protection doesn't give out complaining persons information.

Online Witness Statement

Citations - Fix It Ticket

Animal Protection attempts to resolve most incidents with non-punitive measures so as to avoid punishing people for animal related issues.

However, some situations require traditional enforcement. For such cases, Animal Protection Officers issue "Record of Notice's" for correctable infractions and a "Notice to Appear" ticket for Title 10 Animals - Code of Ordinances violations.

If you received a "Notice to Appear" ticket you may be given the opportunity of the "Fix It Ticket" program by the issuing Animal Protection Officer. You will have 4 weeks to correct the violation(s).

If you're able to correct the violations and the corrections can be verified by the issuing Animal Protection Officer then the ticket will be voided and you will not have to go to court. Failure to correct the violations in the 4 week period will result in you having to appear in court.