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Animal Control

Show All Answers

1. Where is the shelter located?

Animal Control receives mail at 2 South Green Street in Sonora but the office is actually at 10040 Victoria Way in Jamestown. If headed west on Highway 108, go one mile past the signal at the town of Jamestown. Turn right at C & C Minimart. The road will dead end. Turn right again and proceed to the end of the cul-de-sac. Animal Control shares a building with the Humane Society of Tuolumne County.

2. What is the difference between Animal Control and the Humane Society?

Animal Control is a government agency charged with enforcing the state laws and county ordinances pertaining to domestic animals. We provide a shelter for stray and seized animals. Animal Control evacuates and shelters animals during large scale emergencies.

Humane Society is a non profit organization that is funded by donations and grants. They have a limited entry shelter that accepts surrendered animals from the public. They also transfer some animals from the Animal Control shelter to their facility. The Humane Society provides spay/neuter assistance and humane education. Their phone number is 984-5489.

Both Animal Control and the Humane Society have animals available for adoption.

3. How do I license my dog?

All dogs in the State of California are required to obtain a rabies vaccination by the age of 4 months. They are also required to be licensed in the jurisdiction in which they live. In Tuolumne County all dogs must be licensed within 30 days of the following: turning 4 months; moving to the county; or ownership. A late penalty will apply if not done within this time frame. The only exception is that there will be no penalty for young dogs up to 6 months old if they have been spayed or neutered.

Licensing can be done in person at the shelter office (10040 Victoria Way, Jamestown) Monday – Friday 9:00-1:00.

There is no licensing during shelter hours on Saturday.

Licensing can also be done via mail to 2 South Green Street, Sonora, CA 95370. Be sure to include a legal size Stamped Self Addressed Envelope with $.70 postage.

To obtain a license provide a rabies vaccination certificate from a veterinarian. To obtain the discount price for altered dogs, include a spay/neuter certificate first time licensing or if the status of the dog has changed. One or three year licensing is available. The rabies vaccination must be valid for the duration to qualify for three year licensing.

Pricing: 1 year altered $6.25
1 year unaltered $20.50
3 year altered $17.00
3 year unaltered $60.00

Penalties: If late less than one year $5.00
If late greater than one year $10.00

4. Are there low cost vaccination clinics?

Tuolumne County Animal Control and the Tuolumne County Veterinary Association provide low cost rabies vaccination clinics from the end of May until the beginning of September. They are held at different locations throughout the county. All of the clinics are for dogs only except the first and the last. These two clinics are held at the shelter and are open to dogs, cats, and livestock. A current schedule is posted on this website around April of each year.

5. What happens if I am bitten by a dog or my dog bites someone?

The State of California is a declared rabies area. Any time an animal that is susceptible to rabies, such as a dog or cat, bites or scratches someone it needs to quarantined. This can typically be done at home if the dog has a current rabies vaccination (given at least 30 days before the bite). In the case of home quarantine the animal must be kept within 4 solid walls such as a house, garage, or shed. An Animal Control Officer will come to the home to approve where the animal is being kept and have the owner sign a quarantine contract. Dogs that do not have a current rabies vaccination must go to the shelter or a veterinarian’s office for quarantine.

Be sure to seek medical aid if bitten by an animal. Rinse wounds as quickly as possible even if you only have access to water. If there is no animal to quarantine then rabies post exposure treatment will be recommended. Rabies is a fatal disease.

6. What happens if my dog or cat is exposed to wildlife?

Skunks and bats are the main carriers of rabies in California however; all mammals are susceptible to rabies. If an exposure occurs, such as your dog fights with a raccoon or your cat catches a bat, it is imperative to booster the animal for rabies within 48 hours. If the wildlife specimen is available it will be tested for rabies. If the test comes back positive or there is no specimen to test then the dog or cat will need to be quarantined. If the dog or cat had a preexisting current rabies vaccination and received the booster then the quarantine will be 30 days. If it did not have a preexisting current rabies vaccination or did not receive the booster then the quarantine is 6 months. It is important to keep all pets current on rabies vaccinations.

7. What if I have a complaint about an animal?

You will need to call our office during regular phone hours Monday- Friday 9:00-4:00. It is imperative that we actually speak to the reporting party to obtain all the necessary information. We do not handle anonymous or emailed complaints. A phone number must be provided for contact. It is also important to have the physical address so that prior history can be investigated. Please be as specific as possible with dates and times. Reporting party identities will be kept confidential unless the person chooses to be a witness.

Animal Control handles all legitimate complaints but priority is given to threats to public safety and animal welfare. In cases where a violation has occurred but it was not witnessed by the Animal Control Officer we cannot write a citation or submit a case to the District Attorney. It is up to the citizen witness to be willing to testify in these cases. It is also important to report problems when they first start to occur so that the history is documented.

8. What if I see a neglected animal?

Call the office with the address or good directions if the location is something not marked, such as a pasture. Take photos if possible. Animal Control has a series of legal steps that must be followed to handle neglect cases. Unless the animal is in a life threatening situation, we cannot immediately seize it. Please resist the urge to feed and water the animal. The Animal Control Officer needs to document the conditions for evidence in a hearing or in court.

Everyone has personal opinions about the right way to treat and maintain animals but keep in mind that Animal Control can only intervene if the law is being broken.

9. What about barking dogs?

It is not illegal for a dog to bark. It is a violation if it creates a chronic annoyance, disturbance, or discomfort to those in close proximity. It is a fact that most nuisance barking occurs when the owner is not home. Dogs are social animals and get lonely and bored. Sometimes the solution is as simple as letting the neighbor know that their dog is barking and giving them an opportunity to fix the problem.

When reporting a barking dog to Animal Control it is important to have the correct physical address and be as detailed as possible as to when precisely the barking is occurring. A history check will be done and if this is the first complaint or there has not been one in 6 months, a letter will be sent to the dog owner. It will not include the name of the complaining party but will give specifics about the complaint and ideas for addressing the problem.

If the problem continues then we will need at least two different households willing to document dates and times of barking. A complaint will be submitted to the District Attorney office and they will determine if charges are to be filed based on the witness testimony.

Due to staffing cut backs Animal Control does not routinely go out on barking dog complaints. The exception is that if there are at least three reporting parties being disturbed. When time permits Animal Control will send an Officer to the neighborhood to park a discreet distance from the residence and listen for barking. If the ACO witnesses the dog barking for 30 minutes then a citation can be issued and/or the dog impounded.

10. What do I do about feral cats?

Animal Control loans cat traps to capture feral or stray cats. We do not set the traps or pick up the cats. There is a $20.00 deposit that is refunded when the trap is returned undamaged. If you are planning on bringing the cat to the shelter you will be placed on a trapping schedule. We have a limited ability to receive cats and need to accommodate as many people as possible. Please note- if you have your own trap call first before trapping so that we can reserve a space for you.

If you are planning on trapping, neutering and releasing please make sure that all residences and businesses that will be affected are in agreement that they want a feral cat colony in the area. You must also make a commitment to care for these animals by providing resources and retrapping should a cat become injured or ill.

11. What do I do about wildlife problems?

For nuisance wildlife call the Wildlife Services trapper at 533-6681.

For sick or injured wildlife call Animal Control at 694-2730.

For orphaned or injured juvenile or small animals call Rose Wolf Wildlife Rescue at 588-1335 or 484-1928. For birds and squirrels call Mother Lode Wildlife Care at 677-7249.

12. What do I do if my pet is lost?

Animal Control maintains a lost and found list. Be sure to file a lost or found report with our office. Photos of impounded animals are posted on PetHarbor.com. In addition to calling our office, post flyers in the area that the animal was lost. Call the local radio station (533-1450) so that the information can be posted on the pet patrol on MyMotherLode.com. Let as many people know by whatever means (Face book, Twitter, etc) as possible.

Make sure your pets are wearing identification (license tag, personal ID tag, microchip tag) and consider having a microchip implanted. All shelters in California scan for microchips.

13. How do I adopt a pet?

We have many wonderful dogs and cats available at Animal Control. We also get other critters such as rabbits, birds, reptiles, horses, goats, etc. Shelter hours for adoption are M-F 9:00-1:00 and Sat 10:00-1:00.

Prior to adoption we do conduct a background check to verify good pet ownership. We talk with your veterinarian, check our records, and make sure the landlord is on board if you rent.

If the animal you are adopting is not neutered there is a $40.00 spay/neuter deposit redeemable at the veterinarian’s office. If it is a dog greater than 4 months and it does not have a rabies vaccination there is a $10.00 rabies deposit. There are also applicable license fees and an adoption fee of $23.00.

14. What if I have to give up a pet?

Our shelter is for strays and seized animals. We do offer low cost euthanasia for animals with serious medical or behavioral problems. We are a last resort if you are trying to rehome a pet.

If you know you must give up a pet do not wait until the last minute. Contact the Humane Society of Tuolumne County (984-5489), Friends of the Animal Community (768-3630), or search for one of the many breed rescues available on line.

Make sure your pet is spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccinations and heartworm preventive. This will make them much more adoptable. Also be honest about any problems that the pet may have.

15. What do I do about a dead animal?

If the dead animal is on the highway call Cal Trans (984-4438 or 586-3851). If the dead animal is in the unincorporated area of Tuolumne County call Animal Control. Requests for dead animal pickup will be handled when manpower and time permits. Dead runs will usually be done 1 to 3 times per week. Priority will be given to road hazards and dead animals in highly populated areas. Animal Control reserves the right to leave a carcass if it is in a remote area and likely to be consumed by scavenger animals. Animal Control will not pick up any carcasses that have had any substances, such as lime, put on them.

It is the duty of the owner of any animal that dies to dispose of the carcass within a reasonable time by cremation, burial, or other lawful means. Animal Control may be contracted to pick up the body for a fee if manpower and time permits.