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Lakewood has two full time Animal Control Officers who provide field services including response to stray or lost animals, barking dogs and animal noise nuisance complaints, aggressive and dangerous dogs, as well as injured animal rescue, dead animal removal, investigating reports of animal cruelty, kennel and pet shop inspections, and public education.
If you need Animal Control assistance, call the City Animal Control Hotline at 253-830-5010. All calls will be handled on a priority basis. For emergencies involving immediate threats to public safety, call 911. If you are interested in getting or renewing an animal license, view the Animal Licensing Division for more information.
Threats to Public Safety
Threats include dogs running loose that have bitten a human, vicious or scared dogs running in traffic or in neighborhoods. Loose horses or livestock roaming in traffic are also a threat to public safety. An area patrol may be made for aggressive dogs but a formal complaint signed by a witness or witnesses is required for civil and criminal penalties. A complaint consists of the address of the owner of the animal, the owner's name and telephone number if possible, and a description of the incident to include a description of the animal or animals and the location where the incident occurred. A written complaint may be completed by calling the animal control officer to your home or by mailing a signed statement, including your name, address and telephone number, to Lakewood Animal Control, 5504 112th St. SW, Lakewood, WA 98499.
Injured Animals
Injured animals should be called in to the on-duty animal control officer. After normal service hours, citizens should call 9-1-1.
Stray Animals
The animal control officer will pick up stray animals. However, pick-ups must be completed by 3:30 p.m. to allow the animal control officer ample travel time and processing at the shelter. Citizens may bring animals directly to the Tacoma-Pierce County Humane Society Shelter located in Tacoma at 2608 Center St. Their telephone number is 253-383-2733. As there may be a delayed response to a stray animal pick-up due to limited staffing and high case load, it is most helpful if citizens are able to safely transport non-aggressive animals to the animal shelter. The time frame could be anywhere from one to four hours.
Citizens may request a stray animal patrol if they know of a specific problem in their neighborhood. Please provide the description of the dog and the owner information if known. Due to a high volume of requests for patrols, they are handled as soon as possible on a priority basis compared with other requests for service.
Barking Dogs
Barking dog complaints are handled by a petition process that requires a minimum of (3) complaining parties documenting dates, times and duration of a barking nuisance. A description of the dog, or dogs including the owner's name, address and telephone number is also required. A petition packet containing instructions and (3) statement forms is mailed to a complainant. The completed packet may be forwarded to animal control as previously mentioned. The officer will then contact the owner of the nuisance dog and issue a warning notice. Future documented disturbances may result in a declaration of a noise nuisance and hearings that could result in civil and or criminal penalties. A nuisance animal may be required to be removed from the City of Lakewood.
Other Complaints
Complaints involving dog bites to humans and animals, animal neglect, cruelty, abuse, or general nuisance problems such as trespass require one or more witnesses to file a written statement documenting the date, time, and location of the incident, animal description as well as the owner information if known. Completed statements can be forwarded to animal control as previously mentioned. A dog that has bitten a human must be captured and appropriately quarantined for a ten day period. Anonymous complaints can be made but any enforcement beyond a verbal warning requires the filing of a formal complaint. Complaints may be filed by calling the animal control officer to your home, by dropping off your statement at city hall or mailing the complaint to the previously mentioned police station address.
Animal Control Complaint Statement Form
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