Mission Statement:
It is the mission of Santa Cruz County Animal Care & Control to serve and provide all people within our jurisdiction with the highest level of animal services. We are committed to the protection of our citizens and animals by enforcement of state and local laws. Additionally, we are dedicated to our personnel by providing continuous training to better serve our community and protect its animals.
Report an Animal-Related Issue:
To report any complaints on stray dogs, wildlife, bites or attacks, injured animals, sick animals, cruelty/neglect to animals, or any other concerns you might have please call us at 520-761-7860. If calling after regular business hours, city residents should call the Police Department at 520-287-9111.
Rules and Policies
Cruelty and Neglect of Animals
Quicklinks
City Code:
DIVISION 2. RUNNING AT LARGE
Sec 3-71. Prohibited.
- It shall be unlawful for any person owning, keeping, possessing, harboring or maintaining any dog to allow or permit such dog to be at large upon public streets, sidewalks, alleys, parks, or other public property, unless such dog is restrained by means of a leash, chain, rope, cord, or similar device not more than six feet in length, and of sufficient strength to control the action of such dog, except as may otherwise be provided in this code.
- It shall be unlawful for any person owning, keeping, possesing, harboring or maintaining any dog to allow or permit such dog to be at large upon or about the private property of any person, except on owner’s private property, under supervision and verbal control. confinement shall be accomplished by means of a fence or similar enclosure of sufficient strength and height to prevent the dog from escaping therefrom, or inside a house or other building, or by being secured to a leash, rope or chain which is fastened or picketed in such manner so as not to injure the dog and so as to keep te dog exclusively on the premises where secured.
- Dogs while participating in dog obedience or training classes, while being exhibited or trained at a kennerl club event, while assisting their owner or training in legal hunting or in herding live stock, while assisting a peace officere engaged in law enforcement duties, or guide dogs while assisting blind or deaf persons, so long as such dogs are in deirect and effective voice control of such individuals to assure that they do not violate any other provisions of law, shall be excempt from the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this sections, provided that the dog is accompanied by and under the control of such dog’s owner or trainer.
- A person convicted of the offense prohibited by this section shall be punished for a first conviction within a 12-month period by a fine of not less than $15.00, nor more than $50.00; for a fine of not less than $25.00 nor more than $75.00; for a third or subsequent conviction within a 12-moonth period, by a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $100.00.
(Ord. No. 17-A, § 2, 6-4-81; Ord. No. 91-06-04, 6-5-91)
