Animal Control
The Amherst County Animal Control Center is devoted to providing residents with accurate and helpful information regarding pets and animals.
Services - are divided into 2 categories: (2) Animal Control Officers and (2) Animal Care Attendants, which may both be provided by the same, service unit agency, or which may be provided by 2 different units or agencies.
Minimum Animal Care and Control Officers Services
Response - to calls and complaints from the public concerning lost, stray, injured or nuisance domestic animals; also concerning suspect rabid wild or domestic animals and dangerous or vicious dogs. It is important that responses are timely and that 24-hour on-call service is available for emergencies.
Capture - of stray domestic animals, as well as wild rabies vectors (i.e., raccoons, skunks, groundhogs, foxes and bats) threatening the safety and health of residents. Proper equipment (i.e., transportation vehicles, catch poles, gloves, service belt (with assigned equipment) official uniforms and badges, and humane capture animal traps) is essential to carry out the above duties.
NOTE: Response to and capture of nuisance wildlife that are not threatening humans (i.e., healthy appearing raccoons in garbage cans, squirrels in attics, etc.) are NOT considered necessary services for animal control to provide. Animal Control officers should be able to educate residents over the telephone on how to modify their residences (i.e., cap chimneys, secure trash firmly, etc.) so as not to attract animal nuisances and refer them to agencies that can assist them.
- Patrolling - for stray dogs and cats (should be performed on a daily basis, even without complaints or reports).
- Investigation - into reports of bite incidents, dangerous and vicious dogs; seizure and impoundment of dogs and cats which have committed any such act.
- Confinement - serving notices for the confinement of biting or bitten animals for rabies observation and monitoring these confinements.
- Evaluation - of animals captured or picked up as to the need for veterinary emergency care.
- Transportation - of captured animals to impoundment facility; transportation vehicles must meet state regulations. Sick or injured animals must receive immediate emergency veterinary care. If designated, provide transportation of rabies specimens to State Public Health and Environmental laboratory.
- Record Keeping - to properly document all calls, activities and animals picked up.
- Education - of the public (including schools and other groups) as to responsible pet ownership, rabies prevention and the need for spaying and neutering of pets.
- Participation - on local/county task force and other animal control related committees.
- Canvass - for unlicensed/unvaccinated dogs and cats and take enforcement action when necessary.
- Euthanasia - routine and emergency, shelter and in field.( Directive 79-1 & 83-1, VDACS ).
Animal Care Center
- Facility must meet State regulations governing sanitary conduct and operation.
- Facility must be accessible to the public at reasonable hours during the week.(Ref: 3.1-796.96, Virginia Comprehensive Animal Law)
- Basic Animal Care Services
- Maintenance and CARE - of impounded animals under sanitary conditions.
- Redemption - reuniting impounded animals with their rightful owners.
- Evaluation - of unclaimed, impounded or surrendered animals as to their suitability for adoption for transferable facilities.
- Euthanasia - humane destruction of animals. ( Directive 79-1 & 83-1, VDACS ).
- Disposal - of the remains of euthanized animals.
- Record Keeping - of the intake and disposition of all impounded, surrendered and transferred animals.
- Acceptance - of unwanted animals surrendered by residents of Amherst County for humane placement or euthanasia.
- Education - of members of the public visiting or contacting the facility. Information on rabies prevention should be made available to all persons requesting.
- Participation - on local / county animal rescues.
Services
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