ANIMAL CONTROL
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ANIMAL CONTROL
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Administrative Services
Crime
Prevention
Honor Guard
Traffic
Enforcement Unit
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| HOURS | |
| Monday-Friday
7:30a.m.- 4:00p.m. |
Saturday-Sunday:
8:00a.m.- 3:30p.m. |
The Animal Control Department has regular business hours Monday through Friday between 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM, and weekends from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Occasionally we patrol during the wee hours of the morning or into the evening hours.
Animal Control is located at the Dennis Police station and we are proud to work closely with the Dennis Police Department. Animal Control calls are answered at the Police dispatch center and relayed to Animal Control by phone, or we can be dispatched directly by radio if we are on patrol.
Emergencies
Animal Control is available to respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Dennis Police Department receives the call and will contact Animal Control for response when we are needed. Emergencies are usually related to injured animals or dog attack situations, with the occasional loose livestock needing to be rounded up and returned home. Non - emergency complaints are handled during regular business hours.
Lost & Found
Lost and found dogs, cats, exotic reptiles and domestic birds are frequently reported to this department. When reporting a lost or found animal, please be sure to leave your name, phone number, address, location where the animal was found or lost from, and a description of the animal. During our off duty hours the Police Department will do its best to assist, holding strays brought to the station until Animal Control is back on duty. If a stray is wearing a Dennis dog license the Police Department will offer the finder the dog owner’s contact information, often connecting finders with owners through the dog licensing system.
Dog Licenses
Massachusetts law requires that all dogs must be licensed within 30 days of moving into a town, or of the dog’s becoming 6 months old. Proof of current rabies vaccination must be presented in order to obtain a license, and proof of spaying or neutering if applicable.
Dennis dog licenses are available at Dennis Town Hall, through the Town Clerk’s office, located at 485 Main St. South Dennis. Contact the Town Clerk’s office during business hours Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM at (508) 760-6112 for information on licensing through the mail.
License Period: January 1st to December 31st of each year
Fees: Spayed females and neutered males: $5.00
Un-spayed females or un-neutered males $20.00
Late fee: $5.00 late fee is assessed after January 31st of each year
Rabies Clinics
Massachusetts law requires that all dogs and cats 6 months of age and older must be currently vaccinated against rabies. In order to help accomplish this important public safety goal the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture has designated the first Saturday in April as Rabies Awareness Day. Throughout the state rabies clinics are organized to assist in low cost vaccination against this dreaded disease. The cost per vaccination is usually $10.00. Dennis joins other Cape Cod towns in holding a rabies clinic every year on this date, and encourages residents and non-residents to ensure that their pets are vaccinated.
Leash Law
The Town of Dennis has a 24 - hour leash law. Dogs picked up stray will be returned to their owner if possible, the odds being much higher if the dog is wearing a current Dennis dog license. Unidentified stray dogs are brought to the Animal Rescue League in Brewster, and held until an owner claims the dog. The dog owner may reclaim their dog from the Animal Rescue League after licensing the dog in Dennis if the dog owner is a Dennis resident. Dog owners must pay a board fee to the Animal Rescue League for each day the animal is impounded. The Animal Rescue League can be reached at
(508) 255-1030 between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM Monday through Saturday.
Dogs on Dennis Public Beaches
Residents and visitors to Cape Cod enjoy a barefoot sunset walk on the clean sandy beaches of Dennis. Unfortunately some dog owners failed to control their dogs and complaints were “piling up” about dog owners not picking up after their pets, or allowing their dogs to jump on strangers and generally run out of control, with no respect for the comfort or well being of others. Reported incidents of threatening behavior and aggression by dogs toward humans and other dogs were escalating.
In order to protect the cleanliness and enjoyability of one of the town’s major assets a ban on dogs has been put into effect from Memorial Day through Labor Day of each year. The rest of the year dogs are welcome on the beaches as long as their owners respect the dog control bylaws in place for all public places in Dennis. It is strongly recommended that owners pick up after their dogs and dispose of it properly even in the off - season as a matter of common courtesy and environmental respect
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What types of calls do you get?
The Animal Control Officer (ACO) investigates a wide range of complaints including barking dogs in the neighborhood, or a kitten stuck in a reclining chair, stray dogs attacking joggers, animal cruelty complaints, and everything in between. Animals that have been hit by cars, dogs that have fallen into frozen ponds, dogs that are left out in the snow without shelter or in a car baking in a parking lot in July are just a few of the calls that we respond to. If it has fur or feathers, and sometimes scales, the Animal Control Department answers the call.Does your agency deal with cats?
Complaints referring to cats are a rapidly growing part of Animal Control. In recent years cats have become the nation’s most popular pet, and, sadly, one of its most neglected and casually disposed of companion animals. This department responds to numerous calls about stray cats, lost and found cats, and colonies of feral cats, cats suffering illness and injury, and owners looking for new homes for their cats.Does Animal Control handle wildlife?
Reports of injured or diseased wildlife are usually referred to the Dennis Natural Resources Department. They can be reached at Town Hall during business hours at (508) 394-8300. In an emergency, such as a deer hit by a car, during off duty hours the Dennis Police Dept. will respond, and contact Animal Control or a Natural Resources Officer to respond if necessary.Calls regarding “nuisance” wildlife complaints such as a skunk living under a porch or squirrels in the attic are referred to local companies that are licensed to remove these animals. For more information contact the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), or the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), organizations that offer homeowners tips on living with wildlife and humanely removing or excluding wildlife from your home.
Many calls regarding injured or orphaned wildlife are referred to local nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organizations.
What happens to the stray dogs that are picked up by Animal Control?
Massachusetts state law requires that all dogs brought in as strays must be held for a period of ten days. The Town of Dennis contracts with the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL), one of the nation’s oldest and most respected Animal Welfare organizations, to house the stray dogs picked up in Dennis at their Brewster shelter.If the dog is not claimed by its owner during that time the dog is given to the Animal Rescue League to be evaluated for adoption by the League. Fewer than a dozen dogs are left unclaimed each year in Dennis, and most are adopted into new homes. Those few dogs that are not placed for adoption are usually very old, suffer illness or have severe temperament problems that make them unsafe to place in a home. These dogs are humanely euthanized for public safety and to end the suffering of the dog.
COMMON PET PROBLEMS
“I’m moving and can’t take him with me.”
There are a number of ways to approach this dilemma. You need to reassure a prospective landlord that your pets will not damage his property or be a nuisance to the neighbors.Start looking for a new home well in advance of the date you will need to move. This leaves you with time to find a suitable home that will allow you to keep your furry family members.
Make sure that your pet is spayed or neutered. This eliminates many of the property damaging aspects of animal ownership like territorial spraying by male cats, indoor leg lifting by male dogs, and messy heat cycles and offspring produced by unspayed females.
Offer the prospective landlord an extra security deposit towards animal related damage. This money is returned to you when you end your tenancy if the pets do not damage the house.
Give the landlord letters of recommendation from your veterinarian stating that you keep your pets vaccinated and healthy, from your Animal Control Officer stating that you have not been a source of complaints in your current neighborhood, from your current neighbors stating that you have been a good pet owning neighbor, from your current landlord stating that you took good care of his property while living there.
Have your dog obedience trained and earn a Canine Good Citizen degree offered by the American Kennel Club. A well – mannered dog is a joy to live with and much easier to move with than a destructive monster.
The Canine Good Citizen test, offered by many local kennel clubs, shows that your dog has basic obedience and manners, and is accepted by many housing authorities as proof of responsible pet ownership.
“ My new girlfriend is allergic to my pet.”
There are several methods of alleviating allergic reactions from animal dander.
Don’t let the cat or dog sleep in the bedroom of the allergic person.
Bathe the animal frequently, using a mild pet shampoo and conditioner to avoid irritating the pet’s skin.
Brush the pet, outdoors, frequently to remove shedding and loose fur.
Install a HEPA filter on your furnace, and in your vacuum cleaner.
Vacuum and dust with damp, clean cloth frequently, and damp mop floors often.
Limit carpeting in living areas. Wood or tile floors don’t trap dust, pollen or dander.
Talk to your doctor for advice on other methods such as shots or medications to control symptoms.
“We just got a new puppy or kitten and the old pet won’t adjust to it.”
Consider the possibility of rejection and decide how you are going to deal with introducing a new pet BEFORE you bring the new pet home. Think of your current pet’s personality and lifestyle. Has this pet always been an “only pet”? Has it been well socialized with other animals, perhaps in obedience classes or playgroups? If you have serious doubts, decide whether it is really worth it to bring in a new animal. If you decide to go ahead, introduce a new dog to the original dog in a neutral setting such as a park, or fenced area where the two dogs have room to maneuver and greet each other in natural dog style. Don’t stand too close or keep a tight leash on the dogs as this will agitate the dogs and transmit tension. Expect and allow posturing, raised hackles and some minor pushing as long as it is not erupting into a fight. Praise both dogs for calm behavior. Short, supervised meetings will help the dogs establish their pack order in a neutral, non - threatening environment and should ease the transition to the new home situation for both dogs.A closed door should separate cats for a day, allowed to sniff each other’s scent under the door and get used to each other in this way. Trade places with each other after the first day so the cats can sniff the other’s areas. Watch for territory spraying in male cats, and leg lifting in male dogs! Sometimes even neutered males will establish their presence in this manner if not watched. Minor hissing skirmishes are to be expected and should be allowed as long as they do not escalate into battle. Following the introductions, pets should be separated when unsupervised to avoid potentially injurious arguments over territory, toys or dominance. Gradually allow more time together until you are sure the pets are completely settled.
“We’re having a baby.”
Now is NOT the time to bring a new dog into the household!!! Parents sometimes think that a baby should have a “friend” to grow up with and to be a childhood companion. WRONG!! Infants and toddlers are unable to understand the concept of causing pain to others. They grab and grip and chew on anything they can reach, and if that something is a dog or cat they can cause the pet to react with a bite or scratch that injures the child. Parents dealing with the stresses of a new baby do not have the time or energy to properly socialize, train and monitor a new dog or puppy. Children should be at least 3 years old before a new dog is introduced to the family, or older if the child is very active or difficult to control. Dogs should NEVER be left alone with small children and infants.“I can’t afford to spay / neuter my cat or dog”
Spaying or neutering is the most important health care that you can offer your pet. If your pet is not of champion breeding stock and part of a serious, well – thought out breeding program, that pet should be spayed or neutered by the age of 6 months. There are organizations, some national in scope, others more local in nature, that offer reduced cost and sometimes even no cost spay / neuter vouchers for lower income families and individuals. There are a number of local programs that assist owners in accomplishing this. Contact your local Humane Society or Animal Control Department for information on financial assistance programs. In the Cape Cod area the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Brewster facility offers the Mark’s Fund for spay and neuter assistance for the dogs and cats of Cape Cod residents. The MSPCA offers the SNAP program.“We just can’t handle his behavior anymore!”
Before you decide to surrender a pet with behavior problems, ask yourself these questions:If I can’t handle this behavior, will someone who is not already emotionally attached to the pet want to deal with this problem?
Most likely they will not, or they may deal with the problem in an inhumane manner. If you have a behavior problem with your pet, consult with a professional trainer. To find a good one, contact local veterinarians, and your Animal Control Officer, and ask whom they recommend. Call the local branch of the American Kennel Club whether you own a purebred dog or a mix. These clubs often sponsor obedience training for the public. Some pet supply chains such as Petsmart offer training classes, and many local animal shelters offer courses or recommend trainers. Contact the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) for a list of members in your area. This organization encourages positive, humane training methods and offers continuing education seminars for dog trainers. When you have several names, call each one and ask if you can watch a class or training session before you commit yourself. Ask for references, and call them! Don’t be afraid to ask questions! There are some excellent dog trainers out there, and there are some horrible ones! A good trainer will meet with you and your dog and provide an evaluation of what is needed to give you a well - mannered dog. A good trainer uses a lot of positive reinforcement and frequently uses food as a reward for good behavior. It is very important that you pick someone who can not only teach your dog in a kind manner, but who can also work with you and teach you how to teach your dog, and help you turn your monster into a friend and lifelong companion. Behavior problems are the number one reason why dogs over the age of 6 months are surrendered to animal shelters nationwide.Is this behavior dangerous?
You could be liable for injuries caused by a dog given or sold to another family by you if you are aware of aggression or another serious behavior problem and you do not disclose that information to the new owner, or to the animal shelter if you choose to surrender the dog. Behaviors such as food and / or toy guarding and possession issues can lead to a serious bite injury if not handled correctly. Destructive chewing habits, separation anxiety issues and housebreaking problems could result in the dog being relegated by its new family to a chain in the back yard for the rest of its life. You are not doing your dog a favor by sending him to a new family without disclosing important information about your dog’s personality and temperament to the new owners. You are simply forcing another family to deal with the same painful decision that you should have made, and possibly endangering others.
