Animal Control

Field officers rescue stray and abandoned dogs. Call (405) 297-2255 to report a stray or loose dog. Dog owners are required to keep dogs on a leash at all times, and the pet must have a current rabies vaccination and tag.

You can read more on our printable stray animals flyer(PDF, 77KB).

Report all animal bites within City of OKC limits to Animal Welfare at (405) 297-2255. Officers will investigate, take a report and ensure the animal is quarantined for 10 days to watch for signs of rabies. Be prepared to provide the date, time and location where the bite occurred, the victim's identifying information and the location of the wound.

Field officers can rescue stray or loose animals that are injured and take them to the OKC Animal Shelter or another veterinary clinic for immediate care. Our Angel Fund pays for care for many of these animals. Consider donating today. Call (405) 297-2255 to report an injured animal. We only rescue injured animals that are stray or loose, not owned pets.

Field officers respond to reports of aggressive or dangerous animals that attack other animals or people, whether or not a bite occurs. Call 911 or (405) 297-2255 to report an aggressive or dangerous animal and be prepared to provide information about the animal and its location, along with a statement from a victim or witness. If the complaining party positively identifies a dangerous or aggressive animal, it can be confined at our shelter while legal matters regarding the animals are resolved. If an animal control officer doesn't witness the aggression, you must be willing to testify in court in order to pursue a complaint and prove a violation occurred.

Field officers investigate crimes of animal cruelty and neglect. A lack of food, water, proper shelter or veterinary care constitutes neglect or abuse, along with abandonment, physical abuse, dog and cock fighting, animal hoarding and more. OKC Animal Welfare is a proud member of the Oklahoma Link Coalition.

You can read more about animal cruelty and the link between it and family violence in our flyer(PDF, 788KB) .

You can bring a dead animal to the OKC Animal Shelter during normal business hours. OKC Animal Welfare also picks up dead animals on the road, and animals on curbs and public property. Report dead animals for pickup to the Action Center.

Livestock and domestic fowl are permitted in City of OKC limits on property zoned for agriculture and on properties at least one acre in size. For each half-acre, residents can have one donkey, horse or mule; one cow, bull, heifer or steer; and two goats, sheep or other similar animals. Livestock must be confined to your property.

OKC Animal Welfare only picks up wild animals that are injured or have bitten someone. To prevent wildlife from being a nuisance on your property, cover all garbage cans, remove outdoor food sources and close any openings to your house or other structures. For wildlife removal, contact a private service.

ou can bring injured or orphaned wild animals to the OKC Animal Shelter during normal business hours, and we will transfer the pet to WildCare Oklahoma.

The City of Oklahoma City offers a Trap Neuter Release (TNR) program for feral cats, known as the Community Cat Program. If a member of the community brings a feral cat to the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter, the cat will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies and returned to where it was trapped or captured. There is no cost to the public for this program. The program helps manage free-roaming cat populations without harming them and can eventually lead to a humane end to a cat overpopulation situation in your neighborhood. Oklahoma City Animal Welfare encourages the public to take part in this program. Cats may be brought to the OKC Animal Shelter at 2811 SE 29th St. between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday, except major holidays. For more information on the Community Cat Program and its benefits, please read our printable flyer about feral cats(PDF, 141KB) or email awinfo@okc.gov.

Most dog owners are unaware that their dog is barking when they're gone until someone tells them. We encourage neighborly communication to try to solve the problem before filing a complaint. To report a nuisance barking dog, the dog must be habitually, regularly and continuously barking unprovoked. To send a warning to a dog owner regarding their barking dog, please report the dog to the Action Center.

To file a citation against a dog owner regarding a barking dog, the complainant must come to the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter during business hours. The person who is bothered by the barking must be willing to file a complaint and be willing to testify in court that such dog is a nuisance.

OKC Animal Welfare is a part of the City's Emergency Management planning and response. We're responsible for rescuing animals in need during emergencies and managing the sheltering system for homeless and abandoned animals. We encourage everyone to incorporate your pets into your family's disaster planning. Use a microchip and collar with tags for all of your pets to help us identify them and reunite them with you if they get lost in a disaster. Consider volunteering for Animal Welfare's Disaster Brigade to help pets during disasters.

How to Prepare a Disaster Kit for Your Pet(PDF, 157KB)