Information
Lake County operates an animal shelter to house lost and surrendered pets. Two Officers operate the facility caring for the animals. These Officers also respond to calls for service, including lost animals, nuisance complaints, animal bites, injured animals and animal cruelty.
Officers try to reunite lost animals with their families by keeping a list of animals that are reported missing and those that are found in hopes of making a match. Please make sure your pets have current identification tags and license attached to the collar so they can be identified and returned to you promptly.
Animal Control Officers are also responsible for enforcing animal regulation laws and/or ordinances and capturing biting, vicious, diseased, loose or stray animals.
Some tips from Animal Control
Visiting the Lake County Sheriff Animal Control Office is the best way to determine if we have your lost pet. We welcome you to call everyday however mistakes can be made due to discrepancies in description; therefore, we encourage you to visit the shelter at least twice a week to check for your pet. YOUR PET IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY:
- Make sure your dog is licensed and wearing its tag.
- Only you can identify your pet when it is not wearing any identification.
- Check with local veterinarians about obtaining a microchip for your pet as an identification system.
- All pets that enter the shelter are scanned for microchips.
When your pet is missing:
- Check the entire house and yard.
- Check and alert the neighbors/postal carriers to be on the lookout.
- Patrol neighboring streets.
- Contact Animal Shelter daily by phone and visit the shelter at least every 3 days.
- Check the local paper for found animal ads.
- check local veterinarians for injured strays.
- Place an ad in your local newspaper.
- Place flyers at shelters, vets and local stores.
- Don't give up hope too soon; we have been able to return pets months after they were lost.
If your pet is at the shelter:
If your pet is impounded and not wearing a collar it will be held at the animal shelter in Lake County for at least 4 working days. If your pet is wearing a collar or other identification it will be held for at least 7 working days. An exception may be made if the animal is sick or injured to the extent that the holding would cause undo suffering or if the animal has an infectious or contagious disease. Animal Control will attempt to contact owners of animals wearing a license tag or other identification by telephone or mail whenever possible.
After the mandated holding period your pet becomes the property of Lake County Sheriff Animal Control and will be placed for adoption, turned over to a rescue agency or humanely euthanized.
Redemption Fees:
| First time: |
$20.00 plus boarding fee of $7.50 per day |
| Second time: |
$40.00 plus boarding fee of $7.50 per day |
| Third time: |
$60.00 plus boarding fee of $7.50 per day |
The $7.50 boarding fee is applied the next day and each day thereafter. All dogs must be rabies vaccinated and licensed at the age of 4 months and older. Therefore it will be necessary for you to bring these receipts with you when you come to redeem your dog. If your dog does not have a current rabies or license, a court ticket will be issued.
If you would like to make a monetary donation you may do so at The Lake County Sheriff Department.
If you would like to make a donation of food, litter, treat, toys, etc. you may bring them directly to the shelter.
Lake County Animal Control is open 5 days a week:
Monday through Friday 9am to 3pm
However we encourage you to call ahead and set up a time as there are times when the officer on duty may be out on a call. So please call and leave a message if no one is in and an Officer will call you back as soon as possible.