Animal Control

Animal Control

Urban Coyotes in St. Louis Park

According the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, most coyotes avoid people and domestic animals, but occasionally they will kill sheep, turkeys and calves. They may also raid garbage cans and kill domestic cats and small dogs. Healthy wild coyotes avoid people, and no attacks have ever occurred in Minnesota. However, attacks by urban coyotes...

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What to do if Your Pet is Missing?

See more about: animal control  found cat  found dog  missing cat  missing dog  missing pet  

Animal Bites

If your cat or dog bites someone, identify yourself and tell the victim whether your pet's rabies vaccination is current. The city requires that your pet be quarantined - usually inside your home for 10 days. After 10 days, a city staff member will contact you to confirm if your pet is still in good health.

Rather than quarantining the animal, the pet owner may choose to release the animal to a veterinarian who will euthanize it. The veterinarian will arrange to have the University of Minnesota examine the animal for evidence of rabies. The owner is responsible for all costs.

Be sure to report any animal bite: call the St. Louis Park public safety dispatcher at (952) 924-2618.

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Stray or Unwelcome Animal Intruder

To report a stray animal, call the St. Louis Park public safety dispatcher at (952) 924-2618. Please be ready with the animal's description and general location.

Occasionally, a squirrel, raccoon, skunk, bat or bird finds its way into a home. If you can't get the animal to leave through an open door or window, call a company that specializes in animal removal (see Yellow Pages under "Pest Control").

If you feel immediately threatened by the animal or are unsure what to do, call the public safety dispatcher at (952) 924-2618 or the animal control officer at (952) 924-2133 for advice.

See more about: raccoon  stray animal  

Animal cruelty

Minnesota law allows police officers to take an animal to a shelter if the animal

• is not protected from heat, cold or inclement weather
• has not been given food or water.

If an animal is left in a hot car and its health or safety is endangered, officers are empowered to use reasonable force to enter the vehicle and remove the animal.

Engaging in dog fighting or pitting animals against one another is illegal.

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Wild Animals as Pets

City ordinance prohibits residents from keeping any animal prohibited by state or federal law as well as non-domesticated animals such as skunks, bobcats, wolves, venomous snakes, etc. For more information, call the animal control officer (952) 924-2133.

See more about: snakes  wild animals