525 South Foothill Drive, Yreka, CA 96097
Phone: (530) 841-4025, Fax: (530) 842-6690
Domestic Animal Control
The Animal Control program's main purpose is to ensure the health and
safety of the county residents and animal populations by requiring dogs
to obtain a vaccination for rabies. Rabies is always a threat,
especially in a rural county where a higher degree of domestic animals
come into contact with wild or feral animals. The licensing function of
the program provides a tracking system, which assures that an animal
vaccination, is always current. Also, licensing helps to identify the
owners of lost or injured dogs so that they may re-united with their
owners. We also investigate complaints of cruel and inhumane treatment
of animals. A very high priority investigation is conducted whenever an
animal bite is reported.
We are currently revamping our program to place more emphasis on the
adoption of well-behaved dogs and the need to incorporate a sound spay
and neuter program. We annually take in between 500 - 700 stray and
abandoned dogs each year. In the past, the vast majority of these dogs
were not adopted. We are trying to reverse this trend.
Animal Control is also responsible for the rabies eradication program,
which is conducted in cooperation with the County Health Department.
Whenever a dog has caused injury to a human by biting, the animal is
either placed under quarantine for observation for at least ten days, or
it is euthanized for a sample so that it can be determined whether or
not it was a carrier of rabies.
As with any program, the best tool that we have is education. We strive
to help people understand that owning a dog or any animal takes a great
deal of responsibility.
Predatory Animal Control
The Predatory Animal Control program is a cooperative venture between
Siskiyou County, California Department of Food and Agriculture,
California Health Services, and the United States Department of
Agriculture -- Animal Damage Control.
There are two types of protection offered under this program: