Domestic/Predatory Animal Control Program

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:

• Urban animal damage. These calls involve home owners who have skunks, raccoons, or other wildlife that have taken up residence in the vicinity of their home, and are causing property damage or they are a threat to their pets.

• Farmers and ranchers with livestock, crop and/or property loss. Typically, these calls involve both domestic and wild animal attacks on agricultural land.

The main goal of the program is to remove only the animals that are causing the problem.

Home Page | Environmental/Natural Resource Protection | Consumer/Industry Protection
Domestic/Predatory Animal Control | Air Pollution Control

Contact Siskiyou County Department of Agriculture
525 South Foothill Drive, Yreka, Phone: (530) 841-4025, Fax: (530) 842-6690