Information for Pet Owners:

No owner or person shall permit a dog to create a public nuisance by frequent or habitual barking, yelping, howling or whining. If Animal Control receives an actionable barking concern, the following steps are normally taken:

During an initial contact, an officer will make contact with the pet owner and provide information regarding the ordinance and steps they can take to prevent nuisance barking.

After a second complaint, Animal Control Officers will regularly patrol the area in an attempt to witness barking. If Animal Control or the complainant documents nuisance barking, a summons may be issued.

Tips for Placing a Barking Concern:

To assist the Animal Control Officer with addressing your barking concern as quickly as possible, it is important to include as much specific information as possible. A concern stating that “the dog barks non-stop, all day everyday” will be very difficult for Animal Control to resolve. When placing a barking concern, please include the following information:

• Location of the animal
• The most common days and times that barking can be heard
• Number and description of the dog(s) barking
• Approximately how long the barking lasts
• Approximately how long the barking has been occurring
• If possible, provide recordings of the barking incidents with a date shown

Example of a detailed barking concern: 

“The brown dog barks from about 3-3:45, Monday through Friday. I think the kids let it out when they get home from school. It also barks between 6:45 and 7 a.m., which is about the same time that the school bus comes down our street. In the morning, two neighbor dogs join in barking at the school bus.”

DID YOU KNOW?

No-Bark collars are available to residents at no charge for two weeks, with a valid resident privilege card. 

If you have found a stray animal, and you can SAFELY confine the animal, an Animal Control Officer may be able to pick it up.
Animal Control is on duty:
Monday through Friday – 7 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 
Saturday – 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 
Phone: 636-278-2255

This is not considered an emergency call and Animal Control will not respond for a confined stray after hours. If the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center is open, you may also turn the animal in there, at 4850 Mid Rivers Mall Drive.
Phone: 636-949-7387
Click here to learn the Pet Adoption Center's hours of operation.

DID YOU KNOW?

Getting a stray animal to Animal Control, the Pet Adoption Center or even a local veterinarian can help the animal get home quickly. If the animal is microchipped, often we can contact the owner.

REMINDER — Make sure that your pet’s microchip information is current!

Information for Pet Owners:

All animal owners shall prevent their animals from being “at large.” No owner or person shall fail to exercise proper care and control of their animals, and shall prevent them from becoming a public nuisance by running at large. After the animal is captured and impounded, one of the following will occur:

1. Animal Control is able to identify the owner, by tags, microchip or otherwise, and the owner is contacted.
2. The owner cannot be contacted by phone, and a letter is sent to the last known address.
3. The owner is actively searching for their animal and locates it in the neighborhood or identifies it at the Pet Adoption Center.

If You Find an Animal At Large

If you see a dog running at large, please call Animal Control at 636-278-2255, as soon as you can. When Animal Control is not on duty, you may call police dispatch at 636-278-2222.

Owners can claim their animals at the Pet Adoption Center during normal business hours. Fees will be due at that time.

For up to date hours and Holiday observed at the Pet Adoption Center, call 636-949-7387.

A dog running at large is potentially dangerous, not only for the dog, but also for pedestrians and motorists. People wanting to help the dog can end up scaring it and being bitten. Use caution when approaching a scared animal or wait for a professional.

What Can You Do if an Animal Has Shown Aggression and Is Frequently “at large”?

The first thing you can do is report the incident to Animal Control. An Officer will begin an investigation and educate the pet owner. The officer may also suggest training, issue a warning or write a summons to appear in court. The action taken depends on the severity of the incident and whether this is the first record we have that a dog has displayed aggressive behavior.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Pet Owners are required to prevent their animals from being “at large.” Failing to exercise proper care and control of your animals may result in a summons. In addition, if an animal is picked up at large and held at the Pet Adoption Center, there are fines and fees due by the owner. This applies whether the animal is picked up by Animal Control or by a Good Samaritan.
• Leash laws apply to cats as well as dogs.

Information for Pet Owners:

It is an ordinance violation for an animal to bite a human being or any other animal.
All bites MUST be reported to Animal Control, even if it was your own pet.

General information or actions taken after a bite:

• We investigate all bite cases, whether the victim is a human or another animal.
• Any animal that breaks skin will be quarantined for a period of 10 days.
• Quarantines may occur at home or at the Pet Adoption Center, as determined by the Health Department.
• At the end of the 10 days, the animal must be released from quarantine by an Animal Control Officer.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Quarantine for rabies observation is required by the state. Animals that are quarantined at the shelter are held at the owner’s expense.
• Health professionals, including emergency rooms and urgent care, are required to report all bites to Animal Control.

Animal Control Officers often remove roadkill from the roadway. You can call 636-278-2255 to report an animal that needs to be removed.

If you have a dead animal on your property, it may be removed by Animal Control, however, there is a small fee associated with this service.

DID YOU KNOW?

Most dead wildlife may also be placed in your trash cart. Call Animal Control if you are unsure if the animal is a protected species.