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Humane Society is a non profit organization that is funded by donations and grants. They have a limited entry shelter that accepts surrendered animals from the public. They also transfer some animals from the Animal Control shelter to their facility. The Humane Society provides spay/neuter assistance and humane education. Their phone number is 984-5489.
Both Animal Control and the Humane Society have animals available for adoption.
We are currently CLOSED to the public due to COVID-19 restrictions. Tuolumne County Animal Control is accepting licensing by mail only until COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. We are not charging any penalties for late pet licensing due to the inconvenience.
All dogs in the State of California are required to obtain a rabies vaccination by the age of 4 months. They are also required to be licensed in the jurisdiction in which they live. In Tuolumne County all dogs must be licensed within 30 days of the following: turning 4 months; moving to the county; or ownership. A late penalty will apply if not done within this time frame. The only exception is that there will be no penalty for young dogs up to 6 months old if they have been spayed or neutered. Licensing can be done in person at the shelter office (10040 Victoria Way, Jamestown) Monday – Friday 9:00-1:00.
There is no licensing during shelter hours on Saturday.
Licensing can also be done via mail to 2 South Green Street, Sonora, CA 95370. Be sure to include a legal size Stamped Self Addressed Envelope with $0.70 postage. To obtain a license provide a rabies vaccination certificate from a veterinarian. To obtain the discount price for altered dogs, include a spay/neuter certificate first time licensing or if the status of the dog has changed. One or three year licensing is available. The rabies vaccination must be valid for the duration to qualify for three year licensing.
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Be sure to seek medical aid if bitten by an animal. Rinse wounds as quickly as possible even if you only have access to water. If there is no animal to quarantine then rabies post exposure treatment will be recommended. Rabies is a fatal disease.
Animal Control handles all legitimate complaints but priority is given to threats to public safety and animal welfare. In cases where a violation has occurred but it was not witnessed by the Animal Control Officer we cannot write a citation or submit a case to the District Attorney. It is up to the citizen witness to be willing to testify in these cases. It is also important to report problems when they first start to occur so that the history is documented.
Everyone has personal opinions about the right way to treat and maintain animals but keep in mind that Animal Control can only intervene if the law is being broken.
When reporting a barking dog to Animal Control it is important to have the correct physical address and be as detailed as possible as to when precisely the barking is occurring. A history check will be done and if this is the first complaint or there has not been one in 6 months, a letter will be sent to the dog owner. It will not include the name of the complaining party but will give specifics about the complaint and ideas for addressing the problem.
If the problem continues then we will need at least two different households willing to document dates and times of barking. A complaint will be submitted to the District Attorney office and they will determine if charges are to be filed based on the witness testimony.
Due to staffing cut backs Animal Control does not routinely go out on barking dog complaints. The exception is that if there are at least three reporting parties being disturbed. When time permits Animal Control will send an Officer to the neighborhood to park a discreet distance from the residence and listen for barking. If the ACO witnesses the dog barking for 30 minutes then a citation can be issued and/or the dog impounded.
Please note- if you have your own trap call first before trapping so that we can reserve a space for you. If you are planning on trapping, neutering and releasing please make sure that all residences and businesses that will be affected are in agreement that they want a feral cat colony in the area. You must also make a commitment to care for these animals by providing resources and retrapping should a cat become injured or ill.
For sick or injured wildlife call Animal Control at 694-2730.
For orphaned or injured juvenile or small animals call Rose Wolf Wildlife Rescue at 588-1335 or 484-1928. For birds and squirrels call Mother Lode Wildlife Care at 677-7249.
Make sure your pets are wearing identification (license tag, personal ID tag, microchip tag) and consider having a microchip implanted. All shelters in California scan for microchips.
Prior to adoption we do conduct a background check to verify good pet ownership. We talk with your veterinarian, check our records, and make sure the landlord is on board if you rent.
If the animal you are adopting is not neutered there is a $40.00 spay/neuter deposit redeemable at the veterinarian’s office. If it is a dog greater than 4 months and it does not have a rabies vaccination there is a $10.00 rabies deposit. There are also applicable license fees and an adoption fee of $23.00.
If you know you must give up a pet do not wait until the last minute. Contact the Humane Society of Tuolumne County (984-5489), Friends of the Animal Community (768-3630), or search for one of the many breed rescues available on line.
Make sure your pet is spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccinations and heartworm preventive. This will make them much more adoptable. Also be honest about any problems that the pet may have.
If the dead animal is on the highway call Cal Trans (984-4438 or 586-3851). If the dead animal is located on a County maintained road, call Animal Control to remove the carcass. Deceased animals are usually picked up on Wednesday afternoon. You can request your deceased domestic animal (dogs and cats) be picked up for a fee of $98.75, depending on staffing availability.