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MISSION
STATEMENT
Animal
Control provides highly professional, humane services that ensure a safe and
healthy environment for citizens and their animals.
Click
here to reach the Sachse Animal Control officers via email.
Protect Your Pets in the Bitter Cold
Temperatures
Sachse Animal Control officers advise all pet owners to
bring animals indoors in sub-freezing temperatures. If an animal
must stay outdoors, extra bedding in a provided shelter will help, and
owners must be aware that the pet's water will freeze, leaving it unable
to drink. Dehydration will compound hypothermia and make it harder
for a pet to regulate it's body temperature. In our part of the
country, pets do not grow the type of winter coats seen in the northern
parts. Pets are relying on their owners to provide for their
safety, care and comfort. Please do your part as a responsible pet
owner.
Sachse Animal Control
The
Sachse Animal Shelter is located at 6436 Sachse Road, next door to the
Public Works office. Animal Control Officers are available Monday
thru Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Although Animal Control Officers are frequently at the
shelter, they also must answer
calls throughout the City and are not always on-site. However, if
you call the police non-emergency number 972.495.2271, press #2, they will arrange to meet
you as soon as possible.
Click
here to see animals who are lost or available for adoption.
Click
here for information on City registrations for your pet.
Click here to
join the Sachse Animal Shelter Yahoo! Group
Animal Control
Activity - DECEMBER 2009
| Animal Complaints |
167
|
| Animals Impounded |
49 |
|
Animals Claimed by Owner |
15 |
| Adoptions |
26 |
| Dogs Euthanized |
3 |
| Cats Euthanized |
1 |
| Animal Bites Reported |
0 |
| Pet Licenses Issues |
13 |
| Citations Issued |
1 |
| Warnings Issued |
0 |
City Manager Allen Barnes
presents Employee of the Month award to Animal Control Supervisor Teri
O'Neal

Animal
Control Supervisor Terry O'Neal was nominated and chosen by the
Management Team as Employee of the Month for July 2008. City
Manager Allen Barnes presented her with a Certificate of Appreciation.
Sachse Animal Shelter in Good 'Paws'

Along with Supervisor Terry O'Neal, Animal Control Officer Katie
Munson (pictured at left) and Shelter Attendant Mary Bodine keep the
Sachse Animal Shelter running smoothly. Their office assistants
have the 'run of the office and offer lots of paws-on experience'.
SACHSE ANIMAL
SHELTER CAN USE DONATIONS
The Sachse Animal Shelter uses
several items in the daily operation of the shelter that may be donated
by the public. Our wish list includes:
Bleach
Cat Litter
Canned Cat Food
Laundry Detergent
Dishwashing Liquid
Mops and Brooms
Dryer Sheets
Cat/Dog Treats
Wet Food for Cats/Dogs
New/Used Collars and Leashes (all sizes and colors)
New/Used Crates, Carriers, Dog Houses
Also needed:
Trash Bags
(kitchen size and large black size)
The Animal
Shelter also needs volunteers to:
Clean and
Sanitize Cages
Walk and Exercise the Animals
Assist with Laundry
Participate in Off-Site Adoptions
Transports
Sponsors for Animals with Needs
Possible Office Work
Taking Pictures
Feeding
Love
Grooming
STEEL TRAPS ARE ILLEGAL AS WELL AS
INHUMANE

Steel leg traps are inhumane for animals as well as dangerous to
humans. Can you imagine a child getting their leg caught in these?
In recent weeks, Sachse Animal Control Officers have
picked up two steel leg traps (pictured above) at two separate locations
in the City, both with live animals trapped in them. One of the
traps had a Great Horned Owl in it, which is a protected wildlife.
The other trap had a squirrel in it.
Animal Control would like to remind Sachse citizens that
not only is the use of these traps ILLEGAL in the City, but also
considered inhumane to animals and very dangerous to pets and to people,
especially children. If you find one of these traps anywhere on
your property or in the City limits, please contact Animal Control
IMMEDIATELY for safe removal. You may call the Sachse Police at
972.495.2271 and press 2 or ext. 157 to report any findings or for more
information.
RABID SKUNKS CAUSE FOR CONCERN
The Animal Control Department would like to
remind Sachse citizens that it is most important to vaccinate all of your cats and dogs for rabies. It is also
required by City ordinance that these animals be current on their
vaccinations at all times and be registered with the city.
Anyone
who believes that their pet has recently come into contact with a skunk
or any other wildlife should contact Animal Control immediately at
972.495.2271, press 2 or dial extension 157. Any questions
regarding the rabies virus or vaccinations should also be directed to
Animal Control or any veterinarian.

The
City of Sachse's Animal Services and Shelter operates as a division of the
Sachse Police Department. The Animal Shelter is staffed by an Animal
Control Supervisor, Animal Control Officer and a Shelter Attendant. An Animal Control Officer responds to
all animal calls. You may reach
an Animal Control Officer by calling the Police Department's non-emergency
number, 972.495.2271, ext. 157. The fax number at the Animal Shelter
facility is 972.475.3330.

Upon arrival at the Shelter, animals are
brought in to the wash room through the arrival bay.
Responding
to approximately 1,500 calls for assistance in 2007, the animal shelter
staff answers calls resulting in the capture, impoundment and happy return
to owners or successful adoption of dogs and cats. Other animal
calls involve possums, snakes, raccoons, armadillos, birds, skunks,
bobcats, etc.
The
shelter staff is responsible for all animal-related activities in the City
of Sachse including ordinance enforcement of registration, vaccinations,
leash law, quarantine, etc. The staff also is responsible for
investigation and mediation of all animal complaints. These
complaints range from excessive barking to potential cruelty.
Shelter
staff is available to distribute educational animal-related pet
materials. Tours of the shelter and presentations are available to
individuals or groups wanting to learn more about animals or the operation
of the shelter.
In
the City of Sachse, stray animals with NO tags are held a minimum of three
days and animals WITH tags are held a minimum of five days.
During this period, Animal Control Officers research lost and found
reports and the pet license database for owner information, including any
previous activity. During this same period staff also has the
opportunity to observe the animals for behavioral traits and health
conditions which could adversely affect adoptability. Currently over
70% of incoming dogs are
reunited with the owners or adopted to new families.
All dogs and cats in Sachse are required to be registered
with Animal Services. Registrations can be obtained at the shelter
during business hours (Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday
and Sunday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm).

One of the cat rooms at the animal shelter. The dog room offers
indoor holding cages with access to
outside dog runs.
Although Animal Control personnel
are stationed at this facility, they are usually out in the community
performing various functions of their job. If you have lost your pet or would
like to adopt a pet, please contact Animal Control at 972.495.2271, ext. 157 and someone
will be happy to meet with you at the shelter.
PET REGISTRATION FEES:
All
dogs and cats are required to be registered with the city. The cost is
$7 if they are NOT spayed or neutered; $2 if they are spayed or neutered. Replacement tags are $1.
Proof of rabies vaccination is required and the animal must wear both tags
(the rabies vaccination tag and city registration tag) at
all times. Sachse is one of the first cities in the area to change to
the new state law that allows pet owners to vaccinate their animals for
rabies once every three years instead of annually. Dogs
and cats must be vaccinated against rabies by four months of age and get a
booster one year later. After that, the three-year cycle can begin.
However, registration with the city must still be renewed annually.
LOST PET INFORMATION: It
happens every day. Pets escape from backyards, a house or
vehicle. Few are wearing tags when it happens and still fewer ever
find their way back home. A few tips for pet owners: Check
your fence regularly. Keep it in good repair. A padlock on the
back yard gate can prevent inadvertent opening of the gate by children or
passersby. Place identification tags on your pets (dogs and
cats). You don't leave home without identification, why should your
pet?
City
registration tags are required by City Ordinance on all dogs and cats ages
four months and older. Like most other municipal animal shelters,
Sachse Animal Shelter has a longer holding period for tagged animals than
non-tagged animals (5 day minimum for tagged animals versus 3 day minimum
for non-tagged animals). The longer holding period applies to an
animal with ANY type of tag, including rabies tags from veterinary clinics
and city tags from other municipalities. Be sure that the tags on
your animals can be traced. If your address or phone number has
changed, make sure it is current on the tags. The advantage of a
city registration tag is access to information that will allow animal
shelter personnel to contact an owner any time of the day or night.
This is especially important in case of injury.
After
learning that a pet is missing, owners should check with the local animal
shelters as soon as possible. Personal visits to the shelters are
important. Descriptions may vary greatly and a lost pet report with
a photo is helpful. Animal shelter personnel encourage owners to
keep looking for lost pets for several weeks. Also, check shelters
in surrounding cities, especially if you live near city
boundaries.
If
your animal has been taken to the Sachse Animal Shelter, the following
fees will apply:
| Fee |
1st offense |
2nd offense |
3rd offense |
4th offense |
| Impoundment |
$25 |
$50 |
$75 |
$100 |
| Boarding Per Day |
$5 |
$5 |
$5 |
$5 |
| City Registration |
$2 spayed
$7 not spayed |
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Impoundment
fees increase by $25.00 each offense. Boarding fees are $5.00 per
day for each day the animal is impounded. If the animal is not
registered with the City at the time of impoundment, registration will be
issued and the charge applied ($2.00 if the animal is spayed/neutered;
$7.00 if the animal is not spayed/neutered). If the animal does not
have proof of rabies vaccination, vaccination must be purchased from an
area veterinarian before the animal's release. This will be
explained by the animal control officer.
ADOPTING PETS FROM THE SACHSE ANIMAL SHELTER: There is no
adoption fee, but the prospective adopter must obtain all necessary
vaccinations for the animal within 10 days of adoption and must also have
the animal spayed or neutered within 30 days of the adoption. The
prospective adopter must have proper facilities to care for the animal and
must sign an affidavit
stating the animal will be cared for in a lawful and humane way, and that
the animal is being adopted for ownership and not for resale.
Click
here to see animals available for adoption.
LEASH LAW IN EFFECT:
Sachse does have a LEASH LAW. For dogs, if they are
"not confined to the premises of the owner, the dog must be under the
control of the owner by means of a leash or metal chain of sufficient
strength and length to control the actions of the dog." Dogs must
be kept confined to the owner's property in such a manner that it cannot
escape. If cats are "permitted to run at large, they must have a
valid rabies and license tag attached to their collar or harness."
HUMANE ANIMAL TRAPS AVAILABLE:
Humane animal
traps are wire cages that are baited with food to assist in the
confinement of nuisance and nocturnal (night time) critters. These
include feral cats, raccoons, possums, armadillos, etc. The animal shelter maintains an
inventory of live capture, humane animal traps. These box traps are
completely safe and are intended to confine and not injure the
animal. Residents may reserve one of these box traps by contacting
the Animal Control Officer at 972.495.2271, ext. 157. A $50 deposit is
required when the trap is picked up. The deposit will be refunded
once the trap is returned to the shelter.
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