FAQ's
- Animals
- Where is the City of Visalia Animal Shelter?
How To Get to Animal Care Center
29016 Highway 99, Visalia
1.5 miles north of Caldwell Ave. (280) on frontage road (Dia. 85)
click on blue pin for directions - Where are the dog parks?Seven Oaks Park
900 Edison Plaza Park
Plaza & Airport Drive
Visalia, CA - I want to volunteer to work with animals, who do I contact?Contact Visalia Animal Services at (559) 713-4700.
- I have a problem with bees.If you are experiencing issues with bees on private property, contact a local Beekeeper. If the bees are on City property, public right-of-way, or an area maintained by the City, please call the Community Services line at (559) 713-4020. This line is monitored by staff Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- How long does it take to receive a license once it's been paid for?
It can take up to two (2) weeks before you receive a license in the mail. If information is missing or incomplete, that may lead to a delay in processing the license application.
- What happens if I don't get a license for my pet?
City Ordinances require all dogs and cats, over the age of four (4) months, to be licensed. Additionally, there is an ordinance that requires your pet to wear their license. Enforcement will vary depending on the situation. In most cases, if an animal control officer contacts you and your pet (for any number of reasons) and finds that the animal is not licensed, you will be issued an administrative citation. The administrative citation can be issued as a warning only or may include a $100 fine if it is determined that the owner has previously been issued a warning.
- How long is the license good for and when does it expire?
Since City of Visalia by law cannot issue a license for a period that exceeds the period in which the rabies vaccination will expire, the term of the license will coincide with the dates for which the rabies vaccination is valid. This insures that the vaccination will expire at the same time as the license. For example if your dog was vaccinated in June, but you did not purchase the license until many months following June, your license will expire in June of the following year, when your next vaccination is due.
- What types of fees and process can I expect to encounter when I attempt to redeem my pet from the City Animal Shelter?
If your animal has been impounded or mistakenly taken to the shelter as a stray, there is a process for redeeming that animal.
Shelter staff will require you to fill out the proper forms, which will include enough information to verify that you are the legal owner of the animal. In addition to the paperwork, you will be responsible to pay all related fees before the animal will be returned to your care. Those fees shall include, but are not limited to, licensing fees, boarding fees, vaccinations, impound fees, failure to restrain penalties and any other fees required by the City Ordinances.
- Is my personal information made public after I submit my license application?We do not distribute or sell any pet owner contact information. The contact information you provide is used to reunite you with your pet, should your pet become lost or found.
- I've lost my pet, what do I do?
Please visit our Visalia Animal Services Facebook page and contact our office with the animal ID number on the image of the pet you have recognized.
https://www.facebook.com/Visalia-Animal-Services-215986005435436
559-713-4700 - Where do I get a license for my dog / cat?Dog and cat licenses can be purchased remotely. A current rabies vaccine certificate and a spay/neuter certificate (if it applies) from your veterinarian must be provided prior to purchasing a license.
These documents can be faxed 559-713-4679, emailed [email protected], mailed 29016 Hwy 99, Visalia CA 93277, or dropped off at our drop box located right in front of our facility doors. Payments (visa/mastercard only) can be made over the phone during our normal business hours.
For questions, please call our office at 559-713-4700. - I have a dangerous animal, snake on my property.Contact Animal Control Dispatch at 559-713-4957.
- I want to report a stray dog / cat.
Cats are considered free roaming by State statute and therefore, Animal Services will not pick up stray cats. If you wish to report a stray dog, Contact Animal Services Dispatch at (559) 713-4957.
- I want to report an abused pet.Contact Animal Control Dispatch at (559) 713-4957.
- What should I do with a stray cat that I've found.
Unfortunately, Animal Services does not pick up stray cats. We do offer a trap neuter release program for feral/community cats. For more information, please call 559-713-4700.
- When my dog gets a rabies vaccine, does my veterinarian notify Animal Services? If so, why do I have to mail in a copy of the certificate?Yes, local veterinarians notify the licensing department of all dogs and cats who receive a rabies vaccine. It is the owner's responsibility to mail the rabies certificate within 30 days of the vaccine before a penalty will be applied. When documents are received from a veterinary office, it can take up to 3 months before any rabies information is updated or entered in our computer software program.
- Why does my pet have to be licensed?
City ordinances require all pets, over the age of four (4) months, to be licensed. Pets are required to be licensed in order to verify that the animal has been vaccinated against rabies. Additionally, pets that are licensed are returned to their owners at a much higher rate than unlicensed animals and even those that are just microchipped.
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system. The virus is usually passed to humans via the bite of a rabid animal. Occasionally rabies can be transmitted if the saliva of an infected animal gets into a fresh scratch, break in the skin, or contact with mucous membranes (eyes, mouth, nose). In California, most cases of rabies occur in skunks and bats. Domestic animals account for three percent of animal rabies, and the rest occurs in a variety of wild animals, including foxes. Rabies can be prevented by being a responsible pet owner. Keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for all cats and dogs. Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets, that may not be properly cared for or vaccinated regularly. Lastly, call animal control to remove all stray animals from your neighborhood since these animals may be unvaccinated or ill. To find out more information about rabies you can visit www.cdc.gov
- I paid for a tag at my vets office and received the tag to put on his collar. Isn't that a license tag?
The tag you receive from the veterinarian is either a rabies tag or, more commonly, a Pet Identification tab. Local veterirnarians are not currently authorized agents for Animal Licensing in the City of Visalia.
Please contact Animal Services at (559) 713-4700 or visit the City's website to get your pet licensed.
- Do I still have to license my dog or cat even if they have a microchip?Yes, you still have to license your animal even if they are microchipped and they must wear that license when out in public. One of the benefits of licensing is that a neighbor or motorist who finds a lost animal can call the shelter to identify that animal's owner using the tag. A microchip can only be traced by a shelter, vet or animal control officer. Licensing reunites the animals with their owner, as well as saving the animal a trip to the shelter, where the owner would have to pay impound fees and a fine to redeem their pet.
- How do I replace my dog or cats license tag(s)?
Replacement tags are available at a cost of $5.00 for both dog and cats. The tag must be current; if it is not current then you must pay the regular license fee and maybe a penalty fee. Please contact Animal Services at (559) 713-4700 for more information.
- I paid for a tag but I haven’t received it?
Several years ago, the City transitioned to "Forever" tags for animal licensing. If you are renewing your pet's license, you will only receive a new tag if your previous tag needs to be replaced. If you applied for a new pet license and submitted the application by mail, it could take as long as two (2) weeks to receive your pet's license. If it has been longer than that, please contact our office at (559) 713-4700 for more information.
- I want to adopt a pet (dogs, cats & rabbits).
Contact Valley Oak SPCA at (559) 651-1111.
- Who do I call for a problem with barking dogs?
Contact Visalia Animal Services at (559) 713-4700.
- I have a problem with rats & other pests.Contact Tulare County Environmental Health at (559) 733-6441.
- Where is the City of Visalia Animal Shelter?