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Every year, hundreds of people in our city are bitten or chased by dogs. Most of the victims are children. Others included joggers, people who ride bicycles or enjoy walking, postal and delivery workers. In all cases, the possibility of injury from a dog bite and transmission of the deadly rabies virus is a serious public health concern.
Stray dogs can also be a nuisance by destroying property, strewing trash, or creating traffic hazards. Loose dogs and cats spread contagious diseases and are a primary source of uncontrolled breeding. The responsibility for vaccination, licensing and the proper restraint of these animals rests with the individual pet owner. Call San Bernardino Animal Control at (909) 384-1304 or email us at animalcomplaints@ci.san-bernardino.ca.us When you have a problem with a neighborhood pet, call and make a report. It is important to provide as much information as you can about the animal and its possible owner. An animal control officer will investigate your complaint and attempt to catch any loose animals and/or talk to the pet owner about keeping the animal confined. Unfortunately, many pet owners are irresponsible and don't care that they violate the law by letting their dogs run loose and create nuisances. It often takes several complaints and a number of visits by our officers to gain compliance. Occasionally we must resort to using chemical capture darts or setting a trap. Reports of loose dogs (with no information as to where they live) are difficult problems to solve, especially if the dogs are not present when the officer arrives in the area. There is little the officer can do but assume the dogs have been put up by the owner or that they have moved on to locations unknown. Since an owner is not known, the officer cannot warn them about the problem. Again, it is extremely important to provide as much information as possible. | |
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