Animal Services

When the skin of a human is penetrated or broken by the teeth or claws of a dog or cat, it is required by law to be reported due to the concern for possible exposure to the rabies virus.  Rabies is communicable to humans by the saliva from an infected animal.  Animals that have bitten or scratched, are required by law to be quarantined for ten days from the date of the bite.  

If the biting/scratching animal is currently vaccinated for rabies it may qualify for a home quarantine. 

Home quarantine is not authorized in the following instances:

• If a dog was roaming at large when the bite/scratch occurred
• Dogs or cats that are not current on their rabies vaccination at the time of the bite/scratch
• Safety reasons

Animals that do not qualify for home quarantine are required to be quarantined at WCRAS or at a veterinary hospital for public safety.

That’s why it’s important to keep your pet’s vaccinations up to date based on the requirements in the rabies compendium published by the NASPHV.

If the animal that bites is a wild animal, the report is handled by WCRAS in conjunction with Northern Nevada Public Health and the person or domestic animal exposed could be placed in quarantine for an extended time depending on if the wild animal is known and available to be tested for the rabies virus.  In some areas of the country the rabies virus is prevalent in raccoons, skunks and bats.  That’s not to say those species are all diseased but it is a very valid reason to always keep a safe distance from wildlife.  Even the cutest ones!

Quarantine means to be kept in a controlled environment, in isolation from other animals or people, to be observed for signs of illness or abnormal behavior. Dogs and cats who have been identified as causing a break in the skin of a human by its teeth or by scratch are required to be quarantined for a period not less than 10 days from the date of exposure. Many animals that have current vaccinations, and a secure area to be contained are allowed to be quarantined at home but some may be required to be held at a veterinary hospital or at WCRAS for the quarantine period.

Under state law (Nevada Administrative Code 441A.412) your veterinarian is required to send a copy of the vaccination certificate to the Washoe County Health District.

WCRAS and Nevada Humane Society are separate entities. As such we have no ability to transfer your call to them.

You can contact the Nevada Humane Society at 775-856-2000. They are located at 2825 Longley Lane, Suite B, in Reno, Nevada. 

 You can contact the SPCA of Northern Nevada at 775-324-7773. They are located at 4950 Spectrum Blvd in Reno, Nevada.

Animal Services' general information line can be called at 775-353-8900 and is answered Monday through Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm, and Saturdays 9am - 3pm except for holidays.

For field services please call our dispatch line at 775-322-3647 (DOGS). This line is answered 7 days a week from 8:00am to 10:00pm including holidays

You can also email us at pets@washoecounty.gov

WCRAS does not have jurisdiction over leash law on BLM or Forest Service land. However, BLM does have leash regulations which can vary by park and time of year. During certain times of the year some parks may have coyote traps out for wildlife regulation, which can be a danger to your dog if not on leash. According to the BLM Nevada State Office, it is best to contact the park about dog leashing before you go. To contact the office in your area click here. You can also visit these sites for more information:

Outdoor Ethics

Forest Service Website

Animal Services does not pickup cats. Nationally, Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) programs are considered best practice for feral cat management. Animal Services encourages our community to rigorously pursue the reduction of feral cats through TNR in accordance with applicable Washoe County Code 55.475. 

Visit our other pages for more information and resources about Community Cats and Trap, Neuter, Return programs:

• Community Cats 
• Trap, Neuter, Return

It is ILLEGAL for a person to leave an animal unattended in a parked or standing motor vehicle during extreme heat. (NRS 202.487 and WCC 55.190) 

When it is 70 degrees outside, the inside of a vehicle can reach temperatures over 110 degrees, even with the windows cracked. At these temperatures a pet can quickly suffer from brain damage or die from heatstroke or suffocation.  

Animal Control Officers can and will take the necessary action to retrieve an animal from a vehicle, including breaking a window, door lock or other measures to rescue the animal.

What to do when you come across an animal locked in a hot vehicle.

1. Call us immediately at 775-322-3647. Do not report this online!
2. Get the vehicle’s license plate number, pet description and vehicle description.
3. If there is a business nearby, request an emergency announcement be made with the descriptive information.
4. Go back to the vehicle and wait for WCRAS to arrive.  Do not enter the vehicle and do not confront the animal owner! 

Go to our pets in hot vehicles page for more information

Within the congested areas of Washoe County, your dog must be properly contained and/or restrained at all times for the exception of designated off-leash areas. Aren't sure if you live in congested or un-congested?

• Click here to determine if your residence is in congested or uncongested areas.
• Read more about Chapter 55 Code relative to animals here.

Animal Services does not regulate livestock zoning within the cities or county. To find zoning regulations in your jurisdiction please contact one of the following departments for guidance dependent on where you reside:

Washoe County Community Services Division (775) 328-6106                  
Washoe County Code Enforcement   Email: code-enforcement@washoecounty.gov

Reno Code Enforcement (775) 334-4636                
City of Reno Code Enforcement    Email: renodirect@reno.gov

Sparks Code Enforcement (775) 353-4063
City of Sparks Zoning    

Call WCRAS dispatch at 322-DOGS (3647) and they will give you the information that you need and may dispatch an officer to the location if the dog is currently at large. They will need your address and the address where the dog lives. You may also file a Online Request for Services.

All animals make some noise and that is to be expected. In accordance with Washoe County Code 55.125, "except as provided in NRS 40.140, it is unlawful for any person to keep, harbor or own any animal which by making loud and frequent noises causes annoyance to the neighborhood or to any persons in the vicinity."

For more information or to file a noise complaint with WCRAS click here.

Animal Services does not provide this service, our officers focus on lost, abandoned, and neglected/abused pets. If you need to surrender your pet, please contact Nevada Humane Society at 775-856-2000 or SPCA of Northern Nevada at 775-324-7773.

Washoe County Code 55.110 states a person must keep the area that the animal is kept or housed free from animal waste and offensive odors. Animal Services recommends a person to remove feces at least once a day to reduce offensive odors. Animal waste should be bagged and placed within a trash can for disposal. This procedure will assist with the decrease of odors and insect activity.

If you feel that the animal feces is not being properly removed from your neighbor’s yard you may contact Dispatch at 322-DOGS (3647) or file a complaint online and request an officer respond to speak to the animal owner. This ordinance is in effect 24 hours a day in Washoe County. 

A dog can be legally tethered if:

1. The tether is at least 12 feet long, and
2. The dog has access to water and shelter, and
3. The dog is not wearing a pinch, prong or choke collar, and
4. The dog is not tethered for more than 14 hours in a 24 hour period, and
5. The dog is tethered in such a way as to prevent it from becoming entangled and injured.

If you are concerned that a pet is being illegally tethered report it by calling Animal Services dispatch at 775-322-3647. 

Washoe County Code 55.340 requires that all dog 4 months and older have a license. Failure to have a current dog license with Washoe County Regional Animal Services may result in a civil fine from $100 - $400 and/or a criminal citation. Dog licensing allows Animal Services to track pet ownership, rabies vaccination status, and estimate the number of pets in the area. Licenses are required to be renewed every year. You can license your dog here.

A dog license is provided by your local animal control authority. In Washoe County, Washoe County Regional Animal Services supplies dog licenses as required for all dogs four months and older, living in the congested areas of Washoe County. The tags that come from your vet or adoption agencies are rabies or ID tags only and are not to be confused with a license. Click here to learn more.

You can license your dog online, by mail, or in-person by coming into the shelter during open hours. A current rabies certificate is required to license your dog. Please see our licensing page for more information.

Even if your dog never leaves the house, it must still have a dog license. In addition to helping reunite you with your pet if you ever become separated due to unforeseen circumstances (disaster, break-in, hospitalization etc.) licenses also confirm that your pet is current on their required rabies vaccination. The rabies virus, which can be carried by wild animals such as bats, raccoons, skunks etc., can be transmitted to your dog if they are not properly vaccinated. 

A microchip is a small device implanted just under the skin between the shoulder blades of an animal that is used for permanent identification.  The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice, can be quickly inserted with a needle, and can be read by a microchip scanner. Each microchip contains a series of unique numbers similar to a vehicle VIN number. Most veterinarians and animal shelters have microchip scanners that can be used to read the chip number. You can also find public use microchip scanners in many convenient locations across Washoe County. To find the nearest public microchip scanning station go to HelpingPetsHome.com 

The microchip is not a GPS locating device for your animal.  The microchip cannot tell us where your animal is located

We can determine ownership and address of each animal by entering the microchip number into our system. The number should correspond to the pet owners contact information in our database. Using the information on a microchip to immediately contact the owner helps our officers return many animals directly home, without coming to the shelter. Collars and tags are great forms of pet identification but they can be taken off or fall off, significantly reducing the chances that we will be able to reunite a pet with their family.

Microchips are a form of permanent identification. The procedure is quick and safe, similar to a routine vaccine. If you are a Washoe County resident you can bring your pet to our facility anytime during business hours for a free microchip! Learn more about microchips and how they work.

Watch this short video to see the process for implanting a microchip  

Animal Services maintains a database with local microchip numbers and corresponding owner information. To change the owner information in the local database, the previous owner of the pet needs to complete a transfer of ownership form. The completed form will need to be submitted to Animal Services either by the former owner or the new owner. The new owner will then need to contact WCRAS to update the local registry. If the new pet is a dog and the new owner lives in a congested area, a dog license will need to be purchased. Licenses do not transfer from one owner to another.

In order to update the national registry for a microchip, contact the microchip company for instructions on updating the transfer of ownership.  If you do not know what microchip company, click here and enter the microchip number to discover the microchip company.

If you are unsure if your animal is microchipped or what the microchip number is you can come to Animal Services Monday-Friday between 8-5, or Saturdays from 9am-3pm and we can scan the pet to get the number. Alternatively you can visit any of the public microchip scanning stations setup across Washoe County. Find the nearest public scanning station at https://www.helpingpetshome.com/

To add a picture of your pet to their licensing profile, login to your pet license account at Washoe.Docupet.com click on the name of the pet, then click the button with a picture of a camera with a plus sign to select the photo you would like to upload. Should your pet become lost, you can quickly report the pet missing with DocuPet which will alert pet owners in the area to keep an eye out for your pet.

Animal Services keeps a local database of microchipped pets in order to allow our staff to contact the owner and quickly get pets home. This service is free and only takes a minute to setup. Simply complete this online form or send an email to pets@washoecounty.gov with your name and contact information and complete pet description (breed, color, sex, age, and (optional) photo) and we will add the microchip to our local database.

You can quickly and easily update your contact, owner, or pet information through our online licensing DocuPet at Washoe.docupet.com!

Alternatively, you can email pets@washoecounty.gov with the new information or you can call or come into the shelter during open hours to update the information.

Yes, you are allowed to bury your pet on your property provided you follow the guidelines set by the Washoe County Environmental Health Department. Click here for the Health Departments guidelines and contact information.

WCRAS is unable to assist with public veterinary care. You will need to contact the local veterinary hospitals in the area for assistance. Most vets do offer Care Credit (a credit card for veterinary care) when money is an issue. For more information, contact your veterinarian or visit carecredit.com.

You can also try contacting Options Veterinary care, a non-profit, affordable veterinary clinic. https://www.optionsveterinarycare.org/

WCRAS maintains a list of dog parks and or multi-use off-leash areas on our website: Off-Leash Dog parks

Canine parvovirus (Parvo) is one of the most contagious and serious diseases that dogs are at risk of contracting.  Parvovirus is spread through feces of an infected dog and can remain infectious in contaminated areas for 5 months or longer.  The virus attacks the dog’s stomach, small intestines and large intestines causing severe vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration.  The disease is often fatal if not treated.  Parvovirus is preventable through vaccination.  Puppies should begin receiving vaccines at 6 weeks of age and then every 3-4 weeks after until the puppy is 20 weeks old. Annual boosters are recommended for the remainder of the pet’s life.

We have compiled a list of low cost vaccination clinics to help you keep your pet current on their vaccinations.

Animal Services is currently unable to offer spay/neuter services to the public. We are working on options for continuing to support our community's spay/neuter needs. 

In the meantime consider these other spay/neuter resources:

Animal Services does not provide pet adoption services. WCRAS and Nevada Humane Society (NHS) are partnering agencies that provide separate services to the community.  Through the partnership, NHS facilitates the adoption process for the majority of the unclaimed animals that come into our facility.  In addition, WCRAS works with SPCA of Northern Nevada as well as a multitude of rescue groups to place the remaining adoptable animals.

For more information on adopting a pet through the Nevada Humane Society, please visit the Nevada Humane Society website.

Additional animal adoptions websites: SPCA of Northern Nevada,  Pet Network, Res-Que, Boxers and Buddies

Washoe County Regional Animal Services recommends pets be taken to their veterinarian for these services, however, we recognize that in times of hardship this may not be possible.

Therefore, WCRAS will accept euthanasia requests in hardship situations with the understanding that our rescue partners, including veterinary staff, will be consulted in order to determine the best outcome for the animal.

If our rescue partners, such as Nevada Humane Society, determine the animal can be treated and adopted out to a new home WCRAS will release the animal to the rescue group for continued care and adoption.

If it is your determination that the only outcome for your pet is euthanasia, then you must take your pet to your veterinarian.

We have complied a list of helpful steps to take if you have lost your pet. You can view the full list here: Lost a pet

In addition to filing a lost report with Animal Services and with your microchip company, you can view every stray pet that is brought to the shelter or reported as found by the public online on our found animals page. This page is updated every 30 minutes and includes pets that are on our officer's trucks.  

Sometimes it can be hard to identify your pet from just a picture online, in this case you may also want to visit the shelter to view the stray pets in person. The shelter is located at 2825 Longley Lane Suite A and is open from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. It is also open on Saturdays from 9am to 3pm. The shelter is closed on holidays.

When an animal enters our shelter, our staff immediately begin providing care and treatment if necessary. The fees associated with redeeming your animal vary depending factors such as the license status and length of time the animal was in our care.

Click here to review our fee schedule. 

WCRAS holds each stray animal for five days before the pet becomes available for transfer to an approved rescue partner. WCRAS partners with Nevada Humane Society, SPCA of Northern Nevada, as well as a variety of other approved rescue groups who can transfer unclaimed animals into their programs for continued care and help finding a happy home. 

Regional Animal Services receives many calls each year regarding pigeons roosting or nesting in homes or defecating on property. A pigeon is an unregulated wild animal and therefore is outside the scope of authority of Animal Services.

There are several commercial deterrents that can be utilized to discourage pigeons from calling your property their home. You can contact a local pest control company or a home improvement store for assistance with these deterrents.

However, a simple way to keep pigeons from roosting or nesting on your property is to hang a reflective object (like a CD) in the area you are having problems.  This inexpensive item could save you a lot of heartache.

The Virginia Range Horses are horses that have been turned loose by their owner or horses that have migrated from other areas.

These horses are under the jurisdiction of the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA).  WCRAS may assist NDA with an injured horse on a roadway, however all other welfare concerns for these horses fall under NDA's purview and additional information can be found on their website here: https://agri.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/agrinvgov/Content/Media/vre_faq_final_ada.pdf

Wild horse and burro programs are organized and managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and there are several herd management areas in Nevada.  More information can be found here: https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/herd-management

Persons with wild horse questions can get more information here or call the horse hotline at (775) 353-3608 or email horse@agri.nv.gov

Wildlife exist in our area and, generally, we can coexist peacefully with the proper preparation and knowledge. Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) has jurisdiction over wildlife in our area. NDOW has safety and prevention tips as well as well as species of wildlife indigenous to our area and informative tips on their website.

For additional questions on wildlife please contact the Nevada Department of Wildlife.