Emergency after hours/ Essential Service Animal Control Intervention and Intake Parameters:

1. Is the animal sick or injured?
2. Did the animal bite or attack anyone breaking the skin?
3. Is the animal heavily pregnant, have babies, or nursing?
4. Is the animal in danger, suspect cruelty or neglect, or abandoned?
5. Is the animal acting aggressively to people or pets?

INTAKE:

1. ALL intake must go through animal control or get an intake appointment NO EXCEPTIONS!
2. Intake will be triaged focusing on emergency (Sick/ Injured), cruelty/ neglect, and officer assistance or bite calls. Please note all bite cases MUST be reported to law enforcement or to medical personnel and they must initiate a bite report thus dispatching animal control.
3. Please note that a simple running at large or stray is NOT an emergency. Please do not tie up dispatch for emergency services or at the shelter for these cases. Please utilize social media to locate the animals family or contact a local veterinarian to scan for a microchip.
4. All owner surrenders must make an appointment. Please note failure to keep your appointment will result in you being placed at the bottom of the list. For those needing assistance to keep their animals, please look for our upcoming PASS (Positive Alternative to Shelter Surrender) program for assistance.  Please note that every single intake case will be thoroughly reviewed so please bring all supportive information with you to your appointment.
5. Hospitalization/ Medically documented: Please note we will make every effort to locate a family member to take care of animals in the event someone is hospitalized. If animals need to be removed due to caregiver being hospitalized please notify law enforcement to initiate an animal control dispatch.

6. Please note that civil matters with owned animals do not automatically constitute animal abuse or neglect. We urge the public to speak to neighbors and try to resolve issues rather than dispatching animal control or law enforcement in non-emergent issues. While we can do welfare checks and converse with individuals, please note animals will only be removed if cruelty, neglect, abuse, endangerment or witnessed running at large are confirmed. Cases are then turned over to Sullivan County Sheriffs office to determine if charges will be pressed. Our job at the Animal Shelter of Sullivan County is to ensure the safety of the animal within current laws and Sullivan County ordinances.