Animal Control
The Animal Control Section provides quality enforcement pertaining to public safety, animal control and animal welfare. Our animal control officers are highly trained, experienced, certified professionals, who are also commissioned as agents for the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Protection.
Officers investigate animal abuse and respond to a variety of citizen requests for service. Services include: leash law enforcement, regulating barking dogs, regulating vicious/dangerous dogs, dog licensing, rabies control, bite quarantines and courtesy dead animal removal. Animal control officers cover 524 square miles of unincorporated Jefferson County.
The Animal Control Section falls within the Patrol Division of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. This partnership began in January 1998 as a result of a county reorganization. Staff is comprised of a department manager, officers, dispatchers and administrative personnel.
Contact Us
Office Administration:
303-271-5070
(M - F, 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
Field Services:
303-271-5070
(M - F, 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
or 303-277-0211
(7 days a week, 7 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
Animal Emergencies:
303-277-0211
24 hours a day/7 days a week
Address:
Animal Control Section / Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
700 Jefferson County Pkwy. #160
Golden, CO 80401
E-mail: Animal-Control@jeffco.us
Whom We Serve
Jefferson County Animal Control has jurisdiction on animal control issues in unincorporated Jefferson County.
If you live in a surrounding area, you may contact your local animal control agency:
Arvada: 720-898-6850
Golden: 303-384-8045
Denver: 303-698-0076
Lakewood: 303-987-7173
Edgewater: 303-235-0500
Park County: 303-838-7509
Westminster: 303-430-2400 x.4327
Wheat Ridge: 303-235-2926
County Ordinances
Click here to view Jefferson County's Animal Control Regulations (scroll to Part 3, Chapter 5, Section 1).
Reports
Copies of reports are available. The fee is $5 for up to five pages. Additional pages are 50 cents each.
Dog Licensing
The Jefferson County Animal Control and licensing regulation requires annual licensing of all dogs 4 months of age and older. Visit our Dog Licensing page >>
Problem Barking
Bothersome barking is a common problem in Jefferson County. There are solutions and recommendations both for dog owners and for neighbors at their wits' end. Learn more about problem barking.
Leash Law/Off-Leash Areas
Dogs allowed to roam the streets are not only a nuisance and dangerous to the public, but are in constant danger from cars, irate people, and even other dogs. For these reasons, all dogs must be on a leash or confined on the owner's premises at all times. Dogs in violation of the leash law may be detained by a citizen, turned over to Animal Control and impounded at the Table Mountain Animal Center. In addition to impoundment fees, owners can be issued a summons for a violation of county regulations.
View information on off-leash areas from Jefferson County Open Space.
View off-leash info.
For the most accurate information on off-leash areas, please check signage posted at any park before allowing your dog off leash.
Rabies
Jefferson County is the home of many species of wildlife (bats, skunks, raccoons, etc.) known to transmit this incurable disease to pets and people. It is required that all dogs be vaccinated after reaching 6 months of age. Keep the rabies certificate as proof of current vaccination for licensing and proof of ownership.
Animal Bites
The law requires all animal bites that break the skin (with the exception of rodents) be reported to the animal control office in the jurisdiction where the bite occurred. If there is any question, please contact Animal Control at 303-271-5070.
Cruelty/Neglect
Failure of the owner of any animal to provide adequate food, water, shelter, opportunity for exercise, or veterinary care constitutes a violation of state statute. In addition, intentional acts of cruelty, such as abandonment, harassment or torture will be vigorously prosecuted.
Animal Collectors
A "collector" is a person who (with willful intent) believes he or she is "saving" animals from the streets and starvation by bringing them into his or her home. The problem begins when a collector can't seem to say no to an animal, and ends up with 10 to 100 animals in a residential home. Collectors soon find that they cannot afford to feed and adequately care for the animals, and the animals suffer. Please report any suspected animal collector to Animal Control. Learn more about animal collectors.
Part of the Family
Click here for tips on how to make your dog part of the family, and information on cruelty and neglect issues that relate to chaining a dog.
Seasonal Pet Care
Click here for information on how to properly care for your pet during winter's cold and summer's heat.
Cats
Cats are considered free roaming animals and the leash law does not apply to them. There is no law in unincorporated Jefferson County that pertains to loose or roaming cats. Citizens can legally trap cats with live/humane traps, on their own property, and take the cat to the Table Mountain Animal Center. The cat owner must then come to the shelter and pay the impound fees before receiving their cat.
We recommend that all cat owners keep their cats contained and on their own property to avoid injury or death of their pet, not to mention the nuisance the cats can cause your neighbors.
Cats should be vaccinated for rabies annually and wear an I.D. tag. Animal Control will impound cats that have bitten a person or are sick or injured. Learn more about cats in Jeffco.
Dogs in Heat
In Jefferson County, it is unlawful to harbor a female dog in heat/season unless the dog is confined during such time in a house, building or secure enclosure so the dog does not create a neighborhood nuisance. A dog owner commits a Class II Petty Offense if he/she does not comply with this regulation.
Female dogs who have not been spayed can be expected to come into heat twice each year. Each heat cycle lasts around three weeks and during this time the female dog must be properly confined.
Lost and Found Animals
Jefferson County Animal Control contracts with Table Mountain Animal Center, located at 4105 Youngfield Service Rd. in Golden. The shelter is an independently operated non-profit organization. All Jefferson County impounds are taken to the shelter, unless sick or injured. You may call the Table Mountain Animal Center at 303-278-7575. Please call Animal Control at 303-271-5070 if your pet is missing from unincorporated Jefferson County and you have been unable to locate your pet at the shelter.
We recommend getting signs posted in the area where the animal was lost as soon as possible and checking with local vets and any other shelter in the surrounding areas. Learn more about lost and found animals.
Table Mountain Animal Center
The Table Mountain Animal Center is a shelter serving the Jefferson County community including the cities of Wheatridge, Arvada, Golden, Lakewood, Westminster, Morrison, Mountain View, Edgewater and unincorporated areas. The staff works to reunite lost pets with their owners and to adopt stray animals into new, loving, permanent homes.
Table Mountain Animal Center
4105 Youngfield Service Rd.
Golden, CO 80401
303-278-7575
www.tablemountainanimals.org
Sick or Injured Animals
Please contact the animal control office in your jurisdiction regarding sick or injured strays. If the sick or injured stray is found in unincorporated Jefferson County call the Animal Control office or the Sheriff's Office and an officer will respond. If a citizen chooses to take the animal to a vet on their own, they will need prior approval from Jefferson County Animal Control or the treatment expenses may not be covered.
24-Hour Emergency Vets
Wheatridge Animal Hospital (303) 424-3325
3695 Kipling St., Wheatridge, CO 80033
Columbine Animal Hospital (303) 979-4040
5546 W. Canyon Trail, Littleton CO 80127
Access/Animal Critical Care and Emergency Services (303) 239-1200
1597 Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood, CO 80226
Wildlife
Jefferson County Animal Control Officers are not authorized or trained to handle nuisance wildlife problems. However, there are many resources available to manage the problem. Learn more about wildlife resources.
An Easy Way to Save Colorado Pets
Each year, over 40,000 stray, abandoned and unwanted dogs and cats are euthanized in Colorado. You can help prevent this tragedy by donating to the Pet Overpopulation Fund box on your state tax form. Your donation will fund spay and neuter surgeries and education programs in underserved areas of Colorado to prevent litters of unwanted puppies and kittens. Every donation ?- no matter how small ?- will help Colorado's pets! Visit www.SaveColoradoPets.org for more information.
Annual "Be Kind to Animals" Poster Contest
Each year during National Be Kind to Animals Week, animal control officers challenge elementary school children in Jeffco to create posters.
Last Modified:
Jan 28, 2010 12:38 PM
