Animal Services

Animal Services Web Button

City of Citrus Heights Partners with Sacramento County's Bradshaw Animal Shelter

On August 14, 2024, City Council approved a new agreement with Sacramento County's Bradshaw Animal Shelter to provide supplementary animal services to our community. To view the Staff Report visit here.

311 Logo LargerNew! Reporting Animal Concerns with 311

Residents can now report animal-related issues 24/7 with Sacramento County’s 311 Connect. 

Visit 311.saccounty.gov, dial 3-1-1 (916-875-4311 if outside of Sacramento County), or download the 311 Connect mobile app at the Apple Store or Google Play

To learn more about 311 Connect, visit 311.saccounty.gov

Click here for a video on how to submit a Service Request via 311.

When to Call 311

To report animal-related concerns, please contact 311. Save time and report online!

  • What do I do if I find an injured/distressed animal? 
  • What do I do if I lose my pet?
  • What if I find a dead animal? 
  • What do I do if my pet is injured or is exposed to a wild animal?
  • What do I do if a wild animal is living under my house, shed, or tree?
  • What do I do if my neighbor's dog is barking?
  • What do I do if I have a pet that needs to be put to sleep or recently passed away?
  • What do I do if I see a pet in a car on an extremely hot/warm day?
  • What do I do if I need to report animal cruelty or neglect or request a welfare check on an animal?
  • What do I do if there is a loose and aggressive dog?
  • What do I do if my pet or me is bitten or attacked by a dog/cat?
  • What do I do if I have an aggressive dog I can no longer own or control?
  • What do I do for a coyote, mountain lion, or fox sighting?
  • What do I do if I find livestock on the roadway?

When to call Animal Services

Regarding Administrative questions/ general questions

  • How do I pay my Administrative Citation?
  • How do I pay my bill?
  • What do I do if I receive a Notice of Violation?
  • How do I license my pet?

To reach a staff member for Administrative questions, please call our Animal Services Business Line at (916) 727-5517, email us at animalservices@citrusheights.net, come in person at the Citrus Heights Police Department lobby.

About Animal Services

Citrus Heights Animal Services is committed to providing affordable, compassionate animal services to the citizens of Citrus Heights.

  1. 1 Five people pose for a photo in front of a wall that reads "Animal Care Services"
  2. 2 A group of people pose with two dog on leashes outside.
  3. 3 A woman smiles for the photo holding a small dog.
  4. 4 A group of people pose for a photo behind a table.

Our Goal

  • Deliver visible support and community education
  • Empower responsible pet owners
  • Foster community involvement
  • Promote healthy human-animal relationships in our community

On May 1, 2012, the Animal Services Unit was founded to better serve our citizens and their pets. On weekdays, the city has an Animal Services Officer (ASO) available during normal business hours. 

Animal Services Dispatch

Dial 311 and Animal Services Officers are called out as appropriate. Animal Services provides emergency dispatch services for animal-related calls on nights, weekends and national holidays.

Enforcement

Our officers enforce animal-related state laws, municipal codes, and ordinances, including public safety issues like animal bites, leash laws, animal endangerment and welfare, and barking complaints.

Licensing 

Animal licenses are required in the City of Citrus Heights and can be purchased online or by mail. For more information, please visit our licensing page.

Lost & Found Animals

For more information, visit our Lost & Found page or call 311.

Stray Dog Pickup

Stray animals are scanned for microchips, checked for licenses, and, when possible, returned to owners, all without ever going to a shelter. Animals without owner information/who require sheltering are taken to:

BRADSHAW ANIMAL SHELTER  

Bradshaw Animal Shelter
3839 Bradshaw Road
Sacramento, CA 95827

Phone: 916-368-7387

Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter

Dead Animals

Animals weighing less than 15 pounds may be placed in City garbage cans for disposal. Owned animals over 15 pounds should be taken to a veterinary clinic or pet cemetery or may be buried on the owner's property in compliance with regulations. Call 311 to have Animal Services Officers remove dead domesticated animals from public roadways. The City’s General Services Department handles dead wildlife removal and can be reported by calling 916-727-4770 or the SeeClickFix App.  

Download the SeeClickFix App from the Apple App Store or the Good Play Store and make requests and reports online or from your phone! 

If you are disposing of dead wildlife yourself, do it properly: wear rubber gloves, wrap the animal in a plastic bag, and tie it off before disposing of the wrapped animal in an outside garbage bin.

Wildlife

Residents and wildlife often need to coexist in a diverse area such as our City. We offer minimal wildlife services, and more information can be found here

Dead Birds

To report dead birds that may carry West Nile Virus, file an online report with the California Department of Public Health.

Adoptions


View Bradshaw Animal Shelter's Adoptable Dogs, Adoptable Cats, and Other Adoptable Animals.

We also encourage you to adopt your pet from a local shelter or rescue group.

Volunteer & Foster

To learn about volunteering with our local Sacramento County shelter, Bradshaw Animal Shelter, visit here.