The Animal Control Division is a branch of the Burlington Police Department. Animal Control issues are dealt with
by Community Service Officers. You can leave a voicemail for them at (802) 540-2375. If you have what you
believe is a rabid animal or a situation that needs to be dealt with immediately, call the Burlington Police
Department at (802) 658-2700 and dial 0 to speak with dispatch.
The Animal Control Division is responsible for all aspects of Domestic Animal Enforcement including City
Ordinance and Vermont State Statutes. To access the complete City of Burlington's Ordinance pertaining to
Animals, go to: www.municode.com. To access the complete Vermont State Statutes pertaining to Animals, go to:
www.vermontjudiciary.org & look in V.S.A. 13 and V.S.A. 20.
Impound Procedures
Dogs can be impounded if they have bitten, are stray or at large, are unlicensed/unregistered, or unvaccinated.
They can also be taken into custody if the Officer feels that the animal’s life is in danger if it continues to stay where
it is. Impoundment costs include the cost of the ticket if there is one, impoundment fees, and boarding costs.
Vaccinating Your Pet
Most domestic pets, including dogs, cats, and ferrets, need vaccinations to stay healthy and to satisfy local laws.
Young animals go through a series of shots to prevent illness. Rabies vaccinations are required by Vermont law for
dogs, cats, and ferrets. Proof of vaccination is required before you can license your dog in Burlington, or other
cities and towns. If your dog is impounded, the dog will not be released to you unless the rabies vaccinations are
up to date.
Lost or Found a Pet?
If you have lost your pet, it is always a good idea to call the Burlington Police Department with a description of
your pet. We can let you know if your animal has been found and how to reclaim it. If you have found a pet in
Burlington, you should call the Burlington Police Department immediately. This allows us to find the owners who
may already be looking for their pet with more expediency.
Cats are not picked up for running loose. If you are missing your cat you should try calling the local Humane
Society or Green Mountain Animal Defenders at (802) 861-3030. You should also try placing ads in newspapers.
Posting signs is also a good idea to help find your pet.
Dog Bites
When around dogs, it is important to keep in mind that they are often unpredictable, and you need to behave in
certain ways in order to avoid bites. When they feel threatened or afraid, they will often snap at things, if they
cannot run away. When protecting their territory, food, toys, family or pups, they will also often be more
aggressive. Dogs can get over exited during play and will sometimes bite too hard, or will bite because they
learned play biting as a puppy. Dogs that don’t know you are also more prone to biting since they may be afraid of
you. Other reasons for biting include being trained/raised to be aggressive, when in pain or irritation in their body,
or if you or another animal runs away from it, triggering the chase and attack response.
To greatly reduce your risk of being bit you should:
- Always ask permission to pet a dog.
- Let the dog smell you first. Offer the back of your hand for it to sniff.
- Never go up to a strange dog.
- Never go into a house or yard with a dog there and no owner.
- Never run past a dog, or turn and run away from one. This will trigger its chase response.
- Don’t play rough with a dog.
- Don’t make fast or jerky motions around a dog’s head.
- Never disturb a dog that is sleeping or eating, or a dog caring for puppies.
- Don’t pet or pick up a sick or injured animal without taking precautions.
- Don’t teach your dog or any dog to play attack or “sic” someone.
- Never stare into a dog’s eyes, particularly one you don’t know.
- Don’t put your face near a dog's mouth when you’re playing, or don’t know the dog.
- Always assume that a strange dog will view you as a threat or intruder, so act with caution.
In the unfortunate instance you are bitten, it is very important that you report the bite to your parents (if you are a
child), report the bite to the Burlington Police Department/Animal Control Division, if the bite occurs in the City of
Burlington, go to the hospital for treatment and tell the police as much as you can about the dog and they will try to
find it and the owner to prevent further bites and ensure the animal has received its proper rabies vaccines.
Remember, it is Vermont State Law that all bites be reported.
Emergency Disaster Planning
The City of Burlington has a disaster plan for animals. This includes a place to house people and their pets as well
as a volunteer system and identification program. However, in the event of an emergency, such as ice or
snowstorms, or long-term power outages, you need to be prepared and ready to act quickly and correctly to keep
your pets safe. The HSUS has updated reports and disaster tips that can be extremely useful in any disaster
situation. For more information, please go to www.hsus.org
Wildlife Rehabilitators
Burlington Animal Control often receives calls about injured wildlife. These animals are best left in the care of a
wildlife rehabilitator that is registered with the state. The Vermont organization, Wild In Vermont, Inc. is located
in Underhill, VT, and organizes many informational sessions and keeps lists of current rehabilitators. Any issues
with raccoons, skunks, foxes or bats should be referred to Burlington Animal Control since these species are rabies
vectors and protected under Vermont Fish and Wildlife laws. Burlington Animal Control does not endorse or
recommend any specific rehabilitator. These listings are voluntary on their part and they are not affiliated with
this agency.
Nuisance Wildlife and Pest Control
If you have questions regarding nuisance wildlife or pests on your property, please call the Rabies hotline at 1-800-
4-RABIES. They have the best information on wildlife issues and also refer people to local trappers and pest
control personnel. Burlington Animal Control does not endorse any particular trappers or pest control
organizations and believes that all animals should be treated humanely. Find out about the methods used for
capture and disposal to make sure they are as humane as possible. If you don’t like the methods used by someone,
then find someone else.
