Animal Services

Begin searching for your pet as soon as possible by visiting the shelter in person.

We encourage you to visit at least every other day while your pet is missing. Animals at the shelter are posted on 24PetConnect.com and updated hourly; however, online listings may not always match how you would describe your pet. For example, a pet’s breed, mix, color, or other features may be listed differently. You know your pet best, so an in-person visit is the best way to help identify them.

When an animal is brought to the shelter, staff check for visible identification, such as collars and tags, and scan for a microchip. Even if your pet has identification, please do not rely only on receiving a phone call. Collars and tags can come off, and microchips may be unreadable or may not have current contact information.

West Valley City Animal Services holds stray animals for at least five days, as required by the stray hold period, to give owners an opportunity to reunite with their pets.

We also recommend submitting a Lost Pet Report.

West Valley and other local ordinances require citizens to turn strays over to their local animal shelter within 24 hours. The pet will have a greater chance of being reunited with its owner if it comes into the local animal shelter.

Do not set the pet free. It may be hit by a vehicle, attacked by another animal or may be scared and run further from its home.

Residents can report barking dogs by contacting Animal Services. The complainant will be advised to keep a barking dog log in order to assist with tracking and identifying the animal(s) in question. A full description of the enforcement process and a log form are available online. Read the Barking Dog Procedure. Download the Barking Dog Log (PDF).

This is one way of ensuring that your pet is vaccinated for the rabies virus. It may also be your pet's ticket home if it should become lost. If an injured animal is picked up and is wearing a pet license it will receive medical care if needed. All dogs, cats, ferrets, and pot-bellied pigs are required to be licensed in West Valley City. Rabies vaccination is required on all dogs, cats, and ferrets.

Please contact Animal Services as soon as possible and provide a detailed description of the dog, including its location and behavior. If you know where the dog lives, please share the address so Animal Services can address the concern directly with the pet owner.

If the dog appears friendly and you feel comfortable doing so, you may safely contain the dog in your yard until an Animal Control Officer can pick it up. Dogs can sometimes leave the area before an officer arrives, so safely securing the dog can help reunite it with its owner.

Your safety is always the priority. If the dog seems aggressive, frightened, or makes you feel unsafe, please do not approach or attempt to contain it. Contact Animal Services and let us know about the dog’s behavior and location.

Utah law requires animal bites to be reported to local Animal Services or the Health Department within 24 hours.

If an animal bites someone and leaves the area, please provide the most accurate description possible, including where the animal was last seen and the direction it was traveling. An Animal Services Officer will respond and make every effort to locate the animal.

If your pet has bitten someone, please report the incident to Animal Services promptly. Staff will discuss the required quarantine arrangements with you. Animals involved in a bite incident must be placed under quarantine for a minimum of 10 days from the date of the bite.

There are many meaningful ways you can support homeless animals in your community:

• Spay or neuter your pets and encourage friends and family to do the same. This helps reduce pet overpopulation and supports healthier pets.
• Adopt from an animal shelter when adding a new pet to your family. By adopting, you help save the life of the pet you take home and create space for another animal in need.
• Keep identification on your pet. A collar with current ID tags and a microchip can greatly improve the chances of being reunited if your pet becomes lost. Many shelters offer low-cost microchipping services.
• Volunteer at your local animal shelter. Volunteers provide valuable support and make a positive difference in the lives of shelter animals.
• Become a foster caregiver. Foster homes are especially needed for animals who are too young, elderly, sick, injured, or stressed in a shelter environment.
• Support the shelter through donations or fundraisers. Contact your local shelter for a list of needed supplies, organize a donation drive, or host a fundraiser to help provide care for animals in need.
• Share educational materials with your neighborhood, school, workplace, or community group to help promote responsible pet ownership, adoption, and animal welfare.

Donation Wish List