Animal Control

The City of Fruita has an Animal Control Officer who currently works Monday through Thursday.  When the Animal Control Officer is not on duty, patrol officers can handle animal complaints.  The Animal Control Officer receives over 100 requests for service per month involving dogs at large, dogs in custody, animal abuse, vicious dog complaints, animal bites, barking complaints, and sick or injured animals.

You can call the Animal Control Officer during business hours at 970-858-3008 or non-emergency dispatch at 970-242-6707, with any questions pertaining to animals or pets and your call will be returned as soon as possible.  If you have an emergency, always call 911.  

 

Frequently Asked Questions

A dog is running at-large in my neighborhood – now what?

If the dog show signs of viciousness or aggressive behavior, call 911.  The Animal Control Officer or a Police Officer will respond as quickly as possible. 
If you know where the dog lives, tell the dog to “go home” or contact the owners.  The vast majorities of dogs return home without the need for capture or impound.
If you find a dog at large and harbor the animal while trying to locate the owner, the Grand Junction Sentinel, The Free Press, The Moose, and KEKB radio stations provide free lost and found pets announcements.
A group of Mesa County residents recently started a Facebook account under the name of “Mesa County Lost and Found Pets”.  This is a good resource for posting found dogs or cats.

Category: Animal Control
How many pets can I have in my home?

Household pets, including but not limited to dogs and cats, are not permitted in quantities of more than four animals over the age of three months.

Category: Animal Control
My dog barks all the time. What do I do?

Often, it takes a neighbor who is home when we are away for us to know our dog barks in our absence.  However, a dog who’s barking constantly isn’t having any more fun than the neighbors are. Your pet and those who can hear him will benefit if you can fix this problem.

The first step is to figure out why your dog’s sounding off so much. Dogs bark to express a variety of emotions: anxiety, boredom, territoriality, aggression, playfulness and hunger. Certain conditions in a dog’s environment can trigger these emotions.

Teach your dog a “quiet” command by distracting him from barking, saying the word, “Quiet” or “Enough” and then praising him for minding. Your pet will make the connection soon enough with repetition and lots of praise. Rattling a can filled with pennies, marbles or spraying your pet in the mouth with water are commonly recommended distractions that work well.

If your dog barks while inside the house when you’re home, call him to you, have him obey a command such as, “sit” or “down” and reward him with praise and/or a treat. Remember to pay attention to your dog when he’s being quiet. Your pet will come to associate such behavior with attention and praise.

Don’t encourage your dog to bark at things he hears or sees outside.

Having your pet spayed or neutered decreases territorial behavior.

Some helpful websites are:
Dog and Puppy Training at the Petfinder website
The Mesa County Animal Services website
Mesa County Lost and Found
Facebook: Mesa County Lost and Found

Various types of bark collars are available at local pet stores or on the internet.  These devices can work well and you may want to consider them after consulting with your veterinarian for additional guidance.  

Category: Animal Control
My neighbor’s dog barks all the time. What can I do?

We suggest first talking to the owner or leaving them a note to let them know their dog’s barking has become a nuisance. In addition, inform the owner the time their dog is barking, because dogs often bark when the owner is away from home. 

If speaking with your neighbor doesn’t resolve the problem, call the Fruita Police Department.  The Animal Control Officer will give the owner a courtesy warning and ideas on how to address excessive barking by dogs. 

If the barking continues, you can file a complaint with the Fruita Police Department.  An officer will stop by your home to drop off a “Bark Log” and discuss how to document barking events, which is needed to obtain a successful outcome in municipal court.

Category: Animal Control
Our dog is missing. How do we find him/her?

Micro-chipping your pet is the best way to have them returned to you in the event they get lost.  In addition, the required Mesa County License and rabies tags provide the added benefit of owner return information. 
Inform your neighbors that your pet is missing. It’s always nice to have more eyes.
Call the Fruita Police Department and file a missing pet report. We have great citizens who will call when they find pets and often we are able to reunite pets with their owners.  
Call or visit the Mesa County Animal Shelter and provide them with your contact information and a description of your lost pet.
Post your missing family pet on FACEBOOK, MESA COUNTY LOST AND FOUND PETS. The Grand Junction Sentinel, The Free Press, The Moose, and KEKB radio stations provide free lost and found pets announcements.

Category: Animal Control
What constitutes neglect or cruelty and how do I report it?

Every animal must be provided with water, food, and protection from the elements, or other care generally considered being normal. It is unlawful for a person to overload, overwork, torment, deprive of necessary sustenance, unnecessarily or cruelly beat, or intentionally abandon an animal.
Often these types of reports can be resolved through education or appropriate veterinary care.  If you suspect neglect or cruelty, call 911 or the non-emergency number for the regional police communications center, 970-242-6707.   

Category: Animal Control
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