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Animal Control

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Saco's Animal Control Officer is Bruce Reynolds. The position of Animal Control Officer is funded part time and designed to handle all domesticated animal complaints. The officer works 25 hours per week or about 5 hours per day. Due to the part time nature of the position, the schedule of the officer's availability will fluctuate sometime between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. This, however does not diminish the City's responsibility, ability and desire to immediately handle animal complaints that are of an emergency nature. Non-emergency calls will be evaluated and a police officer will be dispatched if the need to address the issue warrants immediate action, such as a barking dog in the middle of the night. We encourage citizens to call the police department at 284-4535 to report all domesticated animal complaints.

All canines in the City of Saco over the age of 6 months are required to be registered no later than December 31st of each year. If the canine is spayed or neutered the registration fee is $4.00, if not the fee is $7.50. Canines not registered by February 1st are charged a late fee of $10.00 in addition to the registration fee. After April 1st there is a $25.00 late fee in addition to the registration fee. Canines may be registered at City Hall Monday through Thursday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and on Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. When registering you must also show proof of Rabies vaccination and a neutering certificate if applicable. Registration tags must be worn by the canine at all times.

Common Laws and Regulations

Running at Large: Canines while on a public way or place shall be under restraint, meaning it is controlled by leash (not more than 8 feet), or at "heel," beside a competent person and obedient to that person's commands.

Barking or Howling Canines: No person shall own, keep or harbor any canine which by loud, frequent or habitual barking, howling or yelping shall disturb the peace of any person or persons.

Proper Shelter: No person owning or responsible for confining or impounding any animal may fail to provide the animal with proper shelter, protection from weather and humanely clean conditions.

Number of Canines Limited: It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to keep or harbor within the City more than 3 canines over 4 months on January 1st in or about the premises, house, barn or any other building, or in or about all buildings on any one premise occupied by any one family, and the keeping or harboring of canines aforesaid is hereby declared to be a nuisance. This does not apply to those holding a kennel license.

Remember to be a good neighbor and take care of your pets.