Animal Control

Duties & Responsibilities

Ellington Animal Control is responsible for the enforcement of the Connecticut State Laws pertaining to domestic animals. This department responds to complaints of violations of Animal Control Laws by telephone by way of voicemail. Animal Control makes every effort to ensure that all functions and operations of the department are carried out in the most economical manner with cost savings in mind, while providing the highest degree of professional service to the Townspeople.

• Call 860-870-3155 or 860-870-3156 to make an appointment with the Animal Control Officer

Responding to Complaints

This department responds to complaints of violations of Animal Control laws by telephone or police dispatch. The officers also investigate complaints of vicious, diseased, neglected or abused animals as well as picking up stray and roaming dogs.

Impounded & Unclaimed Animals

Impounded animals are cared for at the animal control facility by the officers. Unclaimed animals are carefully evaluated before being placed for adoption. The shelter, located on Main Street behind the fire station, is open to the public Monday-Friday from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm and Saturday-Sunday (and holidays) from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Appointments are required to visit animals that are available for adoption. The shelter acts as holding quarters for stray, roaming and relinquished dogs and quarantined dogs and cats. 

Unlicensed Animals

Following the month of June, when all dog owners must renew their dog licenses, a search for unlicensed dogs begins.

Emergencies

The officers are available to assist the public or the police with any animal emergency. For emergency calls, contact the Resident Troopers Office at 860-875-1522. The Animal Control Officer On-Call will be contacted by beeper. Emergency calls consist of:

• Injured animals
• Animal bites
• Dog damage to livestock or personal property
• Wildlife that has had contact with people or pets or is suspect of having rabies

Want to Stay Up-to-date?

Follow the Ellington Animal Control Facebook page for updated news, lost & found animals, and pets available for adoption. We are very grateful for the support and help received through the local community network. Keeping our residents involved and up-to-date on current events and news is extremely important for our department. We do ask that you please contact our office directly by telephone for complaints and reports of lost & found animals, so that we can attend to them properly. 

Ellington Animal Control has a Petfinder.com webpage to view adoptable shelter pets. This has greatly increased our ability to find new homes for these pets, as well as post found animals in search of their owners. The adoptable animals are spending less time in the shelter. Dogs and cats are adopted out under the Connecticut Animal Population Control Program. This program is for unaltered pets adopted from a CT municipal shelter and provides two vaccinations and assists with the cost for sterilization. The Animal Population Control Program intends to reduce the overpopulation of unwanted dogs and cats and to reduce the cost and burden to the towns coping with this overpopulation. The fee for adopting a pet under this program is $50, which includes the voucher.

Programs
The State of CT Animal Population Control Program is currently offering a low-income pet sterilization voucher. This program helps low-income residents by providing vaccination and sterilization vouchers for their pets. An application must be completed and submitted to the CT State Animal Control Divisions. Applications are available at the Animal Control Office and can also be found online. To qualify, the applicant must already qualify for one of six low-income state assistance programs listed on the application. For more information, please call (860) 713-2507.

Each June, there is an Annual Rabies Clinic sponsored by the Ellington Center Animal Clinic, held at the Farmers Market. Doctors and staff administer rabies vaccines and implant microchips; these proceeds are donated to the shelter to help impounded animals in need of medical attention. 

Wildlife Information

Visit the State of CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to learn about State efforts toward Wildlife preservation.  Nuisance wildlife calls are handled through the State D.E.P. Wildlife Division and they can be reached at 860-424-3000 or on their website.

"Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet."