| Animal Control and
Licensing The City of
Robbinsdale currently employs two full-time and four part-time Community Service Officers.
Their duties include animal control, parking enforcement, lake patrol, assisting at
medicals, assisting with traffic control and at accident scenes, and handling general
calls for service.
ANIMAL ISSUES
Dog/Cat Licenses
The City of Robbinsdale requires that
dogs and cats over the age of six months be licensed (City Ordinance 915.01, subdivision 1
- See Below). Effective June 13, 2003, dog and cat licenses changed from a one-year to a
two-year license. All licenses will continue to expire on December 31st. The
license fees are as follows:
| Altered Pet (Spayed or Neutered) |
$15.00 |
| Non-Altered Pet |
$20.00 |
| Duplicate/Replacement Tag |
$ 3.00 |
The license can be purchased at the
Robbinsdale City Hall (4100 Lakeview Avenue North, phone number 763/537-4534) and must be
renewed by January of every other (odd) calendar year. Two-year licenses for
2007-2008 are now available.
Licensing of animals assists the City and
pet owners in different, yet beneficial, ways. First, it ensures that animals that reside
in your neighborhood are regularly vaccinated. Second, it assists the Police Department in
locating the owner of a lost animal. These records, maintained by the Police Department,
are accessible 24 hours a day. When a licensed animal is lost, the Police
Department can look up the owner information, which corresponds with the license number,
and contact the owner. Having a current license complies with Minnesota State Statute
346.50, which pertains to dog identification (See Below).
Robbinsdale City Ordinance
915.01 Dogs and Cats Subdivision 1.
General Rule.
It is unlawful to harbor, own, or keep a
dog or cat more than six months of age within the City unless the animal is licensed and
has been vaccinated against rabies. Dogs or cats owned by non-residents of the City are
not permitted to remain in the City longer than 24 hours. Cats must be vaccinated
annually. Dogs must be vaccinated annually consecutively for two years and every other
year thereafter.
915.01 Subdivision 7. Confinement of dogs
and cats. A person having the custody or control of any dog or cat may not permit the
animal to be on an unfenced area or lot abutting upon a street, public park, public place,
or upon other private land in the City without being effectively restrained from or
entering beyond such unfenced area or lot. A person having the custody or control of a dog
or cat may not permit the animal to be on a street, public park, school grounds or public
place in the City without being effectively restrained by chain or leash not exceeding six
feet in length. A person having the custody or control of a dog or animal of the dog kind
must clean up any feces of the animal and to dispose of such feces in a sanitary manner.
The provisions of this section do not apply to the ownership or use of seeing eye dogs by
blind persons, dogs used in police activities of the City, such as canine corps or tracing
dogs used by or with the permission of the police department.
915.01 Subdivision 16. Keeping of Dog
Limited. No family or group of persons may own or keep more than three dogs exceeding six
months of age on the premises where they reside.
Minnesota State Statute
346.50 Dogs: Identification
An owner or custodian of a dog who
permits the dog to be uncontrolled off the owner's or custodian's premises shall have the
dog identified in one of the following ways:
(1) By a device, tag or plate attached to
the dog by a collar, harness, or device giving the name, address, and telephone number of
the current owner;
(2) By an electronically activated
identification device within or attached to the body of the dog through which the owner
can be promptly identified;
(3) By a number legibly tattooed on the
thigh, abdomen, or ear of the dog through which the owner can be promptly identified;
(4) By an official license tag of a city
or county through which the owner can be promptly identified; or
(5) By a current rabies vaccination tag
or other identification device of a city, a county, or a veterinarian through which the
owner can be promptly identified.
History: 1985c 294 s 1
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING
ANIMALS
Q. Do dogs/cats need to be
licensed?
A. Yes, they do. The City of
Robbinsdale requires all dogs and cats over the age of six months be licensed.
Q. Where can a dog/cat license be
purchased?
A. Robbinsdale City Hall,
4100 Lakeview Avenue North Phone number 763/537-4534. You must bring proof of rabies
vaccination and veterinary clinic information with you at the time of the purchase.
Q. What is the cost of the dog/cat
license?
A. $15.00 for each
spayed/neutered dog/cat, $20.00 for non-spayed/neutered dog/cat, and $3.00
for duplicate tag.
Q. How many dogs can be kept at a
residence?
A. No residence may own or
keep more than three dogs over six months of age. (See Robbinsdale City Ordinance 915.01
Subdivision 16).
Q. Are leashes required in
Robbinsdale?
A. Leashes are required for
cats and dogs when outside, if the animal is not restrained by a fence. The leash is not
to exceed six feet in length (See Robbinsdale City Ordinance 915.01 Subdivision 7).
Q. Are animals allowed to run
loose in Robbinsdale?
A. A person responsible for
the animal may not permit the animal to be unfenced or effectively restrained at any time
(See Robbinsdale City ordinance 915.01 Subdivision 7).
Q. Are people required to clean up
after their animals?
A. The person responsible
for the animal must clean up any feces and dispose of same in a sanitary manner (See
Robbinsdale City Ordinance 915.01 Subdivision 7).
Q. What should I do if I am bitten
by an animal?
A. Call the Police
Department to make a report as soon as possible. If it is felt that medical attention is
needed first, then make the report as soon as possible thereafter.
The information the Police Department
will need is a description of the animal, and if known, who owns the animal and where the
animal lives. The Police Department will also need to know the circumstances under which
the bite occurred and the area of the body that was bitten.
Once an owner is identified, the animal
will be quarantined and the rabies vaccination will be verified. The quarantine is usually
done at the owner's residence and is for 14 days, with welfare checks done on the 7th
and 14th day. If the animal's behavior is normal, it is eating and drinking and
shows no signs of illness, it will then be released from quarantine. Quarantining the
animal is a preventative measure that is taken to ensure the animal is healthy and has not
contracted the rabies virus. While the animal is under quarantine it is not to come into
contact with other persons or animals. The animal must be restrained and supervised if
outside.
Other places to call should you lose your
animal:
- Camden Pet Hospital 612/522-4374
- Animal Humane Society 763/522-4325
- PUPS 763/424-5257
Other agencies in our area:
- Minneapolis Animal Shelter 612/348-4250
- Golden Valley Police 593-8079
- Crystal Police 525-6215
- Brooklyn Center Police 561-5720
PLEASE REMEMBER TO CALL THE AGENCIES
BACK ONCE YOUR ANIMAL HAS RETURNED.
Q. What can be done about barking
dogs?
A. If there is a dog in your
neighborhood that is barking constantly and if you feel comfortable in doing so, talk to
the dog's owner personally. Sometimes, the owner is unaware of the dog's barking. Once it
is brought to their attention, they may become aware of this behavior and attempt to
control it.
If you do not feel comfortable speaking
with the dog's owner or you have but the barking has not been controlled, call the
Police Department. To assist us in responding to your call, supply as much information as
you can: where the dog lives, what kind of dog, how long has it been barking.
Q. What can be done with wild
animals/pests?
A. Call the Animal Humane
Society of Hennepin County. They work with people who generally live in the area and are
qualified to care for many different kinds of animals. The Humane Society has pre-recorded
information on how to discourage a pesky animal from residing in your garden or house.
If this is an emergency situation,
someone is in danger or becomes injured, call 911.
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