Animal Control Services

Your pets are members of our community and we want them to be safe and enjoy living in the Town of Essex. We strive to keep the people and the pets of our community safe by offering several programs and providing by-laws governing animals and pets.

The following links provide important information on how different pets are controlled within the Town of Essex:

Animal Control Officer

The Town of Essex offers animal services 24/7 related to animal care and control. Essex County K-9 Services is the Animal Control Officer for the Town of Essex.

Animal control services include:

Pick up of stray animals
Removal of dead wildlife on roads
Enforcement of leash requirements
Investigating animal welfare concerns
Responding to biting and aggressive dog concerns

All dogs are held at the Lakeshore Dog Pound if they are picked up by the Animal Control Officer. Every attempt is made to reunite dogs with the owner.

Essex County K9 Services posts photographs of lost dogs on their Facebook page. Like the Animal Control Services Facebook Page to get regular notices of lost pets.

If you have a raccoon, skunk, opossum or other wild animal problem, the Animal Control Officer can provide more information on trapping.

To contact the Animal Control Officer, please contact 519-816-7627 or animalcontrol@essexcountyk9.ca.

Animal Neglect or Abuse

If you suspect animal neglect or abuse, you can report it to Animal Welfare Services (AWS) within the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

Calls made to Animal Welfare Services are received through the Ontario Animal Protection Call Centre at 1-833-9-ANIMAL (264625), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

This number accepts calls for animals (for example, a pet, farm animal, or wild animal in captivity) suspected of being in distress or being neglected. This includes animals that:

are injured, in pain, sick, suffering or abused; or
lack proper care, water, food or shelter.