Department of Health Services Animal Control Program

Our mission statement: "Our mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of all animals and residents within our community by providing compassionate animal control services. We strive to promote responsible pet ownership, prevent animal cruelty, and maintain a healthy coexistence between people and animals through education, enforcement, and humane care."

Our Animal Services Program provides comprehensive animal care and control in Ennis. We handle over 1,500 service calls and impound nearly 750 animals annually, ensuring a safe and healthy environment for both animals and residents.

Our services include:

• Wildlife Management: Capture and relocate wild animals; provide humane traps.
• Legal Enforcement: Enforce state laws and city ordinances related to animals.
• Public Education: Raise awareness about animal care and safety.
• City Patrols: General patrols for animal issues and enforcement.
• Incident Investigation: Handle animal bites, scratches, attacks, and quarantines.
• Sheltering: Partner with SPCA of Texas Ellis County Animal Care Center for stray or unwanted animals.
• Animal Aid: Assist sick or injured animals.
• Deceased Animal Removal: Remove deceased animals from properties.
• Nuisance Complaints: Address issues like barking dogs and animal noises.
• Animal Cruelty Investigations: Investigate cruelty and welfare concerns.

Specific Regulations:

• Dogs at Large: Dogs must be restrained by a leash or tether outside fences. Cats can roam but must not become nuisances.
• Animal Traps: Loaner traps available for wild animals. Residents may also use their own live traps; steel jaw traps are prohibited. Citizens using a city owned live trap will be responsible for replacing the trap if lost, stolen or damaged while in your possession.
• Animal Bites: All bites or scratches must be reported. Animals involved will be quarantined for 10 days for rabies observation. In most case, animals are quarantined at the SPCA of Texas Ellis County Animal Care Center. This quarantine process is used to observe the animal for any clinical signs of rabies. Please keep in mind that if an animal is quarantined it is not an implication that the animal has rabies, but the quarantine is required by law.
• Additional information: please visit our FAQs page.

Contact Information:

• General Inquiries: Call 972-875-6444 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m., M-F) or email us at healthdept@ennistx.gov.
• After-Hours: For emergencies, contact the Police Department's non-emergency number at 972-875-4462 or dial 911 for urgent issues like aggressive or injured animals.