Animal Control


What happens when you call?

  • If you have concerns about animals, please call us at 972-216-6283. Press 1 to speak to a dispatcher.

  • Tell the dispatcher about your concern. The dispatcher will ask you questions about the type of animal, where it's located, what it's doing, and if it has any injuries.

  • The dispatcher will assign a priority status to your call based on the information you've provided. Then they will transfer it to an animal control officer for investigation.

  • High-priority calls are answered first, then all other calls are answered in the order received. It may take several hours for an officer to respond if there are a lot of calls that day, so please be patient.

  • If the problem is minor, officers will try to correct the behavior by educating the person on how to properly care for their animal and how to be a good neighbor.

  • Additional problems could result in the officer issuing a citation.



Animal Bites

  • The highest priority of Animal Services is preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases are diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans, usually through bites or scratches but sometimes through physical contact (petting).
  • Zoonotic diseases include encephalitis, ringworm, salmonella, toxoplasmosis, and rabies. Symptoms can range from mild to potentially deadly.
  • DO NOT pet or feed animals you aren't familiar with, especially stray animals or wild animals. They may bite you without warning.
  • Rabies
    • The Animal Services superintendent serves as Mesquite's Local Rabies Control Authority (LRCA). The LRCA investigates all possible exposures to rabies in their jurisdiction.

    • If any of the following animals bites you or your pet, call Animal Services immediately at 972-216-6283.
      • Dog (all breeds)
      • Cat (all breeds)
      • Coyote
      • Fox
      • Raccoon
      • Bat
      • Skunk

    • State law requires the animals above to be quarantined or humanely destroyed and tested for rabies if they bite someone. Dogs or cats can be home-quarantined at the discretion of the Local Rabies Control Authority on a case-by-case basis.