If you or your pet has been a victim of aggressive behavior displayed by another animal, call us immediately at 970.226.3647 ext. 7. If you have a life-threatening situation involving both humans and animals, call 911.

Reports of vicious animals will be investigated by our officers. Statements from the victim, owner, and any witnesses will be taken. Proof of rabies vaccination may be required. The animal may be quarantined and/or impounded. Citations and/or criminal charges may result.

Learn more about Fort Collins municipal code regarding dangerous animals. 

If a dog or cat bites you, seek medical attention immediately. In Fort Collins, it is the law to immediately report any knowledge you may have of an animal other than a rodent, rabbit, bird or reptile biting a human to an animal protection and control officer.

Report a bite online or call us at 970.226.3647 ext. 7.

Due to the potential exposure to rabies, all bites should be treated by medical professionals and reported to Animal Protection and Control. Learn more about rabies. 

Once NOCO Humane receives your report and verifies the information, an animal control officer will contact the animal’s owner. The animal will then be confined for a period of 10 days from the date of the bite at the animal shelter, the owner’s home, or at a veterinary hospital of the owner’s choice, at their expense. During the 10-day observation period, no rabies vaccine shall be administered to the animal.

Once the 10 days have passed, an animal control officer will return to the confined location to verify that the animal is still healthy and release the animal from confinement. The owner will be responsible for all fees for care and confinement of the animal.

For more information regarding animal bites and reporting as it pertains to the Fort Collins municipal code, please visit code section 4-52.

IMPORTANT UPDATES REGARDING RABIES AND WILDLIFE: Larimer County leads the state of Colorado in terrestrial rabies cases. View the latest update of rabies cases in Larimer County here.

If you are having a conflict with wildlife, please carefully review your options:

• If you reside in Larimer County and have concerns regarding a SICK, INJURED, OR AGGRESSIVE skunk, raccoon, bat, fox, or coyote, contact Animal Protection & Control at 970.226.3647 ext. 7.  DO NOT TOUCH or ATTEMPT TO INTERVENE with the animal.  
• For other wildlife issues including nuisance, all other injured wildlife species, or orphaned wildlife, contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife at 970.472.4300, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For help after hours, contact the Colorado State Patrol at 303.239.4501.

In partnership with Colorado State University’s Extension office, NOCO Humane assists community members interested in urban agriculture while following applicable laws and guidelines. Failure to meet these requirements may result in a fine.

Fort Collins residents interested in owning goats must:

• Review Healthy Living with Goats, the Fort Collins goat ordinances, and What You Need to Know about Q Fever.
• Purchase and review Storey’s Guide to Raising Goats.
• Ensure both goats are vaccinated against rabies.
• Build and an appropriate enclosure for the goats.
• Contact Animal Protection and Control at dispatch@nocohumane.org or call 970.226.3647 ext. 7 to schedule an appointment for a site inspection. An Animal Protection and Control Officer will inspect the enclosure and issue licenses at that time.
• Goat licenses must be renewed annually – the renewal fee is $25 per goat.

Fort Collins residents interested in owning chickens or ducks must:

• Review the chicken license information packet and Fort Collins chicken ordinances.
• Build or purchase an appropriate, predator-proof enclosure.
• Contact Animal Protection and Control at dispatch@nocohumane.org or call 970.226.3647 ext. 7 to schedule an appointment for a site inspection. An Animal Protection and Control Officer will inspect the enclosure and issue licenses at that time.

Colorado temperatures can drop significantly during the fall, winter, and early spring months. To ensure you keep your pet as warm as safe as possible, follow these tips from the ASPCA .

• Repeatedly coming out of the cold into the dry heat of your home can cause itchy, flaking skin. Keep your home humidified and towel dry your pet as soon as he comes inside, paying special attention to his feet and in-between the toes. Remove any snow balls from between his foot pads.
• Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. If your dog is long-haired, simply trim him to minimize the clinging ice balls, salt crystals, and de-icing chemicals that can dry his skin, and don’t neglect the hair between his toes. If your dog is short-haired, consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.
• Bring a towel on long walks to clean off stinging, irritated paws. After each walk, wash and dry your pet’s feet and stomach to remove ice, salt and chemicals—and check for cracks in paw pads or redness between the toes.
• Bathe your pets as little as possible during cold spells. Washing too often can remove essential oils and increase the chance of developing dry, flaky skin. If your pooch must be bathed, ask your vet to recommend a moisturizing shampoo and/or rinse.
• Massaging petroleum jelly or other paw protectants into paw pads before going outside can help protect from salt and chemical agents. Booties provide even more coverage and can also prevent sand and salt from getting lodged between bare toes and causing irritation. Use pet-friendly ice melts whenever possible.
• Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol.
• Pets burn extra energy by trying to stay warm in wintertime. Feeding your pet a little bit more during the cold weather months can provide much-needed calories, and making sure she has plenty of water to drink will help keep her well-hydrated and her skin less dry.
• Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.
• Remember, if it’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet, so keep your animals inside. If left outdoors, pets can freeze, become disoriented, lost, stolen, injured or killed. In addition, don’t leave pets alone in a car during cold weather, as cars can act as refrigerators that hold in the cold and cause animals to freeze to death.

Colorado passed a law protecting people from criminal or civil liability if they break a window to remove an animal in distress from a hot car. But the law is very specific on the steps that need to be taken to remove an animal from a vehicle. It’s important to know that if any of these steps are skipped, the person who breaks the window will not be protected under the law, opening them up to possible civil or criminal charges.

These steps must be followed.

1. You must make every attempt to locate the owner.

2. You must contact Animal Protection & Control at 970.226.3647 ext. 7 or call the police.

3. You must provide Animal Protection & Control or police with a detailed description and location of the vehicle.

4. IF you remove the animal from the vehicle, you are responsible for that animal. You must remain close to the vehicle until law enforcement arrives.

5. IF you remove the animal from the vehicle and it requires immediate medical attention, you must contact law enforcement and leave a note on the vehicle.

It is Animal Protection & Control’s responsibility to keep the people and animals of our community safe. Pets left in cars on a hot day is a high priority for Animal Protection & Control. We have an average 13 minute response time. This means when the temperatures is above 80 degrees and Animal Protection & Control receives a call about a dog in a hot car, an officer will stop what they are doing and go directly to the scene to help the animal in the car. 

While we are here to help, the best thing everyone can do to keep animals safe is to simply NEVER leave your pet in the car on a hot day.

Rabies is on the rise in our community, and we need to take steps to keep ourselves, our family, pets, and community safe. In addition to wildlife, we continue to see multiple cases of humans and pets exposed to the disease in Northern Colorado.

Rabies is an incurable disease that is often fatal in humans and always fatal in unvaccinated animals. The good news is that rabies is 100% preventable with proper vaccinations for pets, horses, and livestock as well as avoiding wildlife.

The State of Colorado takes rabies exposure seriously. Because of the seriousness of this disease the State of Colorado has strict laws in place regarding rabies exposure to keep people and pets safe. Learn more about Colorado rabies laws.

What happens to humans exposed to rabies? 

Based on the exposure risk, individuals who come into contact with a rabies-positive animal may need to receive post-exposure treatment to prevent the transmission of the disease. Without that post-exposure treatment, rabies is usually fatal in humans.

What happens to pets with current rabies vaccinations that are exposed to rabies? 

If your pet comes into contact with a rabies-positive animal and they are current on their vaccination, they will need to receive an immediate vaccination and 45-day at-home observation to ensure they are healthy. Rabies vaccinations are the best way to protect your pet from this deadly disease.

What happens to pets that are not vaccinated against rabies? 

If your pet is not up to date on their rabies vaccination or has never received a rabies vaccination, the risk of transmission is much higher. There is no post-exposure treatment for animals like there is for humans, this means rabies in unvaccinated animals is always fatal. These animals may be humanely euthanized or will need to receive a series of vaccinations and be quarantined for up to 120 days. The first 90 days of this quarantine must be at a secured facility at the owner’s expense.

When to call Animal Protection & Control:

• If you or your pet has had physical contact with a wild rabies vector species animal such as a raccoon, skunk, or bat
• If you have a bat in your house
• If you find an animal that is sick or acting strangely
• If you or your pet have been bitten by another companion animal, such as a cat or dog

Animal Protection & Control can be reached at 970.226.3647 ext. 7.