FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

IS FRESNO HUMANE AN OPEN ADMISSION SHELTER?

As the contracted provider of animal services for Fresno County, Fresno Humane Animal Services is open admission for ALL stray dogs—as well as sick or injured cats and livestock—found within the unincorporated County of Fresno. To ensure favorable outcomes for as many animals as possible, Fresno Humane takes in owner-surrendered pets and healthy cats only as space and resources allow. To submit a request to surrender a pet, click here. We also offer affordable Trap-Neuter/Spay-Return for feral cats and direct rehoming and rescue options for owned pets in need of surrender.

I FOUND A STRAY DOG

By law, all dogs must be under the direct control of their owners (on leash) or safely contained on their own property.  Any dog that is off-leash and off-property without its owner is considered a stray.

FRIENDLY DOGS – Safely contain or leash the dog and check for identification.  It is most likely that the dog’s home is nearby, so it’s recommended to make an attempt to find its owner before bringing it to the shelter - walk around the area the dog was found, talk to neighbors, post on social media and get the dog scanned for a microchip.  It is best to call or text FHAS prior to bringing an animal to the shelter. Stray dogs found in Fresno County can be brought to FHAS during regular business hours:  Monday-Saturday, 10:00 am- 4:00 pm.  If you are unable to bring the pet, you can call or text our dispatch office at (559) 600-7387 to request a pick-up.  Please be aware that response time fluctuates based on call volume and priority.

Dogs Found in the unincorporated areas of Fresno County can be taken to:

1510 West Dan Ronquillo Drive Fresno CA 93706

AGGRESSIVE DOGS – Do not attempt to handle an aggressive stray dog.  Call or text our dispatch office at (559) 600-7387 to place a call for service.  Fresno Humane phones are open Monday-Saturday 8:00 am- 4:00 pm.  If you need assistance with an aggressive animal after hours, please contact Fresno Sheriff dispatch at (559) 600-3111.

INJURED DOGS – If you find a dog that is severely injured or ill, please contact us immediately for pick-up or (if safe) bring the injured pet to the shelter as quickly as possible.  Severely injured animals may be dropped off at 24 / 7 PetVets (a 24-hour emergency pet hospital) after hours, as well.

DOGS WITHIN INCORPORATED CITY LIMITS OR OUTSIDE FRESNO COUNTY – Fresno Humane is contracted with the County of Fresno to take in strays.  Other incorporated cities have their own animal control officers and holding facilities.  This includes the City of Fresno, Clovis, Coalinga, Firebaugh, Fowler, Huron, Kerman, Kingsburg, Mendota, Orange Cove, Parlier, Reedley, San Joaquin, Sanger, and Selma.  Likewise, dogs found outside Fresno County should be reported to the appropriate animal control agency.

I FOUND A STRAY CAT

There are no leash laws for cats – they are considered “free-roaming agents” rather than strays.  As such, loose cats should not be called in as strays or brought to the shelter unless the animals are sick or injured and in need of immediate medical care.

HEALTHY, FRIENDLY CATS – It is not unusual for pet cats to explore the area around their home. Friendly kitties are most likely a neighbor’s pet and should be left alone as long as they are safe.  If you find a healthy, friendly cat, you can bring it into scan for a microchip and place a found pet report with FHAS, but we will ask that the cat be returned where it was found afterward.

HEALTHY, FRIENDLY KITTENS – While the shelter cannot take in litters of kittens, we can assist with placement if finders are able to foster kittens until they are ready for adoption.  If you find a litter of kittens, contact our office at (559) 600-7387 and ask about our “Foster-Finder” program.

SICK, INJURED & ABANDONED CATS -- If you find a cat that is severely injured, ill or abandoned, please bring the pet to the shelter. Severely injured animals may be dropped off at 24/7 Pet Vets (a 24-hour emergency pet hospital) after hours as a “good samaritan” (you will not pay any fees). If it is unsafe for you to pick up or move the animal, you may call our dispatch at 559-600-7387.

FERAL CATS & KITTENS – The shelter does not take in feral cats or kittens.  Instead, we offer assistance with T-N-R (Trap-Neuter/Spay-Return). Call Monday mornings at 8:00am for availability. Fixed cats must be picked up the following day and returned safely to their home territory. 

MY NEIGHBOR’S DOGS ARE A NUISANCE

EXCESSIVE BARKING – Noise complaints should be reported to your local law enforcement agency.  FHAS does not respond to calls regarding excessive barking.

DOGS NOT BEING CONTAINED – If a neighbor’s dogs are frequently found unattended outside of their yard, please contact FHAS dispatch at (559) 600-7387 call or text, during regular business hours.  You may be asked to document the incident by taking photos of the pets while they are at large—photographic evidence can be helpful to our animal control officers during an investigation, as many pets have returned to their yards by the time officers arrive. 

DOGS INJURING OTHER PETS OR LIVESTOCK – To report any dangerous behavior or damage to property caused by a neighbor’s dogs, please contact our dispatch during regular business hours or the sheriff’s dispatch after hours.  Injuries caused by other animals can be reported to the County of Fresno; depending on the circumstances, biting animals may be required to serve a quarantine hold.

MY PET IS MISSING

If your dog or cat goes missing from your home, please check the local shelters immediately; check shelter websites and visit in person frequently until the pet is found.  If the pet has a microchip, contact the company to verify your contact information and to report the pet as lost.  Post lost animal announcements in your neighborhood and on social media—links to helpful Facebook and Craigslist pages can be found on our website:  www.fresnohumane.org, under the “Get’em Home” tab. 

Dogs and cats have a much higher chance of being returned home if they are wearing ID tags and if they are microchipped.  Fresno Humane offers affordable microchips and custom ID tags during business hours.  Current dog license tags can also be used to reunite dogs and their owners.  Dog licenses are required for all dogs in Fresno City and County and can be purchased in the FHAS office and online.

I WAS BITTEN BY AN ANIMAL

Bites by any animal to a person should be reported during regular business hours to the County of Fresno; staff will ask for information to complete a bite report.  If the biting animal is still at large, please contact FHAS dispatch at (559) 600-7387 by phone or text during regular business hours.  If an officer’s assistance is needed after hours, please call Fresno Sheriff dispatch at (559) 600-3111.  If you are injured to the point of needing medical assistance, please provide your medical provider with the events of the bite and information regarding the biting animal. 

IS FRESNO HUMANE A “NO-KILL” SHELTER?

“No-kill” as a philosophical principle means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved. It is generally understood that in any shelter population, there will be a small minority (fewer than 10%) of animals who cannot be rehomed due to severe and irreparable medical or behavioral issues. Because of this, a 90% live release (save) rate is commonly accepted as the benchmark for a “no-kill” shelter. Fresno Humane Animal Services is the first municipal shelter in Fresno’s history to consistently record a live release rate above 90%, meeting the “no-kill” criteria. To learn more about what “no-kill” means and how the Central Valley compares to the rest of the nation, check out the Best Friends Animal Society website. Click here to view Fresno Humane’s annual statistics.