Animal Control

Paterson Animal Shelter Information

Location:

44 Ryle Road

Paterson, NJ 07522

Hours:

Monday - Friday 7:30AM - 7:30PM

Saturday - Sunday 8:30AM - 3:30PM

(except State Holidays)

Phone:

(973) 881-3640

* Paterson Animal Control provides services to the cities of Paterson, Haledon, North Haledon, and Totowa *

Services Provided

The Paterson Animal Control provides the following services:

You can surrender your unwanted pet(s)

BY APPOINTMENTS ONLY OR BY CALLING (973) 881-3640.

For information on adoptable animals please visit www.secondchance.petfinder.com and www.rbari.org

For strays recently picked up, please call the Animal Shelter at (973) 881-3640.

In case of emergencies contact the Paterson Police Department at (973) 321-1111

Animal Control Officers

Paterson Animal Control Officers are on duty Monday through Friday from 7:30 am - 7:30 pm, and Weekends from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm except State holidays.

For Emergency after hours the Animal Control Officer on call will be dispatched thru the Police Department. After hours the Animal Control Officer should be called out only if stray animals are involved in a bite or an injury, the animal is sick or is a life-threatening situation.

Paterson Animal Control Officers only service the cities Paterson, Haledon, North Haledon, and Totowa.

Animal Control Officers are NOT required to respond to:

  • Stray cats
  • Deceased animal on or along a road or properties - Contact DPW at  (973) 321-1490
  • Healthy wildlife (www.njfishandwildlife.com)
  • Pest control (insects, rodents, or wildlife)
  • Squirrels and raccoons not in a living area, in the attic or walls (Please refer to Pest Control)
  • Residents are responsible for any animal they trap in their property. A private wildlife service can help remove the animal from the area humanely ( A fee may be involved)

How Can You Help ?

  • Minimize contact between pets and wildlife
  • Spay or neuter your pets to help prevent your pets from straying and to help reduce the number of stray pets in our community
  • If you can identify the owner of a stray dog or cat, call the owner for pick up
  • Keep identification tags, city license tags and rabies tags on your pets at all times so they can be more easily identified and returned to you
  • Consider having your pet micro-chipped to make reconciliation with a lost pet even easier

Useful Links / Resources

Wildlife Fact Sheet: Opossums

Wildlife Fact Sheet: Raccoons

Wildlife Fact Sheet: Skunks

Wildlife Fact Sheet: Squirrels

Wildlife Fact Sheet: Woodchucks or Groundhog

§ 121-2: Annual license and registration tag required; placing tag on dog

§121-10: Barking or howling; running at large; committing nuisances

§ 121-11: Control by leash or chain

§ 121-12: Defiling property prohibited

§ 121-13: Removal of feces