Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if I find a lost pet?

More than likely, the pet you found has not wandered too far from home, and is probably from your neighborhood. To help save space for a pet in need at the shelter, we first recommend the following to help them find their families:

• Take the pet to a local veterinarian, Petco or an El Paso Fire station to have the pet scanned for a microchip.
• If the pet has a microchip, you can attempt looking up the owner’s information using this free microchip lookup tool.
• File a “Found Pet Report” on our website or by calling 311.
• Check the Pet Finder Map to see if the pet you found matches any of the pets on the “Lost Dog/Cat” tab. 
• Visit Petco Love Lost to file a Found Pet Report.
• Post photos on local Lost & Found Pets groups on Facebook and other social media sites like Nextdoor.
• Hang flyers in your neighborhood, at local grooming and pet shops, and at local veterinarian offices.
• Contact our Community & Pet Support team at EPASFoundPets@elpasotexas.gov or (915) 212-8715 for resources and information on our Finder to Foster program.

 

What is the Finder to Foster Program?

The Finder to Foster program is a new program that allows anyone that finds a lost pet to foster that pet in their home while we are searching for the pet’s owner. This will keep the pet from coming into our already-crowded shelter, and instead wait to be reunited with their family in the comfort of your loving home. If you find a pet, we encourage you to visit us our Pet Resources team at the shelter as quickly as possible so that we can scan the pet for a microchip, post their photo on our website and Pet Finder Map, and provide you with any supplies or resources that you may need to foster that pet for a few days. Our Finder to Foster program is completely free, and helps save lives by keeping a kennel open at our shelter for another pet that has nowhere else to go! 

For more information on our Finder to Foster program and how to help a found pet reunite with their family, visit our Found Pet Resources page.

“Why isn’t Animal Services taking in pets?”

El Paso Animal Services takes in pets every day, however, space in the shelter is limited and we want to ensure we are able to prioritize the pets most in need first. If you find a pet in your neighborhood, we encourage you to take a few extra steps to help reunite that pet with their family before bringing them to the shelter, as the shelter should be a pet’s last resort. Chances are, the pet that you found wandering your neighborhood is from your area, and has a family missing them. Follow the steps above to file a Found Pet Report and reach out to us if you need supplies, resources or support to help reunite the pet you found.

For more information on our Finder to Foster program and how to help a found pet reunite with their family, visit our Found Pet Resources page.

 

I live outside of El Paso City Limits, who do I contact to report a lost pet?

You can still fill out a Found Pet Report on our Found Pet Resources page, but also reach out to your jurisdiction’s animal welfare or animal control department for further information:

El Paso County Animal Welfare

Services Horizon, Vinton, Anthony, Clint, Canutillo, Fabens, San Elizario and Unincorporated County Areas

9521 Socorro Rd. Suite B3 | (915) 834-8250

 

Socorro Animal Control

Services Socorro

800 N Rio Vista, Socorro TX | (915) 858-6983

Tigua Animal Control

Services Ysleta del Sur Pueblo & Fort Bliss

12 Leigh Fisher Blvd , El Paso, TX, United States, 79906 | (915) 860-9653

Dona Ana County Animal Control

Services Dona Animal County & Las Cruces, NM

575-526-0795

What is included in an adoption?

All dog and cat adoptions include their spay/neuter procedure, microchip, age-appropriate vaccinations, and city license..

 

What is required to adopt?

All we require to adopt is to be over the age of 18 and to have a valid photo ID.

 

How long is the adoption process?

We follow the Adopters Welcome process, where we have a conversation with you, help you find the right pet for you, your family and your lifestyle, and answer any questions you may have. Our adoption contract is fairly simple and takes roughly 30 minutes or so, depending on the day or if there is a special event.

 

How do I adopt?

You can visit us at the Animal Services Center seven days a week from 11 am to 6 pm. You can view most of our adoptable pets on our Adopt page. If you’re interested in meeting a pet, our staff or volunteers will be happy to assist you in helping you find the perfect pet. 

 

I have another dog at home, can I bring them in to meet the dog I want to adopt?

Absolutely! We always encourage meet & greets with your current pup and the one you want to adopt. Our adoption team facilitates meet & greets by appointment. For more information, email us at EPASadoptions@elpasotexas.gov.

 

Will the pet I want to adopt go home with me that same day?

It can vary depending on the pet. If the pet you’re interested in is already spayed/neutered and past it’s stray-hold, then more than likely they can go home with you that day. If they are not already spayed/neutered or still within their stray-hold period, then we might need to schedule your adoption pick-up at a later date, usually within 3 to 5 days.

 

Can I adopt a pet that is still currently on their stray-hold?

You can place an adoption hold on a pet that is still pending their stray-hold, however, if the pet is reclaimed by their owners, the adoption hold will be null and void and we will let you know that the adoption hold has been canceled.

 

What should I know before adopting a pet?

As an open-admission shelter, most of the pets that come to us are strays, meaning we do not have much background history on the pet, such as health, behavioral or living history. Because of this, it is always a possibility with adopting that your pet may have contracted an illness before arriving at our center, and has not begun to show symptoms. Many animal diseases do not show symptoms for weeks or sometimes months after they have contracted a disease. This is why we always encourage new adoptive parents to ensure their current pets are up-to-date on core vaccines, register for their 30 days of free pet health care, and follow up with veterinarian within 7 days of adopting.

 

What if the pet that I adopted isn’t fitting in with my family?

Adopting a pet is always going to be a transition — your new pet has been moved from a stressful environment to a new, unfamiliar home with new, unfamiliar people and possibly other pets. It is always encouraged to give your new pet time to acclimate to you and its new home, and read up on tips to make their transition as smooth as possible. But we do understand that after awhile sometimes they still might not be fitting in with their new family. In this case, contact our Pet Retention office for more information and resources to help the transition, or to help you find a better fit for your family— (915) 212-8735 or email pethelpline@elpasotexas.gov.

 

Can I adopt more than one pet?

Yes of course! We’d be happy to help you find matches within the shelter, as well.

What is fostering?

Fostering is providing a temporary home to a pet, or pets, in need. Our foster program is completely free, and we provide all the food, supplies and medical care your foster pet(s) would need.

 

 

How long do I foster for?

It can vary on the pet(s) that you take, but usually it’s only for a 2 to 8 week period.

 

 

Can I earn community service hours for fostering?

Yes! Contact us at EPASfoster@elpasotexas.gov for more information on earning community service hours by fostering.

 

 

What should I expect when fostering?

Sometimes, you might be taking in pets that are potentially sick, or recovering from injury or illness. Because of this, we always encourage you to make sure your current pets are up-to-date on core vaccines, and keep your fosters separated, either in a spare room or bathroom, for at least a few weeks.

 

 

I’m not sure how to care for this pet, but still want to foster.

We’ll walk you through the process! If you’re interested in taking in bottle-fed kittens or puppies, we’ll provide any training you may need to help you successfully care for your foster pets.

 

 

What pets need to go into a foster home?

It can vary, but our greatest needs are for kittens and puppies that came in without mom that are too young to be adopted; kittens and puppies that did come in with mom and need a home environment to grow; injured pets; sick or recovering from illness pets; or pets that have been with us for a long time and need to be in a home environment for a while to thrive.

 

 

Can I adopt my foster pet?

Yes! If you’re interested in adopting your foster pet, please let our foster coordinator know as soon as possible and they can advise you on the adoption process.

 

 

Can I help find homes for my foster pet?

Yes! The goal of our foster program is to encourage and empower you to find adopters for your foster pets. Ask our foster coordinator on how you can help find loving forever homes.

 

 

 

How old do I need to volunteer?

We have a Kitty Reading Book Club program for ages 8-13 to volunteer with a parent or guardian, and ages 14-17 can volunteer with a parent or guardian.

 

Does it cost anything to join the volunteer program?

There is no cost for any of our volunteer programs.

 

Can I do my court-ordered community service at El Paso Animal Services?

Generally yes — please contact our volunteer coordinators for more information at epasvolunteer@elpasotexas.gov.

 

Can I volunteer any time I want?

You can volunteer anytime between the hours of 11 am and 6 pm. If you’d like to volunteer outside these hours, let our volunteer coordinators know so they can give you more information on community programs.

 

What is the process?

Visit our website to create an account on our Volunteer Portal and submit an application. Once we receive your application, we will contact you with upcoming volunteer orientation dates and trainings for you to attend. Once you attend a volunteer orientation, we will submit your application for a background check and let you know when you can pick up your volunteer badge to begin volunteering.

 

What do I need to volunteer?

We have a wide variety of ways you can volunteer, whether it’s a hands-on approach with the animals or helping in other ways! Our Volunteer team will be happy to find you the right place to volunteer. 

 

I’m part of an organization or company that would like to do a one-day project.

We love our community partnerships! If your organization or company is interested in doing a special project, contact us at epasvolunteer@elpasotexas.gov for more information.

 

What do I do if my neighbors are feeding stray cats?

As part of the city ordinance, cats are considered free-roaming and can be fed twice a day, in one-hour increments so to not attract vermin or insects. However, if you notice that your neighbor is leaving food out all day, you can contact 311 to make a report.

 

What are Community Cats?

Community Cats are often semi-friendly or unfriendly cats that wouldn’t be suitable for adoption into homes, but happily live outside in their neighborhood. This is a humane and non-lethal approach to long-term, free-roaming cat population control. Cats that have gone through the Community Cat program have been spayed/neutered, vaccinated, had a portion of their ear tipped off and returned to their community.

 

There are a lot of cats in my neighborhood, what can I do?

We encourage reaching out to our community cat coordinator at communitycats@elpasotexas.gov or reach out to the trap-neuter-return advocacy group, Sun City Cats for more information on how you can participate in the community cats program.

 

I found a litter of kittens and no mom in sight. What do I do?

It’s best to leave the kittens alone. More than likely, mom is just out looking for food or looking for a place to relocate her litter. We recommend keeping an eye on the kittens from a distance to see if mom comes back in a few hours. You can also place a ring of flour around the kittens and check back for footprints at a later time—this means mom has come back to check on her kittens. If after a day or two you do not see footprints, contact our community cat coordinator on what to do next.

Visit our Save the Kittens website for more tips on what to do if you find kittens.

 

There is a cat in my neighborhood that is missing a tip of its ear—what does this mean?

This is the universal symbol that the cat has been through the community cat or TNR program, meaning they have been spayed/neutered, vaccinated and re-released into their community. The tipped ear helps the community quickly identify that the cat cannot reproduce. The ear tipping is done humanely at the time of surgery.

 

Does Animal Services pick up cats?

No, only unless they are sick, injured or exposed to rabies (has been bitten by a possible rabid animal.)

 

Can I feed cats on my property?

Yes, as long as you feed them without causing a nuisance. We suggest supervised feeding, meaning you can feed twice a day, in one-hour increments, and after the hour, pick up the food so as not to draw other animals or insects.

 

When can I drop off and pick up cats through the community cat program?

Community Cat Drop-off is Sunday through Thursday, from 11 am to 6 pm, excluding holidays. 

 

What if I don’t want cats in my neighborhood?

Community cats already exist in our community, and trap-neuter-return or community cat programs are the only effective ways to reduce the population. There are simple but effective steps that can be taken to deter cats from your property, though:

• Spread coffee grounds around your property
• Contact your local cat caregiver or community cat manager for advice or recommendations
• Purchase humane cat deterrents
• For more tips, visit Alley Cats Allies.

 

How do I trap cats for the community cat program??

You can inquire about renting or purchasing traps at your local pet-feed store, and it’s important to ensure that you’re trapping cats humanely, using the tips below:

• Have a plan in place in order to limit the cat’s time spent in the trap.
• Limit trapping to cooler weather hours, such as nighttime and early morning.
• Do not leave trap unattended for more than two hours.
• Supply trapped cats with food.
• Cover trap during transport to reduce stress.
• Release cats at the same location they were trapped from.
• Release any trapped cats that are already ear-tipped, as they have already been sterilized and vaccinated.

 

 

Are animals covered in the City of El Paso Municipal Code?

Yes! Please review Title 7 of the El Paso Municipal code for all specific requirements for animals within the City of El Paso. 

Do I have to get my pet spayed or neutered?

At this time, it is not mandatory for pets to be spayed or neutered in the City of El Paso. However, by having your pet spayed or neutered, you’ll not only reduce your pet’s chances of having unplanned or unwanted litters and increasing the pet overpopulation in our community, but sterilizing your pet can also bring a number of health benefits, such as increased lifespan, reduction of risk to certain cancers, reduction in certain behavioral challenges and more. 

To find low-cost spay and neuter options in El Paso, visit our Spay/Neuter Services page. 

Do I have to get my pet vaccinated?

Yes! All dogs, cats and ferrets in the City of El Paso four months of age or older must have a current vaccination against Rabies. A current vaccination can be either a yearly vaccine, or a three-year vaccine dependent on the type of vaccination administered. All vaccinations must be administered in the United States, as vaccinations administered in Mexico are not valid. (Title 7.12.040)

With the rise of other dangerous and deadly diseases such as Distemper, Parvovirus, Panleukopenia and more, these vaccinations are also highly recommended. We encourage you to speak with your veterinarian about other vaccinations that your pet might need. To find low-cost vaccines and wellness care options in our community, visit our Spay/Neuter Services page. 

Should I get my pet a Microchip?

Yes! All dogs, cats and ferrets in the City of El Paso must have a microchip (ear-tipped TNR or Community Cats can be exempt) (Title 7.12.020) El Paso Animal Services offers weekly free pet microchipping services to the community to ensure this service is accessible to all. Visit our Calendar page to see where we’ll be next!

Does my pet need to be registered?

Yes! All dogs, cats and ferrets in the City of El Paso four months of age or older must be registered with the City of El Paso. (Title 7.12.020) To obtain a City Registration, your pet must also already have a current Rabies vaccine and a microchip. (Ear-tipped TNR or Community Cats can be exempt) Registration must be renewed annually. 

How do I License/Register My Pet?

You can license your pet at most veterinary offices, or you can purchase a license for your pet at the Animal Services Center seven days a week from 11 am to 6 pm. You can also email a copy of your pet’s recent Rabies certificate, as well as proof of identification, current address, and microchip, to epas@elpasotexas.gov, and call us at (915) 212-7297 to make a payment of $12.50, or mail in a copy of your pet’s Rabies certificate, proof of identification, current address and microchip to 5001 Fred Wilson Ave., El Paso, TX 79906 along with a check for $12.50* made out to City of El Paso Animal Services. If you have questions about licensing your pet, email us at epas@elpasotexas.gov. (*credit card payments are subject to a processing fee)

Is there a limit to the number of pets I can have in the city limits?

There is no limit to the number of pets you’re allowed to own within El Paso city limits. However, it is important that no matter how many pets you have, that they all are well-cared for, healthy, have a good standard of living, and are all compliant with the city ordinance — meaning they are microchipped, vaccinated and have their yearly city license.

Is my pet required to wear a collar and tag?

Yes! Your pet is required to wear a collar or harness with the current City Registration tag visible at all times when not confined within their residence. (Title 7.12.030)

What is the leash law in El Paso?

Your pet must be appropriately restrained and confined at all times, including on their own premises. While on their own premises, restraints and confinement must be appropriate and humane, such as a fence, a dog run, a catio, a humane tether. While off premises, your pet must be under direct control such as on a leash or in a carrier, and cannot be loose or ‘running at large.’ (Exemptions can include: a cat that has been vaccinated and is wearing their tags, is microchipped, a cat whose caregiver can provide documentation of the cat’s sterilization, or a cat that is ear-tipped and has been processed through a TNR or Community Cat program. (Title 7.12.010)

How often should I take my pet to the Veterinarian?

We recommend taking your pet to the veterinarian once per year for a check-up and annual vaccines, and taking them for a sick visit when they seem under the weather or you notice changes in behavior or condition. To find a veterinarian near you, visit www.EPVMA.org. 

How do I train my dog?

El Paso Animal Services recommends vetting your animal trainer and ensuring they are accredited or certified by a national training organization such as IAABC, PPG or CCPDT. You can find a list of certified dog trainers offering virtual services by visiting www.IAABC.org. If you’d like one-on-one sessions with a certified trainer, you can use this link to access one free week of dog training with GoodPup.

There are several free training resources online, including the Fear Free Happy Homes library. 

What do I do if I lost my Pet?

Accidents happen, and we know losing your pet is terrifying, but El Paso Animal Services is here to help. If your pet recently went missing, follow the steps on our Lost Pet Resources page for the best chance of reunion. 

If your pet has found their way to the shelter, El Paso Animal Services waives pet reclaim fees* if the pet is reclaimed within 48 hours. (*A $12.50 City Registration fee may be charged if your pet is not currently registered) (*credit card payments are subject to a processing fee)

Can I leave my pet in the car while I run errands?

No, it is unlawful for any person to leave an animal in a motor vehicle or livestock trailer. Leaving a pet in an unattended motor vehicle for even a few minutes can result in heat stroke and death, even when the weather is mild, as the internal temperature of cars rises rapidly. (Title 7.08.020)

Can I be held responsible if my pet bites or attacks another person or animal?

Yes, as the pet’s owner, you are held responsible for the actions of your pet. You could be cited for a number of violations, depending on whether or not your pet is current on their vaccinations, registration and microchip, if your pet was unconfined or loose and at large, or if there are any other violations noticed during the investigation. You may also receive an order to quarantine your pet at an animal hospital for a minimum of 10 days if your pet bites a human.

As pets are considered property within the State of Texas, you may also face civil charges if the victim decides to pursue legal action. 

If you find yourself in this position, we recommend seeking legal council. 

Can I leave my pet outside in my yard?

If your dog is outside (even for a short time) he or she needs to be in a secure fenced yard, enclosed pen, or other structure that will prevent them from escaping. Your pet must always have proper standards of care at all times, which includes shelter, shade, sufficient and wholesome food and clean water, a clean, safe and sanitary enclosure. (Title 7.08.050)

If you must restrain your dog, you may only tether (tie out, no chain) a dog if you are with the dog and the tether meets certain requirements:

• Cannot use a restraint that unreasonably limits a dog’s movement, such as the use of a pinch, prong, or choke collar that is not properly fitted to the dog, is a length shorter than five-times the length of the dog or ten feet, is in a unsafe condition or causes injury to the dog. 
• Cannot be left outside unattended by restraint that unreasonably limit’s the dog’s movement between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am, within 500 feet of a school, or in the case of inclement weather or extreme weather conditions. 

For more information on the Safe Outdoor Dogs act, visit our Animal Protection page. 

I’m worried I may have to rehome or surrender my pet. Can you help?

Yes, we have numerous programs and resources to either help you keep your pet if you’re going through a hard time, or to help you rehome your pet.

• Pet Pantry
• Pet Resources
• Home – to – Home Rehoming

Abandoning your pet is never the answer. Please reach out to us if you have any questions: pethelpline@elpasotexas.gov.  

My pet passed away at home, what do I do?

Please call Environmental Services to schedule a curbside pickup of either deceased companion animals, or farm animals at (915) 212-6000. (This service may be subject to a fee)