The City of Cabot Animal Field Services employs Animal Services Officers who work within, and serve as a key component, of the community’s public safety program. Our field service officers answer requests for service and handle emergency situations seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
Dispatched and monitored via Cabot Animal Support Services, the Animal Field Services’ professional team of animal service officers handle a myriad of field services calls each day. The following are the most common field service duties of your animal service officer team:
When the City of Cabot Animal Control was formed, stray dogs running throughout the community not only posed a significant risk to the public, but a danger was also posed to the animal as well. Dogs were often hit by cars, involved in territorial disputes with one another and/or were mistreated by uncaring people.
Today, Cabot Animal Control has evolved into Animal Field Services of the Cabot Animal Support Services Department, providing protection to both animals and people, in addition to many other services.
If you suspect or know of animal cruelty, abuse, neglect, or illegal animal fighting occurring in Cabot, please contact us.
One of the primary goals of the Department is to protect people and animals from dangerous dogs. Dangerous dogs create unstable and unsafe neighborhoods, frighten residents, and cause harm to victims of their bites or attacks. The Department provides many services in response to dangerous dogs.
Every dog and cat living in the City of Cabot and over the age of 4 months must be licensed.
You can purchase your Cabot dog and cat license at the Animal Shelter, 2951 S. First St. during lobby business hours, which is open Monday through Friday from noon to 5 pm or via phone during regular business hours from 8am to 5pm. More information.
You must provide proof of current rabies vaccination and, if applicable, a veterinarian certificate of spay or neuter. Spayed or neutered dog and cat licenses are reduced price ($5 per year spayed/neutered, $15 per year not spayed/neutered)
The Cabot Animal Support Service Officers issues two types of citations.
The role of the administrative “warning” citation is to give violators a chance to cure their violations without financial penalty.
We believe that public education and community support are generally all that is needed to help our community become a more humane community with an emphasis on animal welfare, public safety, and the promotion of the human/animal bond.
The role of the District Court Citation is to give violators a strong financial incentive to cure their violations when education fails or is not an option, based on the circumstances surrounding the officer’s visit.
Once Citation is issued:
Animal Field Services handles dangerous and vicious dogs in the City of Cabot. Call Cabot Animal Field Services at 501-843-2021 if a dog seems dangerous. If the dog is threatening, call 9-1-1.
Call Animal Field Services if a person has been attacked, bitten, or scratched by a domestic or wild animal and emergency care is not needed. If the person needs emergency care, call 9-1-1. City of Cabot Citizens should call 501-843-2021 for all animal services issues.
All animal bites must be reported to Animal Field Services per Arkansas Law.
Owners of dogs involved in bite cases must provide a current rabies vaccination certificate to Animal Field Services. If the animal is not currently vaccinated or if the vaccination status is unknown, the animal will be placed in quarantine and observed by a veterinarian.
Animals that are currently vaccinated and that were restrained at the time the bite occurred qualify for home observation.
The Department is responsible for making sure that animals are cared for properly in their environments (pet shops, grooming parlors, etc.).
Our Animal Field Services Officers are responsible for inspecting dog and cat kennels, pet shops, grooming parlors, animal exhibition events, animal menageries, and mobile groomers. They also inspect facilities with guard dogs, circuses, and establishments that require a conditional use permit. When necessary, they issue orders to comply and/or citations to appear in court to enforce city ordinances.
This division has the responsibility of conducting inspections annually and additionally as situations arise. The officers works closely with Cabot Animal Support Services staff as well as with the City of Cabot Police, Fire, and Public Works’ Department and State agencies such as the Arkansas Department of Health and Arkansas Department of Game and Fish. Staff takes a proactive approach to ensure the health and safety of animals by inspecting unlicensed and licensed animal businesses within our jurisdictions and enforcing all applicable ordinances and laws.
It is part of our mission to help people and animals live harmoniously together in their community. Nevertheless, there are times when certain behaviors disrupt residents’ peaceful enjoyment of their homes and property. Listed below are some common community nuisance issues involving pets, and information regarding the applicable laws and ordinances that address them.
Excessive accumulation of animal waste on a pet owner’s property creates unsanitary conditions that are offensive to neighbors and unsafe for people and pets. Pet owners who fail to pick up waste deposited by their pets while on walks also contribute to unsanitary conditions for others. Pet owners are required by City Municipal Code to ensure their pets are not a nuisance to others. This includes regularly removing and disposing of pet waste from one’s private property as well as removing and discarding their pet’s waste that has been deposited on others’ property as well as public property.
The City Municipal Code requires that dogs be restrained on a substantial leash by a person capable of controlling the dog while on public property or commons areas of private property. It is unlawful to allow dogs to run at large. Allowing dogs to run loose is extremely dangerous for them. Dogs at large may be hit by cars, attacked by other animals, or exposed to dangerous substances such as poisons. Unsterilized dogs at large will breed with other unsterilized dogs and create more unwanted pets in the community. Pet owners are encouraged to be responsible and ensure their pets are safely restricted to their personal property.
While the City of Cabot recognizes the Community Cat environment for cats, cat owners are still prohibited from allowing their cats to be nuisances to others. Sometimes, free-roaming cats trespass onto other peoples’ properties, using flower beds or sandboxes for litter boxes. This causes unsanitary conditions and is unlawful.
The City of Cabot Animal Field Services (“Animal Field Services”) exists to rescue and protect animals, consistent with the need to protect citizens against imminent threats to public health and safety. To that end, Animal Field Services shall educate and inform the public regarding coexistence with wildlife. Animal Field Services shall not trap, relocate, or kill any healthy wildlife, nor shall it aid or assist any person in such activity. Animal Field Service Staff will no longer provide traps for any type of animal. Animal Field Services Staff will continue to educate the public with alternatives and address any concerns that may arise on a case by case basis.
Nothing in this policy shall preclude the rescue and immediate release of an animal, nor change current practice with regard to the handling of sick, suffering, or dead animals or animals which pose an imminent threat to public health or safety.
Should you encounter a sick or injured wild animal, do not approach or handle the animal. Please contact us immediately. NEVER TOUCH A BAT!
Skunks, raccoons, opossums, (and in some cases bears) are nocturnal or nighttime active animals and are often attracted to residential areas by the availability of food, water, and shelter. Removing or eliminating the availability of these elements will often encourage these animals to leave.
Remove unused pet food and water bowls at night.
Keep tight fitting lids on garbage cans or store garbage inside a secure area. Do not store trash in trash bags outdoors.
Gardens should be harvested frequently and windfall fruit picked up.
Keep pet access doors locked in the evening.
Seal up entry holes in and under buildings, eaves, air ducts, and decks.
Wild animals causing lawn and turf damage may be encouraged to leave by controlling grub worms and other subsoil insects.
Wild animals may be kept away from roof areas by trimming tree branches 10 feet from roof and by keeping climbing plants trimmed away from roof area and eaves.
Food and water should never be intentionally left out for wild animals.
Arkansas is subject to many types of natural disasters such as tornadoes, wildfires, and floods. Local emergencies such as power outages, chemical spills, or other events can also disrupt normal activities. Being prepared for these situations will help you protect your pet.
The City of Cabot and the Cabot Animal Support Services Department is prepared to respond to most disasters within our service area. We have Mutual Assistance Agreements with other agencies at the local, county, and state level.
The primary goals of our Animal Emergency Response are
It is estimated that more than half of City of Cabot households include domestic animals. Any natural or manmade disaster may result in potential public health and safety threats and may cause the displacement and evacuation of large numbers of people and their animals. To help ease the anxiety (of both the pet and pet owner) during these times, the Department utilizes rescue and housing methods conducive to retaining the human/animal bond necessary to the health of the animal and their human counterparts.
Every dog owner in the City of Cabot is responsible for knowing the City’s rules and regulations governing both owner and animal behavior. Given below is our “Quick Guide to Owning a Dog in Cabot.”
Every dog owner in the City of Cabot is responsible for knowing the City’s rules and regulations governing both owner and animal behavior. Given below is our “Quick Guide to Owning a Cat in Cabot.”