Animal Control

Mission: 

"To serve and protect the public and promote a safer community through responsible animal ownership and humane care."

Responsibilities

Animal Control in Middlesex County is handled by the Middlesex Sheriff's Office.  Animal Control is responsible for maintaining proper humane care and treatment of all animals within the county while supporting all other local and state public safety and health agencies. Our goal is to protect the citizens of Middlesex and the Town of Urbanna, their pets, livestock, and the surrounding wildlife.  The Animal Control Officers can be reached by calling Dispatch at 804-758-2779.

Animal Control responds to calls every day, including nights, weekends and holidays.  They operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, handling all types of calls, including emergencies.  The following situations would constitute an emergency:

• Animal bite to a person
• Animal threatening bodily harm
• Injured animals
• Livestock or poultry kills
• Possible rabid animal

In the event of an emergency, please call Dispatch at 804-758-2779.

Nuisance Animals

Learn what the definition of a nuisance animal is and how it could affect you.  

Animal Care and Control Ordinance

Discover valuable information in the County's Animal Care and Control Ordinance.

Wildlife Information

Virginia DWR (Department of Wildlife Resources) (formerly known as Department of Game and Inland Fisheries) offers information on wildlife and habitat, hunting, fishing, boating, etc.  

Visit Virginia DWR Wildlife and Habitat for information regarding the handling of injured and orphaned wildlife.

If a wild animal has been injured or truly orphaned, locate a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for help.  This site offers a comprehensive list of wildlife rehabilitators statewide.  If there is no listing for your county, look for a rehabilitator in an adjacent county.  Please remember it is illegal to keep or care for orphaned, sick, or injured wildlife unless you are a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.  Please be mindful that rehabilitators are private citizens.  Telephone calls to rehabilitators should be limited to daytime hours only.  The phone numbers listed may not be able to accept text messaging, so please call them directly.

Additional wildlife information may be obtained from the county's Wildlife Issues page.

Deceased Animals

For deceased animals that are in the roadway or ditch, call the Virginia Department of Transportation at 804-758-2321.

For deceased animals that are on private property, disposal is the responsibility of the property owner.