Our Animal Control team is committed to providing efficient and compassionate services to ensure the safety and welfare of both animals and people in our community. Our team is available to respond to reports of stray or lost animals, investigate animal cruelty cases, and enforce animal-related laws.

Schedule

The Animal Control Officer provides twenty (20) hours of service in Sunnyside each week; days and hours vary for optimal coverage. We also subcontract with City of Grandview to provide 20 hours of Animal Control each week. All calls for animal issues of any kind are welcome, but please note that emergency calls take precedence. If the Animal Control Officer is not on duty when you call, your animal complaint will be dealt when they return.

Complaints

Animal Control Officers respond to citizen complaints regarding nuisance dogs, such as barking, running loose and keeping dogs in a nauseous, foul or offensive manner. Animal Control Officers also respond to sick and injured animals, as well as removing dead animals from streets and sidewalks. They investigate reports of animal abuse and neglect to assure the welfare of animals is being met. They respond to reports of dangerous dogs that are threatening the safety of people and their animals, and to incidents of dog bites. Animal Control Officers have the ability to charge people with violations of the Sunnyside Municipal Code pertaining to animals.

To report animal abuse, neglect or cruelty in the City of Sunnyside, please call the city Police Department at (509) 836-6200.

• All animals picked up by Animal Control Officers are housed at the Sunnyside Police Department. Any strays found without identification will be placed on a 3 day stray hold, then the animal may be subject to transfer to a different adoption agency or rescue.
• Any animals found with identification will be placed on a 5 day hold, during the hold the animal control officer will make attempts to locate and contact the owner to return the animal home. The animal may then be subject to transfer to a different adoption agency or rescue.

City ordinances regarding animals and pets can be found in Title 6 of the Sunnyside Municipal Code.

Dog Licensing

Sunnyside Animal Control will be conducting a licensing enforcement through out the City. Any dog owner found without a license will be subject to an infraction for violation Sunnyside Municipal Code 6.04.090 Dog registration and license required. Any dog licenses acquired after May 1st are subject to a late fee of $51, unless the dog owner can provide proof of ownership was acquired after May 1st. Any dog acquired after May 1st the dog owner has to license their dog within 30 days.

Complete the Dog License Application and bring it to City Hall at 818 E. Edison Avenue, Sunnyside, WA 98944 to pay fees and pick up your dog tag.

Animal Bites

To report an animal bite, contact us or the Yakima Health District at (509) 575-4040 or visit their website.