Martinsville Police Department

Animal Control

The City of Martinsville Animal Pound is located at 300 Clearview Dr Martinsville, Va. The mailing address is Martinsville Animal Control PO Box 1101 Martinsville, VA 24114 and the phone number is 276-403-5309.

The Animal Control office is open Monday – Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Animal Bites
Wild Animal Bites
Barking Dogs
Lost or Found Dogs
Reclaiming your animal or Adoption of an animal from our Animal Shelter
Dogs Running at Large
Rabies Inoculation for Pets
SPCA of Martinsville Henry County

Animal Bites

All animal bites of human beings must be reported to the Martinsville/Henry County Health Department, 276-638-2311, or the Martinsville Police department, 276-403-5309, within 24 hours.

Wild Animal Bites

Should your pet be bitten or scratched by a wild animal, report it as soon as possible to the Heath Department or Animal Control authorities. If you see a wild animal acting strangely, report it to Animal Control. Do not go near the wild animal.

Barking Dogs

Barking dogs bring almost daily complaints to the City of Martinsville Police Department, particularly in warm weather when windows are open. All barking dog complaints will be investigated by Animal Control or the Police Department. Owners of barking dogs may be in violation of the city’s noisy dog ordinance 13-11 section 5

In addition to being against the law, it is extremely inconsiderate to allow your dog to bark when unnecessary. If your dog is barking, investigate the cause.

To report a dog that barks loudly and frequently, contact the City of Martinsville Police Department’s Animal Control Officer at 276-403-5309.

Lost or Found Dogs

If you have a lost dog in the city or have found a dog running loose, there are several steps that should be taken for the safety of the dog as well as the public. A dog running free is in danger. It could be hit by a car, or eat discarded and possibly poisonous foods. Loose dogs also can scatter trash and cause damage to neighbor’s lawns.

To report a lost or found dog, contact the Animal Control Officer by calling 276-403-5309. When reporting a lost or found dog, provide a description of the dog and any information on the dog’s tag. You can view the animals we have currently housed in our Animal Shelter by clicking here.

Reclaiming your animal or Adoption of an animal from our Animal Shelter

If your animal has been picked up and placed in our Animal Shelter. There are several steps you must perform to reclaim your animal. A dog or cat impounded at our Animal Shelter shall be released to the owner within the first five (5) days or at any time thereafter that the dog is still confined in the dog pound, upon the owner showing proof of ownership, current vaccination certificate, and proper licensing of the dog, and upon payment of the cost of impoundment at the rate of thirty dollars ($30.00) for the first day, and an additional five dollars ($5.00) for each day thereafter. If you are the owner, you will need to provide some type of documentation/pictures/etc. to prove that the animal is yours. You will need to contact our Animal Control Officer or Records unit to advise them that you are the owner of a specific animal and that you intend to come and claim it. Once you have done this, you will be advised of the current charges that you will need to pay to the City Treasurer, and then a time can be arranged for you to claim your animal.

There are several City ordinances regarding adoption of an animal from our shelter, and some of these ordinances also pertain to reclaiming your animal. These are available for viewing by clicking on the links below. (note: Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view these and can be downloaded for free from here.)

Sec. 5-37 Limitation of dogs
Sec. 5-40. Vaccination against rabies of dogs and domesticated cats: proof of cat ownership
Sec. 5-47. City Dog Pound; confinement and disposition of animals
Sec. 5-47.1. Sterilization of adopted dogs and cats: enforcement; civil penalty
Sec. 5-47.2. Sterilization agreement
Sec. 5-47.3. Sterilization confirmation: civil penalty
Sec. 5-47.4. Notification concerning lost, stolen or dead dogs or cats; civil penalty
Sec. 5-47.5. Exemptions

Dogs Running at Large

The City of Martinsville ordinance 5.41 requires owners of all dogs to keep them confined on their premises, unless the dogs are leashed in such a manner that persons or animals will not be bitten.

Rabies Inoculation for Pets

If you own a dog or cat that is 4 months old or older, it is required by law to have its first rabies inoculation. The city ordinance 5-40 requires that all dogs and cats 4 months of age and older shall be vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian, who shall provide that owner of the animal with a certificate of vaccination and a rabies tag.

You may also contact the SPCA of Martinsville Henry County. Click their logo above to go to their website. They are a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for animals and people in our community. They operate an adoption center at 132 Joseph Martin Highway, or you may call them at 276-638-PAWS (7297)