The Town of Wickenburg strives to promote responsible pet ownership by partnering with K9 Konnection and the Humane Society of Wickenburg to offer local services to Wickenburg residents, while also supporting local non-profit organizations. 

Stray Dogs

If you call the Wickenburg Police Department (WPD) with a report of a stray dog, several questions will be asked by the dispatcher fielding your call. Those questions will include:

• The current location of the dog.
• The direction of travel of the dog.
• The description of the dog. Please provide information such as color, markings, breed type, length of hair, etc. whenever possible.
• What the dog is currently doing.
• Whether the dog is aggressive.
• Whether you can determine if the dog has a tag, license, and/or collar.
• Whether the dog is sick or injured.

Once all information is gathered, a WPD officer will be dispatched to contain the dog and attempt to reunite the dog to its owner(s). Per A.R.S. Title 11-1013, all stray dogs are required to be held for a minimum of 72 hours/3 days or 120 hours/5 days if the animal is found with a microchip, license, or other discernible form of owner identification. 

All stray dogs that are contained by WPD will be held at: 

K9 Konnection
903 E Wickenburg Way
Wickenburg, AZ 96390
(928) 232-2611

Pet Reunification

The Wickenburg Police Department attempts to reunite pets with their owners whenever possible. All stray dogs are checked for tags and/or license and scanned for a microchip prior to being sent for their stray hold with K9 Konnection.

Good tips to help your pet be returned to you include:

1. Microchipping your pet. 
2. Keeping a collar and tag/license, with updated contact information, on your pet.
3. If lost, post your animal on social media with descriptions of your pet and where they were last seen.
4. Make sure your contact information is always up to date with your licensing agency and microchip company.
5. Contact WPD to check if your animal has been reported, seen/found, and to report the animal lost. 

If an owner is found after the dog has been placed into the custody of K9 Konnection, it will be the owner’s responsibility to contact K9 Konnection directly to arrange for the return of their pet. K9 Konnection does retain the right to charge applicable fees for the cost of care for any animal within their shelter.

If an owner fails to claim ownership of their dog within the time period mandated by law, the ownership of the dog will be turned over to K9 Konnection for the disposition that they feel is appropriate for the animal.

Dog Licenses

Town of Wickenburg Licensing
Per TOW Ordinance 7.1.5, all dog(s) three (3) months of age or older that are kept, harbored, or maintained within the Town of Wickenburg limits for at least thirty (30) consecutive days of each calendar year shall be required to maintain a license through the Wickenburg Police Department. Licensing is similar to county entities in that proof of rabies vaccination shall be required at the time of licensing and be required to be up to date throughout the licensing period. Owners shall be required to send updated rabies certificates as completed if in the middle of a renewal period.

Town of Wickenburg Dog Licensing Fees

• Altered $10.00
• Unaltered $30.00

*Please note that dogs originally registered as unaltered may have $20.00 waived from their fee if the animal is altered within thirty (30) days of the licensing.

Maricopa County Licensing
Per Maricopa County Ordinance No. 13, all dogs three (3) months of age or older that reside within Maricopa County for thirty (30) consecutive days or more is required to be licensed through the county. Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (MCACC) is the controlling entity who monitors, manages, and cites for this ordinance. Any Wickenburg residence within Maricopa County is required to maintain a license with the Town of Wickenburg and Maricopa County.

Yavapai County Licensing
Per A.R.S. 11-1008, any dog three (3) months of age or older that reside within unincorporated areas of Yavapai County for thirty (30) consecutive days or more are required to maintain a license through the county. Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office is the controlling entity who monitors, manages, and cites for this law. However, any person who resides within the Town of Wickenburg limits shall only be required to hold a license through the Town with a license through the county being optional. 

Sick & Injured Strays

The Wickenburg Police Department responds to all calls regarding sick and injured domestic stray animals regardless of species. The Wickenburg Police Department will assist in transporting and/or contacting an appropriate organization or business to assure much needed medical attention is received whenever possible. 

Animal Cruelty Investigations

The Wickenburg Police Department responds to any reports of possible animal cruelty and/or neglect. Some situations that may warrant investigation include abuse, neglect (failure to provide shelter or water), hoarding, and more. If you have concerns for an animal’s welfare, you may contact our non-emergency number at (928) 684-5411 and speak with an on-duty communications specialist about having an officer respond to investigate the situation.

Feral Cats

There is no regulating party regarding feral or stray cats within the State of Arizona. Cats are considered a free-roaming animal and no agency, including the Wickenburg Police Department, shall participate in the removal of stray or feral cats. It is recommended to assist in the population of feral cats to participate in a Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) Program that is actively offered through the Humane Society of Wickenburg, as well as many other non-profits. This program traps and alters feral cats and releases them back to their original area to live out their lives without having additional unwanted litters that increases the feral cat population. Non-profit agencies may be contacted directly for assistance and further information about the TNR Program.

Animal Bites and Rabies Exposure

The Wickenburg Police Department is the established agency to take reports of mammalian bites to both animals and humans. WPD can take information and/or report on any bite that occurs within Town limits but only bites from a mammal to human shall be reported to the appropriate county agency. The Town of Wickenburg lies within the two neighboring counties of Maricopa and Yavapai, and each county has set agencies that monitors animal to human bites for the possible exposure to rabies. The designated rabies control agencies for each county are:

• Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (MCACC)
• Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, Animal Control Division (YCSO)

*Please note that regardless if you believe a biting animal is afflicted with rabies, all bites to a person from a mammal must be reported to WPD who subsequently report it to MCACC or YCSO.

Symptoms of rabies in animals can include:

• changes in attitude and behavior
• changes to bark, vocals, or sound
• dropped jaw
• excessive salivation
• extreme excitability
• fever
• hydrophobia (fear of water)
• paralysis
• pica (appetite for non-nutritious substances)
• seizures
• shyness or aggression
• unable to swallow
• Astasis (difficulty walking, standing, etc.)

*Please note that a combination of these symptoms does not positively indicate that an animal has rabies but are indications that, based on circumstances, the animal may require veterinary intervention.

If you believe an animal is rabid, regardless if it has bitten someone, please report the animal as soon as possible. The goal of the WPD is to help prevent exposure of rabies, and we will take the necessary steps to attempt to have the animal contained, if possible, and evaluated by a licensed veterinarian. 

*Please note that testing for rabies can only be done post-mortem and only occurs on animals that have shown symptoms of possible rabies and has caused a bite to a human.

Snake or Reptile Removal

Please contact the Wickenburg non-emergency line at (928) 684-5411 for immediate assistance in the removal of snakes and/or other reptiles. Please know that removal of such animals is based on availability of personnel with the Wickenburg Fire Department. The Wickenburg Police Department will not respond to non-emergency situations involving snakes and/or reptiles. Private businesses or organizations can also be contacted at the expense of the caller.