State guide
Arizona
Arizona commonly uses county animal care or animal control agencies, especially in larger counties, but the state rabies manual also lists many city and police-run animal-control contacts. Maricopa County says its officers serve 17 cities and towns plus many unincorporated communities, showing how county-centered service is common in much of the state.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who handles animal control locally
- Usually a county animal care or animal control agency, though some cities and police departments run local animal-control programs.
- State wildlife agency (nuisance and injured wildlife)
- Arizona Game and Fish Department
- Nuisance wildlife help
- Official page →
- Reporting an animal bite
- Report the bite to the local health department and notify local animal control to capture the animal for rabies testing when appropriate.
- State rabies contact
- Arizona Department of Health Services, Vector-borne & Zoonotic Disease team
Official resources in Arizona
State rabies hub with animal-control offices, rabies guidance, and the Arizona rabies manual.
Official ADHS manual with bite-management guidance, animal-control contacts, and rabies specimen procedures.
State wildlife licensing page explaining Arizona’s wildlife rehabilitation license requirements.
State wildlife center page for Arizona Game and Fish public-facing wildlife assistance resources.
Arizona Game and Fish page linking to wildlife rehabilitation licensing materials and related forms.
Key facts for Arizona
- ADHS publishes both an AZ Animal Control Offices list and an AZ Rabies Control & Bite Management Manual.
- The ADHS rabies manual says a person bitten by a wild animal should report the bite to the local health department.
- The same manual says local animal control should be notified to capture the animal for rabies testing.
- ADHS rabies materials list the Vector-borne & Zoonotic Disease team at vbzd@azdhs.gov and 602-364-3676.
- Maricopa County says its Animal Care and Control field team serves 17 cities and towns, 1 tribal nation, and 32 unincorporated towns.
- Arizona Game and Fish says a wildlife rehabilitation license is issued solely to restore and return wildlife to the wild.
Local animal control offices in Arizona
| Office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maricopa County Animal Care & Control Maricopa | Phoenix / Mesa | 602-506-7387 | Public animal shelter and county animal-control agency with East and West shelter locations. |
| Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) Pima | Tucson | 520-724-5900 | County animal-care center; Pima County’s rabies page directs callers there for animal emergencies and bite-related situations. |
| Coconino County Animal Services Coconino | Flagstaff | (928) 679-8756 | County animal services office listed under Coconino County Health and Human Services. |
| Pinal County Animal Care and Control Pinal | Florence | 520-509-3555 | County office whose animal control officers handle leash laws, licensing, cruelty, bites, rabies concerns, noise, and waste complaints. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- If a person is bitten, wash the wound, contact your local health department, and notify local animal control so the animal can be evaluated or captured if needed.
- For sick or injured wildlife, contact Arizona Game and Fish or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator rather than trying to keep the animal yourself.
- In larger Arizona counties, start with the county animal care/animal control office even if you live inside a smaller city or town.
Not seeing your office or county?
Not every office publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Arizona's population center, for comparison only):
- City of Henderson Animal Protection Services, Nevada · about 245 miles
- City of North Las Vegas Animal Protection Services, Nevada · about 262 miles
- City of Las Vegas Animal Protection Services, Nevada · about 265 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Arizona Department of Health Services - Rabies
Website →Phone: (602) 542-1025 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Arizona page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.