State guide
New Jersey
New Jersey’s animal control system is primarily municipal: the state health department says Animal Control Officers are contacted through municipal police departments and local health departments, and every municipality must use a licensed impoundment facility. For wildlife, NJDEP Fish & Wildlife directs the public to licensed wildlife rehabilitators and says people should contact a rehabilitator or local animal control officer before interfering with injured or apparently orphaned wildlife.
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
- Animal control is usually municipal in New Jersey: licensed Animal Control Officers are contacted through municipal police or local health departments, and each municipality must use a licensed impoundment facility.
- State wildlife agency (nuisance and injured wildlife)
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Fish & Wildlife
- Nuisance wildlife help
- Official page →
- Reporting an animal bite
- Animal bites must be reported to the local health department; NJDOH guidance says the attending physician, the bite victim, or a parent/guardian may report, and bites should not be reported directly to NJDOH.
- State rabies contact
- Darby McDermott, NJ State Public Health Veterinarian, New Jersey Department of Health
Official resources in New Jersey
Explains how municipal animal control works in New Jersey and where nuisance wildlife questions are routed.
State guidance on what to do with injured, sick, or apparently orphaned wildlife.
Official NJDEP wildlife rehabilitator help page and locator entry point.
State rabies information page with exposure guidance and links to local health departments.
Key facts for New Jersey
- NJDOH says ACOs are contacted through municipal police departments and local health departments.
- Every municipality must use a licensed impoundment facility where stray animals are taken and held for owners to reclaim.
- NJ Fish & Wildlife says it is unlawful for people without a wildlife rehabilitation permit to possess injured, orphaned, or ill wildlife.
- New Jersey statutes require animal bites to be reported to the local health department.
- NJDOH says animal bites should not be reported directly to the state department; local health departments handle them.
- The NJ State Public Health Veterinarian oversees the Office of Veterinary Public Health, including rabies vaccination clinic support and animal-control programs.
Local animal control offices in New Jersey
| Office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Division of Animal Care & Control Hudson | Jersey City | 201-547-4888 | Handles animal requests, nuisance complaints, dangerous dogs, dog bites, impounds, sheltering, adoptions, and licensing. |
| Animal Control Bureau Essex | Newark | 973-733-4311 | Provides pickup of stray, sick, injured, or unwanted domestic animals and wildlife and investigates complaints. |
| Animal Control Passaic | Paterson | (973) 881-3640 | City animal control office listed by Paterson with public contact information and hours. |
| Trenton Animal Control Office (TAS) Mercer | Trenton | 609-989-3242, ext. | Listed by Trenton’s health division as the city animal control office. |
| Bergen County Animal Shelter & Adoption Center Bergen | Teterboro | Not published* | County shelter and adoption center; the county directory also lists county animal control. |
* 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 domestic animal issue is urgent, call your municipal police department or local health department and ask for the Animal Control Officer.
- If wildlife is injured or appears orphaned, call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or local animal control before moving it.
- After any bite, wash the wound, seek medical care, and report the bite to the local health department where the animal is located.
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 New Jersey's population center, for comparison only):
- NYC Health - Report an Animal Bite / Veterinary Public Health Services, New York · about 31 miles
- NYC Health Animal Bite Unit, New York · about 31 miles
- Nassau County Department of Health - Rabies & Animal Bites, New York · about 47 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.NJDOH Veterinary Public Health - Animal Control
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the New Jersey page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.