Animal Care Services

Neighborhoods should be safe for people and animals. Public health should be protected against rabies and other animal diseases dangerous to humans. Alamo Heights Animal Care Services strives to address the dangers and nuisances caused by unrestrained pets as well as to protect pets from abuse, neglect, and homelessness.

The primary focus of Animal Care Service is to re-unite pets with their owners when they are wearing collars having rabies vaccination and/or owner identification tags, match descriptions provided by owners for lost pets or those having a readable microchip implant. Should those efforts fail, displaced pets are provided with safe, temporary shelter and, if injured, necessary veterinary care.

The Animal Care Services Department primary goal to reunite every pet with it’s owner but for those who are unclaimed we attempt to get them adopted through our program or transferred to a animal rescue organization.

Visit our Facebook Page for information on lost and found pets and upcoming events for all pet lovers in AH.

Chapter 4 of the Alamo Heights City Codes provides for animal control, to include licenses and registration, rabies protection, domestic pets running at large, animal bite procedures, impoundment, and disposition of unclaimed domestic animals.

When a pet is picked up, it will be transported to the one of the contracted veterinary offices or boarding facilities for five (5) working days. Owners should call the Alamo Heights Animal Care Services at acs@alamoheightstx.gov or 210-832-2216 to look for missing/lost pets within this five (5) working day period. 

If the pet is impounded, the owner will need proof of ownership. This can be the rabies certificate (preferred), a current photo of the animal or vet records. In order to reclaim an impounded dog or cat the owner must secure a release form from the Alamo Heights Police Department. Release forms are issued upon:

• payment of (1) a license fee (if unregistered);
• an administrative fee (if applicable);
• payment of all boarding charges due the impoundment facility;
• proof of current rabies vaccination. If proof of current rabies vaccination cannot be provided, the animal must be vaccinated, at the owner’s expense, prior to the animal being released