Animal Control
The Erie Police Department can respond to reports involving animal abuse or neglect, barking dog complaints, dog bites, stray or unrestrained dogs or cats, or trapped dogs or cats. Officers are dispatched to animal concerns by calling 303-441-4444.
The Erie Police Department does not respond to calls regarding wildlife (non-domestic animals).
During business hours, contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife at 303-291-7227. After business hours, contact the Colorado State Patrol at 303-239-4501.
Officers are not equipped to handle nuisance animals such as snakes, squirrels, bats, skunks, raccoons, or other wildlife.
For these, please contact a relocation or removal service.
Dog Licenses
Dogs owned by residents in the Town of Erie must be licensed. Every owner of a dog over six months of age shall have the animal licensed within 30 days after it is brought into the Town. These licenses expire when the licensed dog's rabies vaccination expires.
Dog licensing is a FREE ticket home, meaning that if your dog is licensed, animal control can find their contact information (owner's name and address) and help get your four-legged family member home safely.
Request a dog license here.
Leash Laws
Anyone having charge, care, custody, or control of any dog of any age shall keep such dog upon his own premises unless they are under the control of a competent person and on a leash or chain not over 15 feet long. Animals allowed to roam are a nuisance and are in danger of injury from cars and other animals. Stray animals are impounded at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, and owners must contact them to claim their animals and pay impound fees.
For more, view the Town Ordinances.
Report Coyote Encounters
If you encounter a coyote behaving aggressively or a coyote attack, we urge you to contact our dispatch at 303-441-4444. Ask to speak to an officer who will forward the details to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife. You need not report directly to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Minimize Conflict
- Never feed coyotes.
- Feed cats and dogs, as well as other pets, indoors.
- Keep garbage and compost in securely closed cans or inside a storage area.
- Keep cats and dogs indoors or in completely enclosed runs, especially at night.
- Keep dogs on short leashes while walking and attend outside.
- Take a walking stick, pepper spray, or other non-lethal means to repel coyotes while on trails.
- Clean under bird feeders and ensure that feeders are out of reach of coyotes.
- Clean barbeque grills regularly, including the ground around the grill.
- Secure and maintain fences in good working order (do not assume the fence will keep coyotes out).
- Have noisemakers available to scare away coyotes that may enter your yard.
More
According to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, mountain lions are generally calm, quiet, and elusive. They tend to live in remote, primitive country. Lions are most commonly found in areas with plentiful deer and adequate cover. Such conditions exist in mountain subdivisions, urban fringes, and open spaces. Consequently, the number of mountain lion/human interactions has increased. This increase is likely due to a variety of reasons—more people moving into lion habitat, increase in deer populations and density, presumed increase in lion numbers and expanded range, more people using hiking and running trails in lion habitat, and a greater awareness of the presence of lions.
Encounter a Mountain Lion
People rarely get more than a brief glimpse of a mountain lion in the wild. Lion attacks on people are rare, with fewer than a dozen fatalities in North America in more than 100 years. Most of the attacks were by young lions, perhaps forced out to hunt on their own and not yet living in established areas. Young lions may key in on easy prey, like pets and small children.
No studies have been done to determine what to do if you meet a lion. But based on observations by people who have come upon lions, some patterns of behavior and response are beginning to emerge. With this in mind, the following suggestions may be helpful.
Remember: Every situation is different with respect to the lion, the terrain, the people, and their activity.
- Do not approach a lion, especially one that is feeding or with kittens. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
- Stay calm when you come upon a lion. Talk calmly yet firmly to it. Move slowly.
- Stop or back away slowly, if you can do it safely. Running may stimulate a lion's instinct to chase and attack. Face the lion and stand upright.
- Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you're wearing one. If you have small children with you, protect them by picking them up so they won't panic and run.
- If the lion behaves aggressively, throw stones, branches or whatever you can get your hands on without crouching down or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly. What you want to do is convince the lion you are not prey and that you may in fact be a danger to the lion.
- Fight back if a lion attacks you. Lions have been driven away by prey that fights back. People have fought back with rocks, sticks, caps or jackets, garden tools and their bare hands successfully. Remain standing or try to get back up!