The City of Des Moines this month signed a contract with C.A.R.E.S. of Burien Animal Control to create C.A.R.E.S. of Des Moines, which will provide Dedicated Animal Control Services to the city.

The Community Animal Resource Education Society (C.A.R.E.S.) is a nonprofit 501C(3) corporation, and will provide animal care and control services for the City of Des Moines, per a contract authorized by the Des Moines City Council on June 9, 2022.

Formerly, the city had its own dedicated Animal Care and Control Officer via the Des Moines Police Department, but when Jan Magnuson retired in 2019, the city never replaced her.

Nathan Miller is the officer assigned to Des Moines. He has been with C.A.R.E.S. of Burien since October, and has gone through NACA training level 1 and 2.

“This is an overall contract so our entire team will be involved in servicing Des Moines and Burien,” Executive Director Debra George told The Waterland Blog.

C.A.R.E.S. is now responsible for 24/7 Des Moines Animal Control services including:

    • Responding to dog bites and dangerous dog reports.
    • Impounding stray dogs.
    • Providing educational information about pets and pet ownership.
    • Rescuing sick/injured domestic animals (not wildlife).
    • Enforcing the Des Moines Municipal Code Title 8 Animals.

C.A.R.E.S. is managed by Burien CARES Animal Control, which has been providing animal control services for the City of Burien since 2011. According to its website, it is a non-profit 501 c(3) Corporation that provides animal care and control authority for the city of Burien, and now Des Moines. It operates as a no-kill community animal shelter that houses and cares for Burien’s strays, and adopts out unclaimed animals to new loving families.

If a public safety emergency is occurring, like an in-progress vicious dog attack, CALL 911

All other Calls (Lost or Found Pets) Call: (206) 812-2737.

To report via email: [email protected].

For more information, visit https://www.caresanimalcontrol.org.