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Complaint Procedure
Dog Complaints
When you call the Shelter to make a complaint you will be speaking to the Dispatcher, not an Animal Control Officer (ACO). The Dispatcher will take your complaint along with your name, address, and phone number, and the complaint will then be dispatched to the ACO. If you wish to complain about a specific party, we will need their address and the nearest cross street.
If you would like the ACO to stop at your house so you may speak to them in person please advise the Dispatcher and the complaint will be written up accordingly. Remember, when the ACO is called they will not discriminate between your neighbor's and / or your dog. Any loose dogs at the time of there visit will be in violation of Brookhaven Town Code and will be picked up and brought back to the Shelter.
There are no laws concerning or governing cats in New York State. The Shelter will accept owners' cats, pending available space, to avoid abandonment, but they must be brought to the Shelter and signed over. We do not pick up stray cats unless they are sick or injured and contained.
Other Phone Numbers
Our shelter does not handle the following calls, but here are some helpful references to answer your questions:
- Barking Dogs Phone: 631-451-6161
- Dead animals on County roads Phone: 631-852-4070
- Dead animals on State roads, LIE Phone: 631-732-5144
- DEC, Injured Deer Phone: 631-444-0250
- Humane Complaints Phone: 631-382-7722
- Star Wildlife Phone: 631-736-8207
For Animal Control complaints after hours please call Public Safety at 631-451-6161.
Other Animal Complaints
If you are experiencing an issue in which involves animals other than dogs, cats and wildlife you may reach out to the Animal Shelter for assistance in reporting a complaint. When you call the Shelter, you will be speaking to the Dispatcher, not an Animal Control Officer (ACO). The Dispatcher will take your complaint along with your name, address, and phone number, and the complaint will then be dispatched to the ACO. The Shelter does not handle anonymous calls.
If you wish to complain about a specific party, we will need their address and the nearest cross street in order to respond. Sometimes "the third house on the left of the dead end" is not sufficient. If you also want the ACO to stop at your house, advise the Dispatcher and the complaint will be written up accordingly.