Keep your pets legal, licensed

Return to the Discover Guide / Potomac News
Published: July 31, 2008

Animal control and animal shelters play a large role in protecting and helping citizens and homeless, stray and unwanted pets as the local area continues to grow.

With nearly 300 million Americans owning close to 400 million pets, the number of pets in the local area is not likely to go down as more people move into the area. The more pets, the greater the chances of animals running loose, getting lost, causing problems and needing new homes.

While many of the laws pertaining to pets are the same in Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park, there are some differences.

For instance, all dogs 4 months and older must be inoculated against rabies and have a county or city dog license. All cats 4 months and older must have a rabies inoculation.

In Manassas Park, cats 4 months and older are also required to be licensed.

The fee for a license in Manassas is $5 for spayed or neutered dogs and $10 for others. Manassas Park charges $5 for spayed or neutered dogs and cats and $10 for intact animals. Prince William County has an across-the-board fee of $5 for all dogs.

There are limits on the number of pets permitted per household. In Prince William County, the limit is four dogs unless a kennel license is obtained, which requires zoning approval from the county. Three dogs or four cats or a combination of four is the limit in Manassas Park. Manassas has a limit of a combination dogs and cats not to exceed four.

All three jurisdictions have leash laws in effect and require owners to clean up after their pets.

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY
Calls concerning stray animals, injured animals, dog bites and cases of alleged cruelty should be addressed to Prince William County Animal Control, a division of the County Police Department. Master Detective Samson Newsome, a 28-year veteran of the Prince William County Police Department, is administrator. He also oversees the Prince William County Animal Shelter.

Calls about animals should be directed to Prince William County Animal Control at 703- 792-6465 or 703-792-6500 (county police dispatcher). Injured animals and bite cases are given priority and dogs-in-custody have priority over dogs-at-large.

License tags may be purchased at the County Animal Shelter, the McCoart Administration Center, the Ferlazzo Government Office or Sudley North Government Office as well as select veterinary hospitals and libraries.

To report a lost animal and file a report, residents may call the county shelter at 703-792-6465 or visit pwcgov.org/police, but are urged to visit the facility and look at the animals for themselves as animal descriptions differ from person to person.

The shelter is at Independent Hill on Dumfries Road adjacent to the county landfill. It is open for adoptions Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday till 8 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Prince William County Children’s Educational Farm is located at the Prince William County Animal Shelter. It is open to the public on Thursday afternoons from 1:30 to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. free of charge, weather and staff permitting.

It is also available for tours for schools and other local groups. To schedule a tour, call 703-792-6465. At the farm are goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens, peacocks, ducks, turkeys, a pig and a pony.

MANASSAS

Dog license tags may be purchased at Manassas City Hall, through Animal Control or at the Manassas Animal Adoption Center. A valid rabies certificate is required. Call Chief Animal Control Officer Karen Hayo, Manassas Animal Control, at 703-257-8009.

To report stray animals, injured animals, cruelty, bite cases or wild animals, call the City Police at 703-257-8000.

The Manassas Animal Control Adoption Center for stray and unwanted animals is open for adoptions Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, 5 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is located at 10039 Dean Drive, Manassas. Call 703-257-2420.

MANASSAS PARK
License tags for all dogs and cats 4 months and older may be purchased at the City of Manassas Park Treasurer’s Office, where there is also a night drop. Call Animal Control Officer Dorothy Wadel at 703-361-1136.

As a convenience to its residents, Manassas Park offers a three-year license providing the rabies certificate is good till November of the third year.

Stray and unwanted animals from Manassas Park are housed at the Manassas Animal Adoption Center. Call 703-257-2420. See above for hours of operation.

MORE INFORMATION
ADOPTIONS

In addition to the pets which include dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds from the Prince William County Animal Shelter and the Manassas Animal Control Adoption Center (see above), pets may also be adopted from local volunteer rescues, some of which have helped the shelter by taking special pets with special needs.

Local volunteer rescues have pets for adoption at various PetsMart and PETCO stores in the area. For a complete list of rescues and individual dog breed rescues, contact the shelters or visit and pick up a copy of the new PET LOVERS COMPANION.

PWSPCA

The Prince William SPCA is an all-volunteer, member run organization dedicated to protecting domestic animals from cruelty, neglect and abandonment, and stopping the unnecessary overpopulation of companion animals. The goal is to end the killing of adoptable cats and dogs in Prince William County by promoting and supporting programs involving mutually beneficial relations between people and companion animals. For more information, visit pwspca.org.