Animal Control

Contacting the Animal Control Officer

In the event of an emergency only, please call 911. For help or questions, please email aco@townofwales.net, or call the phone number 413-237-6945

When you leave a message for the Animal Control Officer, please provide your name and telephone number every time. The Animal Control Officer cannot follow up with you without this information. 

If this is about a stray dog, please leave a specific location, such as "the corner of Union Road and Walker Road", or "on Monson Road, near the Wildlife Sanctuary" along with a clear description of the dog and the time you saw it.

What Is A Municipal Animal Inspector? Why Did They Come to My House?

Every Town on Massachusetts is required to have a Municipal Animal Inspector. In October 2015, Ms. Rachel Taylor was appointed by the Board of Selectmen and approved by the Massachusetts Dept. of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) to be the Inspector of Animals for the Town of Wales. Annual inspections are usually made during the spring and early summer in Wales. Permission to inspect any premise upon which animals are kept is assured to Municipal Animal Inspectors under Section 7 of Chapter 129 of the Massachusetts General Laws.

To learn more about the requirements of the job, click here. On the Municipal Animal Inspector page you will find a description of the duties and responsibilities, legal references and the nomination form. The Animal Inspector is paid a stipend of $500.00 per year for her services.