About Us
As a responsible and law-abiding pet owner, you have important responsibilities to help protect the health and safety of your animals, your family, and the community. Pet owners are encouraged to understand and comply with applicable Standing Rock laws and ordinances, including requirements regarding animal ownership and rabies vaccinations.
Public Safety and Animal Control
The number one priority of our Animal Control Officers is public safety. Reports involving dangerous animals, animal bites, or animals experiencing immediate distress take precedence over barking dogs, nuisance wildlife, and other lower-priority concerns.
Every report, however, is important. We rely on members of the community to notify Animal Control when they encounter stray, neglected, mistreated, injured, or unhealthy animals. Prompt reporting helps protect both the public and the animals involved.
Stray Animals
Stray dogs and cats are not permitted on the Standing Rock Reservation. Unrestrained and roaming animals can face serious risks, including being struck by vehicles, being harmed by individuals, or becoming frightened and reacting aggressively toward people.
Reporting a stray animal is an important service to both the community and the animal. If you encounter a stray, please contact Standing Rock Animal Control at:
701-854-7236
Impounded Animals
Animals picked up on Standing Rock without identification tags or a microchip are held for 72 hours, in accordance with applicable ordinance, at the Standing Rock Game, Fish & Wildlife / Animal Control Impound.
If an animal is not claimed within the required holding period, it becomes the property of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
Animal Bites
Any incident in which a dog, cat, or other warm-blooded domestic or wild animal breaks the skin of a person must be reported to Animal Control immediately.
Although rabies transmission from domestic animals is uncommon, rabies continues to occur and is fatal if left untreated. Prompt reporting and appropriate medical evaluation are essential.
What to Do if You Are Bitten
1. Identify the Animal
If it is safe to do so, identify the animal involved. This information is extremely important. If the animal is a pet, determining its owner and obtaining vaccination information from the owner or veterinarian can help establish whether the animal has a current rabies vaccination.
2. Seek Medical Attention
The person who was bitten should seek appropriate medical treatment as soon as possible. A healthcare professional can assess the injury and determine whether rabies post-exposure treatment or other medical care is necessary.
3. Contact Animal Control
Immediately contact Standing Rock Animal Control at 701-854-7236. An Animal Control Officer will explain the applicable procedures and issue any necessary citations.
4. Animal Quarantine
Animals identified as having bitten a person are generally subject to a 10-day quarantine and observation period.
If the animal:
- Has a current rabies vaccination;
- Was on its owner's property at the time of the incident; and
- Has not been designated as a dangerous animal,
the animal may be eligible for quarantine at the owner's residence, subject to Animal Control approval.
If the animal is not currently vaccinated against rabies, was involved in an incident off the owner's property, has been designated as dangerous, or has no identifiable owner, the animal may be taken into custody and submitted for rabies testing in accordance with applicable procedures.
For questions, to report a stray or dangerous animal, or to report an animal bite, contact Standing Rock Game, Fish & Wildlife / Animal Control at 701-854-7236.