PET SAFETY AWARENESS
Many of us consider our pets to be part of our family. That is why the RSIC Police Department would like to present some tips and advise on how to keep our pets safe in the community.
Keep animals out of heat during the hottest part of the summer. Confining animals the inside of a car, even on a mild day, places a pet in a life- threatening situation.
An alarming increase in “Dog in Hot Vehicle” reports over last spring compelled Washoe County Regional Animal Services to create a summer “Hot Dog” campaign to remind pet owners that leaving a pet in an enclosed vehicle, even for a short time, can be a deadly oversight. Temperatures inside a closed automobile can easily rise to 20 degrees or warmer than outside temperatures which could prove deadly to a pet.
If the outside climate is 75 degrees, inside a vehicle with the windows completely close can reach up to 95 degrees. It is a criminal violation to intentionally and neglectfully keep animals inside locked parked motor vehicles during the hottest part of the day. The hottest part of the day can be between 11:30am to 5pm.
Our local (Tribal, City, State) ordinances are aimed to prevent cruelty to animals and makes it illegal for a person to “allow a cat or dog to remain unattended in a parked or standing motor vehicle during a period of extreme heat or cold or in any other manner that endangers the health or safety of the cat or dog.” Bring your pets with you as long as you exercise reasonable restraint on your animal.
Licensing Your Dog
We recommend that all dogs over 4 months old that live in the congested areas of Reno to be licensed. Licenses benefit you and your dog and your community in many ways:
Dogs get lost. Dog licenses enable Animal Services staff to quickly identify and reunite lost dogs with their owners. Officers will make every reasonable effort to return licensed dogs to their owners before bringing them into the shelter, saving you time and money.
A license is proof of ownership in case your dog is stolen (we also recommend a microchip)
Licensing fees help support over 12,000 lost and homeless animals brought into the shelter every year.
Dog licensing is one way to ensure that all dogs who share our community receive rabies vaccinations.
Owners who maintain a current license tag for their dog will never receive a citation and fine for failure to license.
You can license your dog online at www.washoeanimals.com, by mail, or by coming into the shelter during open hours. Please note that a rabies certificate is required to license your dog.
Microchip Your Dog
A microchip is a small, electronic chip enclosed in a glass cylinder about the size of a grain of rice. The microchip is activated by a scanner which receives information about the pet’s owners and home from the chip. he best reason to have your animals microchipped is to improve the chance that you'll get your animal back if it becomes lost or stolen..
We believe that microchipping is your pet’s best chance of finding home if it ever becomes lost.
For a limited time, all microchips are FREE. All it takes is a simple injection and the microchip is ready to serve for the lifetime of your pet
Microchipped pets can be scanned in the field and returned to their homes without ever having to be brought to the shelter
Restraint of Animals
Check your fences, leashes, cage to make sure that your dog does not escape and wander in the community unsupervised. Dogs cannot leave your premises unsupervised. It is the law of the RSIC to always restrain your dog or exercise reasonable control. If you have a calm and friendly dog, they can be free from a leash as long as the owner is with the dog.
Under the new RSIC tribal code, the owners of the dogs responsible for any damages, injuries, or deaths are guilty of civil infractions. It is important to take care of our animals. Keep them safe and the community.
Vicious Animals
Residents in the colony are not allowed to own, care, or have in their custody a vicious animal. A vicious animal is described as an animal that without provocation kills, injures, or inflicts substantial bodily harm to human beings.
Also without provocation, behaves menacingly to a degree that would lead a reasonable person to defend himself or herself against bodily harm when not accompanied by a person exercising reasonable control. This excludes animals confined by cage, pen, fence, vehicle, or other means.
Residents may pay fines up to $200. The tribal court may order the removal of vicious dogs. Tribal Police must have Probable cause to show the dog is vicious and may seize the dog or have it removed for the safety of the community.
Pitbulls
Residents in the colony must register their pitbulls with the RSIC Police Department. A pitbull is a pitbull terrier of the Stafforshire bull terrier breed, American Stafforshire bull terrier breed, or any mixed breed of dog which contains as an element of its breeding the breed of Staffordshire bull terrier breed. Residents who fail to register their Pitbulls are guilty of civil infractions.
Owners of unregistered pitbulls have 30 days to register their dog after the enactment on April 12, 2017. Violation of this section may result in fines from $100 to $200. The tribal court may order the removal of the unregistered dog. Tribal police may remove the dog only with probable cause.
Disturbances
Residents of the colony must do our best to ensure the proper behavior of our animals especially at night. In the tribal code, an animal disturbance is defined as a person who owns, keeps, or harbors a dog or other animal which by loud, continued or frequent howling, yelping, barking, crowing, or other animal noise, shall unreasonably annoy, disturb, or endanger the health, welfare, or repose of any person or neighbor is guilty of a civil infraction.
The fines may be between $50 and $100. Tribal Police may remove or take appropriate enforcement on the animal only with probable cause. Be reasonable and keep our animals calm such as keep them inside the home or away from any irritants.
Cruelty to Animals
Report any suspicion of Animal cruelty to the Police. If you see anyone overworking, beating, tormenting, injuring, or killing animals, do not hesitate to call the Tribal Police. Other definitions of animal cruelty is failing to provide reasonable amount of food, water, freedom of movement, sanitary conditions, or shelter; abandoning any animal in any place where it may suffer injury, hunger or exposure or become a nuisance to the public.
The civil penalties can be a fine between $100 to $200. Tribal Court may order the removal of the animal. With probable cause, tribal police may seize the animal.
Please report any suspicion of anyone intentionally poisoning or attempting to poison animals with poisonous or noxious drugs, chemicals, or substances. Poisoning or attempt to poison an animal is a civil infraction which carries a penalty fine between $500 and $1000. Tribal Court may order the removal of the animal. With probable cause, Tribal police can remove the animal.
Limitations on number of animals
Residents of the colony are allowed to own two dogs and two cats. This means you can own a total of 4 animals with only this ratio. This does not include service animals, emotional support animals, or dogs and cats used in a business with an approved valid business permit. Violation of this code is a civil infraction. Fines: $50-100. Tribal court may order removal. Police need probable cause.
Lets take good care of our animals. Keep them safe and train them well. They are our family members and part of our community. Do not keep vicious animals.
It is the unrelentless mission of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony Police Department to continually explore solutions to solve, prevent, deter, and respond to crimes and or problems that creates or enhances the commission of crimes with the partnership of the community for the safety and welfare of our community.
IN CASES OF EMERGENCY, PLEASE DIAL 911.
We must stress the importance of calling 911. A 911 dispatcher will send an officer to the address of the emergency; they will also ask questions to assist the officer prior to arrival. The dispatcher may also contact other services that are needed such as medical assistance, fire assistance, or additional police personnel.
Non-emergency dispatch number:
(775)323-2677
Please call this number if you have a non-emergency need to speak to an officer or non-emergency officer assistance.
RSIC TRIBAL POLICE BUSINESS OFFICE
(775)785-8776
This number is to be used to conduct administrative business with the police department, such as leaving messages for police staff, information requests, general questions, or other police business related matters. The police administrative office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm.
HUNGRY VALLEY SUB-STATION.
(775)785-1365
This number is to be used to conduct administrative business with the police department, such as leaving messages for police staff, information requests, general questions, or other police business related matters. Officers use the sub-station for briefings, writing reports and telephone calls.
PARA EMERGENCIA, LLAMA 911 PARA LA OFICINA, LLAMA (775)785-8776