Animals
Dead Animals
If you find a dead animal in the street, contact the Fargo Street Department at 701.241.1453. If the dead animal is anywhere other than the street, please double bag the animal and place it in the trash. Note: the City of Fargo does not dispose of and/or test dead animals on residential property.
Rats and insects
Any suspected infestations of rats and insects should be reported to the Environmental Health Division of Fargo Cass Public Health at 701.476.6729.
Animals on the loose
If you are having a problem with a stray animal on your property, you can contact Fargo Police at 701.235.4493 to report it. If community service officers capture the animal, they will take it to the Fargo City Animal Pound.
You can also visit the Fargo City Animal Pound to pick up a humane (live) trap that you can use to capture the animal. The deposit you pay for the trap will be refunded when you return it. If you capture an animal, please bring the animal to the pound while it is still in the trap.
Noisy pets
Pet owners have a responsibility to keep their dogs and cats from disturbing their neighbors. Frequent barking, howling, crying or whining can make your neighborhood an unpleasant place for others to live. Please be respectful of your neighbors by keeping your animals quiet.
You can call the Fargo Police Department at 701.235.4493 to report a problem animal in your neighborhood. A community service officer will warn your neighbor to keep his animal quiet. If the problem continues, police will ask you to sign a complaint so they can take further action against the owner of the problem pet.
Prohibited Pets
Fargo City ordinances prohibit owning farm animals as pets within city limits. Farm animals include horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and goats.
City law also prohibits keeping wild and exotic animals as pets. This includes monkeys, raccoons, skunks, wolves, squirrels, fox, leopards, panthers, tigers, lions, lynx, or any other warm-blooded animal, poisonous snake, or tarantula, which can normally be found in the wild state, including members of the crocodile family. Ferrets, non-poisonous snakes, rabbits and lab rats that have been bred in captivity are allowed.
Contact Fargo Police Department at 701.235.4493 to report a violation of this ordinance.
Stray animals and problem barking
Information on animals who run loose or won't stop barking, as well details on the leash law and Fargo pound, is available on the pets and stray animals page in the Residential section.