Animal Control vs. Wildlife Removal: Who Do You Actually Call?
Searching for "animal control near me" or "the phone number for animal control"? Here is the honest breakdown of what your county animal control handles, what they do not, and who to call for nuisance wildlife.
The short answer
Government "animal control" departments across Northeast Florida are set up to handle domestic animals: stray dogs and cats, bite reports, licensing, and cruelty investigations. Almost none of them trap, remove, or relocate wildlife. If you are dealing with a raccoon in the attic, a snake in the garage, a dead animal on the property, or an armadillo tearing up the yard, a private wildlife removal company like Noah’s Ark is who you need, not your county animal control office.
County & city animal control numbers (domestic animals only)
| Area | Phone | What they cover |
|---|---|---|
| Duval County (Jacksonville) | (904) 630-2489 | Handles dogs, cats & domestic animal issues only. Does not trap or remove wildlife. |
| St. Johns County (St. Augustine) | (904) 209-0655 | Handles stray/at-large dogs & cats. Wildlife conflicts are referred to a private trapper. |
| Flagler County / Palm Coast | (386) 986-2520 | City policy: does not trap, relocate, or remove wildlife. Nuisance wildlife is referred out. |
| Clay County (Green Cove Springs, Orange Park) | (904) 269-6342 | Domestic animal control and enforcement. No wildlife trapping services. |
| Nassau County (Fernandina Beach) | (904) 530-6150 | Covers stray & domestic animal calls. Wildlife issues are not part of their scope. |
Numbers and policies can change — if a listed number does not connect you, search "[your county] animal services" for the current line. For a life-threatening emergency, always call 911 first.
When it is wildlife, not animal control
Call Noah’s Ark instead of animal control if you are dealing with: raccoons, opossums, squirrels, or bats in an attic or soffit; snakes inside a structure or near people and pets; skunks or armadillos digging under a deck, shed, or foundation; a dead animal in a wall, crawl space, or yard; or nuisance ducks and geese. We handle the trapping, removal, exclusion, and repair — the full job, not just the animal.
Injured or orphaned wildlife
If you found an injured or orphaned wild animal, that is a wildlife rehabilitation situation rather than a removal job. Noah’s Ark Wildlife Removal is wholly owned by Noah’s Ark Sanctuary, Inc., a conservation-driven organization, so give us a call and we can point you in the right direction even if it is not a fit for our removal service.