Our TWO HEARTS Adoption Special takes place every first Saturday of the month.
Our TWO HEARTS Adoption Special takes place every first Saturday of the month.
Please reach out to us at lawsocial@lawtonok.gov if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Please call our non-emergency dispatch line at 580-581-3272.
Yes, we can. Lawton Animal Welfare receives donations of dog and cat food for pet food assistance. If we have the food in stock, residents can visit us to receive pet food assistance once every 6 months. Residents must provide a valid ID and proof of residency (utility bill).
We appreciate your concern for the well-being of animals in our community. If you need to report suspected neglect, cruelty, or abuse of an animal, please contact our dispatch at 580-581-3272. You can ask for a welfare check on the animals.
We recommend that you come to our facility as soon as possible to identify your pet. Our staff is unable to identify pets over the phone. Once you claim your animal at our shelter, you will have seventy-two (72) hours to pay to get your animal out of impound. Once the animal is claimed, the fees stop accruing. We cannot give you a quote over the phone. A quotation of the fees will be provided to you once the claim has been made in person. Also, if your animal is spayed or neutered and is current on their rabies vaccination, please bring those documents at the time of redemption. These documents will lessen the fees you owe for the impoundment of your animal.
If an animal is violating the Code of Ordinance regarding nuisance animals, please contact our dispatch to have an Animal Welfare Officer observe the nuisance and entry onto your property. If the barking and/or entry onto your property stops before Animal Welfare arrives, please document by taking video evidence of the situation. The calls along with the evidence will assist Animal Welfare in enforcing the Nuisance Animals and Abatement Procedures Code. You can find more information under our Code of Ordinances section.
Yes. It is unlawful for any owner or person to permit any animal to run at large. Any dog or cat that is not confined or under the physical control of its owner or keeper will be presumed to be running at large. Any animal found running at large within the city limits shall be impounded by an Animal Welfare Officer and taken to Lawton Animal Welfare. The owner of such dog or cat may receive a citation to appear in Municipal Court to answer charges for violation of this Ordinance. Fines for running at large are a minimum of $100.00 for the first offense, $150.00 for the second offense, and $200.00 for the third and any consecutive offenses. Upon the second impoundment, it is mandatory for the animal to be spayed or neutered.
No person shall, at any time, fasten, chain, tie, or tether any animal. Should you have a confinement issue with your pet, consider erecting an escape-proof enclosure. Minimum requirements for any outside enclosure is 100’ square feet and are outlined in the definitions in Section 5-1-120-F of the City Code.
You may call our non-emergency dispatch line (580-581-3272) to have an Animal Welfare Officer empty the trap for you. The trap will be returned to you once the animal has been removed from the trap. Please refrain from placing traps in freezing temperatures as this is inhumane. The AWO's cannot attend to the animal in a timely manner. This may be catastrophic for the animal as it is unable to escape the frigid temps.
Yes. All animals which reside in Lawton city limits must be licensed AND current on their rabies vaccination. To obtain a license for your pet, please bring a current copy of the pet's Certificate of Vaccination and a valid ID to our facility. If your pet is spayed or neutered, please make sure it is documented on the certificate. The fees for licensing can be found in the FEES section of this website.
Yes. All animals must be current on their rabies vaccine and licensed in the City of Lawton. The City of Lawton Code of Ordinances states that owners can license their Service Animals free of charge. Emotional Support Animals are excluded.
Service Animals
The ADA explains what businesses and state/local governments must do to make sure that they do not discriminate against a member of the public with a disability who uses a Service Animal. Generally, businesses and non-profits that are open to the public as well as state/local governments must allow Service Animals to go most places where the public can go. This is true even if they have a “no pets” policy.
About Service Animals
Service Animals are:
-Dogs, or miniature horses that are individually trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability are considered Service Animals and are therefore covered, essentially meaning a miniature horse could be covered under the ADA if it meets the specific criteria of being a miniature horse and properly trained as a Service Animal; regular horses are not covered.
-Any breed and any size of dog
-Trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability
Service Animals are not:
-Required to be certified or go through a professional training program
-Required to wear a vest or other ID that indicates they’re a Service Animal
-Emotional support or comfort dogs, because providing emotional support or comfort is not a task related to a person’s disability.
If the dog’s mere presence provides comfort, it is not a Service Animal under the ADA. If the dog is trained to perform a task related to a person’s disability, it is a Service Animal under the ADA. For example, if the dog has been trained to sense that an anxiety attack is about to happen and take a specific action to help avoid the attack or lessen its impact, the dog is a Service Animal.
Examples of Service Animal Tasks
A person who uses a wheelchair may have a dog that is trained to retrieve objects for them. A person with depression may have a dog that is trained to perform a task to remind them to take their medication. A person with PTSD may have a dog that is trained to lick their hand to alert them to an oncoming panic attack. A person who has epilepsy may have a dog that is trained to detect the onset of a seizure and then help the person remain safe during the seizure.
Asking if a Dog is a Service Animal
If you are working at a business or state/local government facility and it is unclear to you whether someone’s dog is a Service Animal, you may ask for certain information using two questions.
You may:
-Ask if the Service Animal is required because of a disability?
-What work or task has the Service Animal been trained to perform?
You may not:
-Request any documentation that the dog is registered, licensed, or certified as a Service Animal
-Require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person’s disability
Because Service Animals are not required to wear vests, a dog that is wearing a vest is not necessarily a Service Animal. The dog still needs to be trained to perform a task for a person with a disability to be a Service Animal.
State and Local Laws
State/local governments can:
-Require Service Animals to be licensed and vaccinated, if all dogs are required to be licensed and vaccinated
-Offer voluntary Service Animal registration programs
State/local governments cannot:
-Require certification or registration of Service Animals
-Ban a Service Dog based on its breed
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