St. Paul Council hears first reading to replace “animal control” with “animal services”

Council members heard a staff report Wednesday on Ordinance 26-2, which replaces repeated references to "animal control" across the city’s legislative and administrative codes with "animal services." Director Angie Weasy of the Department of Safety and Inspections told the Council the term "animal control" is outdated and that the department has already changed job titles — for example, from "animal control officer" to "animal services officer" and manager — to reflect a wider set of community-facing animal care duties.

"The term animal control is very outdated in the animal services world," Weasy said, describing the department's work on rehoming animals through nonprofit partners and the move into a new facility the city wants to brand as an animal services center. Weasy noted the ordinance is lengthy because the outdated term appears in many chapters and said staff are also correcting typographical and gendered-language issues as part of the update.

Councilmember Buie asked how frontline staff will distinguish themselves from federal agents and plainclothes inspectors. Weasy said animal services officers wear uniforms and carry photo identification and encouraged residents who are unsure to call the department to verify an employee. She added that staff have encouraged employees to keep visible ID and that residents are welcome to record encounters.

Because this was the ordinance’s first reading, Council did not take final action; the item was laid over for a public hearing and second reading on Jan. 21.