Animal Control Frequently Asked Questions

We know the decision to surrender your pet is never an easy one. We encourage you to take proactive steps to help them find a home before they come into the shelter. One powerful way to do this is through home-to-home adoptions. Here is how:

1. Email us a flyer: We will post it on our community board in hopes of spreading the word that your pet is available for adoption.

2. Share on social media: Post your pet’s adoption information on local pet re-homing Facebook pages, which are great places for connecting with potential adopters.

3. Post flyers locally: Put up flyers in your community (local businesses, vet offices, pet stores, etc.) to increase visibility and help find a match before your pet enters the shelter.

If you have exhausted your re-homing attempts, please reach out to us at 907-283-7353 during business hours to schedule a surrender appointment. During this time, we will ask you to pay a minimal fee for relinquishment of ownership, furnish a state issued ID, and have you fill out a pet personality profile. If you have cute pictures of your pet, please email them to animal@kenai.city before your appointment to help make them more adoptable!

 If you have been bitten by a dog, please seek appropriate medical attention. The doctor will report the bite incident to us if the bite occurred inside Kenai City Limits. If you do not seek medical care, you may report the incident to us at 907-283-7353 during business hours. Please provide as much information as possible: a description of the incident, time, location, owner information, and a description of the dog. 

If you live within Kenai City Limits, yes, your dog needs a city license.

Kenai Municipal Code 3.20.010 states, "A person who owns a dog over the age of three (3) months, other than in the operation of a *kennel facility, shall obtain a dog license for that dog pursuant to this chapter."  Therefore, if you reside in City Limits and own a dog over (3) months of age you are required to have a City License for each dog you own. 

Kenai City Licenses may be purchased via phone 907-283-7353, at the Kenai Animal Shelter, or at Kenai City Hall. Proof of current rabies vaccination is required to purchase a dog license. 

* See What is a Kennel Facility to find out more about a Kennel Facility Permits

There is no limit to the number of animals you may have in your home. However, please ensure you are able to provide a good quality of life by providing adequate food, water, shelter, enrichment, proper ventilation and appropriate housing for that species. 

The Kenai Animal Shelter staff has a plethora of knowledge and experience. If you have gotten over your head with animals in your home, please contact us. We can help provide solutions and resources- judgment free. 

*Having more than 3 dogs over the age of three (3) months of age requires a Kennel License. Come into our facility or call us at 907-283-7353 to inquire on kennel licensing. 

If your pet is currently at the shelter you may need to pay impound, facility use and other fees before it can be released to you. The fees vary depending on the type of pet you have, the amount of time your pet stays in our facility, and other factors. Please call us at 283- 7353 between 11:00-5:30 Tuesday – Friday and 11-5 on Saturday.

If you feel the dog is a threat and live within Kenai City Limits, contact Kenai Animal Control during business hours at 907-283-7353 with a description of the animal, where the animal lives and why you believe it is a threat. You may contact the Kenai Police Department after hours if you believe the animal is a threat to a person or other animals, and is a safety issue at 907-283-7879. 

The short answer: Yes and No. It depends on the species of animal, the city zone in which you live and the size of your property lot. Below is the city code for livestock. If you need help interpreting the code, please call us at 907-283-7353.

Kenai Municipality Code 3.10.070 Livestock within the city limits

a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no person shall keep or maintain livestock within the City of Kenai.

(b) Livestock, other than bees, may be kept on lots of forty thousand (40,000) square feet or greater. No livestock shall be allowed in the RU, RS1, RS2 or TSH zones. Animals raised for a fur-bearing purpose are not allowed in any zone. Beekeeping will be restricted as described in subsection (g).

(c) In this section “livestock” is defined as the following animals:

(1) Cow

(2) Horse

(3) American bison

(4) Llama

(5) Alpaca

(6) Sheep

(7) Swine

(8) Goat

(9) Mule

(10) Donkey

(11) Ratite

(12) Duck

(13) Goose

(14) Chicken

(15) Turkey

(16) Rabbit

(17) Honey bees (Apis mellifera)

(d)

(1) Except for the RS1, RS2, RU, TSH zone(s), the Chief Animal Control Officer may issue temporary permits of not more than fourteen (14) days for the keeping of livestock not otherwise allowed for public exhibitions or entertainment events. The Chief Animal Control Officer may impose conditions on the permits as reasonably necessary for sanitation, safety, or hygiene. The permit may be revoked for a violation of the conditions of the permit or pertinent section of the Kenai Municipal Code. The City may charge a permit fee, which fee shall be as set forth in the City’s schedule of fees adopted by the City Council.

(2) Except in the RU zone, the Chief Animal Control Officer may, after notifying adjoining property owners in writing and allowing reasonable time for comment, issue a permit for the keeping of livestock for educational or youth activities, such as 4-H, Future Farmers of America, or Boy/Girl Scouts on lots not otherwise eligible under this section. The permit shall state the duration of the permit, which shall not exceed two (2) years, and the type and number of livestock to be kept. The Chief Animal Control Officer may impose conditions on the permits as reasonably necessary for sanitation, safety, or hygiene. The permit may be revoked for a violation of the conditions of the permit or Title 3 of the Kenai Municipal Code. Appeal of issuance or revocation of a permit may be made in writing to the board of adjustment. A permit may be renewed following written notice and reasonable time for comment to the adjoining property owners. The City may charge a permit fee, which fee shall be as set forth in the City’s schedule of fees adopted by the City Council.

(e) Lots on which livestock are kept on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section which are not eligible for the keeping of livestock under this section shall be considered a non-conforming use of land under KMC 14.20.050. No new or replacement livestock may be kept or introduced on such lots after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section. Offspring of livestock allowed as a non-conforming use under this section may be kept on such lots only until they are old enough to be relocated to a site conforming to this section or outside of the city limits.

(f) Except as set forth in subsection (g), below, corrals, pens, hutches, coops or other animal containment structures must have a minimum setback of twenty-five feet (25′) from the property’s side yards, fifty feet (50′) from the front yard, and ten feet (10′) from the back yard. All animal containment structures must be secure and in good repair.

(g) No person may keep honey bees, Apis mellifera, in a manner that is inconsistent with the following requirements or that is inconsistent with any other section of this code.

(1) Colonies shall be managed in such a manner that the flight path of bees to and from the hive will not bring the bees into contact with people on adjacent property. To that end, colonies shall be situated at least twenty-five feet (25′) from any lot line not in common ownership; or oriented with entrances facing away from adjacent property; or placed at least eight feet (8′) above ground level; or placed behind a fence at least six feet (6′) in height and extending at least ten feet (10′) beyond each hive in both directions.

(2) No person shall keep more than four (4) hives on a lot of ten thousand (10,000) square feet or smaller, nor shall any person keep more than one (1) additional hive for each additional two thousand four hundred (2,400) square feet over ten thousand (10,000) on lots larger than ten thousand (10,000) square feet.

(3) It shall be a violation for any beekeeper to keep a colony or colonies in such a manner or in such a disposition as to cause any unhealthy condition to humans or animals.

(4) Beekeepers shall take appropriate care according to best management practices when transporting hives of bees. Bees being transported shall have entrance screens or be secured under netting.

(5) The term “hive” as used in this section means the single structure intended for the housing of a single bee colony. The term “colony” as used in this section means a hive and its equipment and appurtenances, including bees, comb, honey, pollen, and brood.

(h) A person seeking relief from the provisions of this section may apply for a conditional use permit under KMC 14.20.150.

If you do not have a live animal trap, Kenai Animal Control can loan residents of the city one for a refundable $30 deposit (cats/squirrel) of $ 50 deposit (dogs). There are also live traps for rent at Cadre-Feeds and for sale at Sportsman Warehouse for those that live outside of city limits. 

If the animal is within the city limits of Kenai, contact Kenai Animal Control at 283-7353 during business hours, or after hours to leave a message. You may contact the Kenai Police Department after hours if the animal is a road hazard at 283-7879.