Animal Control
The Police Department and the Town Clerk's Office work in conjunction to ensure that all State RSA's governing Animal Control issues and subsequent fines are followed.
We kindly remind both residents and visitors alike that it is better to leave a collar and tags on your dog so that if "Max" takes off during that pesky thunderstorm, the information through the tag allows us to get him home faster. Also, we would like to encourage residents to get to know your neighborhood pets. More often than not, we have responded to someone's house for a stray dog that turns out to be from two houses down, not two towns away.
Dog Licenses are issued by the Office of the Town Clerk. Licenses are issued on a yearly basis. Regardless of when the license is issued to the dog owner, all licenses expire on April 30 of the following year. Per the State of New Hampshire, all dogs must be licensed by May 1 of each year unless the dog is under 4 months of age, or after the dog has received its first veterinarian certified rabies vaccination, whichever comes first. The dog in question must have a valid and current rabies vaccination prior to being licensed.
The fees for licensing a dog(s) within the Town of Stratham are as follows:
| Unaltered male or female | $10.00 |
| Spayed female or Neutered male | $7.50 |
| Owner of dog is 65 yrs and over (First dog only) | $3.00 |
*Late Fees apply starting on June 1 on all unlicensed dogs*
Although it would seem that dog complaints are the most prevalent, the Police Department does deal with livestock and wildlife. In regards to wildlife issues, we work with the NH Fish & Game Department. If you have other wildlife questions and/or concerns, click here to visit the website for NH Fish and Game or call at (603) 868-1095.
Please be advised that we do NOT catch or set traps for feral cats. If you have taken in a feral cat, it is now your responsibility to bring it to a local shelter for placement. The Town of Stratham does have a current 'contract' with the NHSPCA located on Portsmouth Ave in Stratham to accept strays and surrenders from Town Residents. Even so, there are several great shelters within the State that can assist anyone with further questions and/or recommendations.