We serve all of Camden County with a smile.

Our office operates from Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and is closed on nights, weekends, and holidays.

Messages left with the office are checked only during normal business hours. For emergency calls outside of business hours, officers are available but must be dispatched by the local police department. If you find a stray animal or have an animal-related emergency outside of business hours, please contact your local police department.

Independent Animal Care Services LLC
P.O. Box 312 West Berlin N.J. 08091

Call or email us at:

p. 855-422-7226 | f. 856-504-0056 | e. iacsnj@gmail.com

“I have lost a pet and i’m not sure what to do!!!”

Don’t worry, we have you covered. Below is a description of what you should do if you have a lost pet.

So your furry friend has decided to go on an adventure and you have no idea where they may be. Lets start by getting the word out.

First contact your local police department and let them know that your pet is missing and ask if they have received any reports of your animal. A high percentage of our calls come directly from the police department so there is a good chance that they may be holding on to your animal while waiting for us to respond.

No luck there, give us a call. During our normal business hours we are on patrol and we may have picked up your little buddy. After hours we are dispatched by local police for pick ups too. If we have already picked up your pet don’t worry, we love all animals! Even the ones that may not love us back. All we will be doing is transporting him/her to the animal shelter that the municipality contracts with. You can also report a missing animal by filling out the form below.

Finally, you are going to want to contact the animal shelter that your municipality is contracted with. All animals that we pick up are either taken to a vet, if medical care is needed, or to the animal shelter that the municipality is contracted with. Not only do different municipalities contract with different animal control companies, they also contract with different shelters. It is also a good idea to contact any other shelter that may take in stray animals in your area.

Most animals are required to be licensed in N.J. by state law. It is also a good idea to have your pet microchipped and/or be wearing a collar with an identification tag. Having these will allow us to reunite you with your animal quicker.

Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center
856-401-1300 (Formally Camden County Animal Shelter)

Animal Orphanage
856-627-9111

Burlington County Animal Shelter
609-265-5073

Municipalities in Burlington County

Cumberland County SPCA
856-691-1500

Various municipalities is Cumberland County

Gloucester County Animal Shelter 856-881-2828

Municipalities in Gloucester County

These shelters do not service municipal contracts for stray animals but provide a number of valuable services to their surrounding communities.

Animal Welfare Association
856-424-2288

Animal Adoption Center
856-435-9116

All found pets should be reported to the correct local agencies so we can give that animal and its owner the best chance of being reunited.

Call your local animal control officer/agency and report that you have found an animal. Please refer to the list of municipalities that IACS covers. If your municipality isn’t listed, give them a call and find out who handles their animal control services.
Call all local animal shelters and report that you have found an animal. Please refer to the list of animal shelters and who the cover.
FurAlert is a free mobile app that’s like Amber Alert for pets. When a pet goes missing, the best resources you have are the people that happen to be nearby. But you likely don’t know them and they don’t know you need help. FurAlert is a time-sensitive and location specific emergency response system that enables pet owners to help each other. By installing the FurAlert mobile app on your phone, you become part of the FurAlert network. If a pet is reported missing near you, you’ll receive an alert on your phone with a picture and info about the animal, a map of where they were reported missing, and the ability to contact the owner if you see the animal. If it’s your pet that gets lost, FurAlert can help mobilize other animal lovers nearby to form a search party on demand and help you quickly reunite with your beloved pet. Learn more and download the FurAlert app for iPhone or Android at FurAlert.us.
If you have found an animal and our office is closed you can contact your local police department. They may dispatch out the on call animal control officer. Please make sure to provide them with a phone number and the exact location where the animal was found. The on call officer will normally contact you for more information before they respond. Please try to answer any phone calls from us within a timely manner to speed up our response.

If you wish to surrender your pet you must contact an animal shelter. IACS is unable to intake owned animals and we are not an animal shelter. Different animal shelters have different protocols for taking in an owned animal. A good place to start is to contact the animal shelter that your municipality contracts with. They will be able to explain their process for surrendering an animal and let you know what type of fees they may charge.

Keep in mind that most animal shelters have limited space. Try to make an advanced plan for your animal should you be placed on a waiting list. Please remember when surrendering an animal to the shelter it becomes the animal shelters responsibility for all the care needed by that animal (food, housing, and medical supplies aren’t cheap) on top of trying to find it a new home.

Some reasons people decide to surrender their animal can be easily remediated by some basic training. Zen Natural Dog Training By Steve Spence can be a great resource.

The Camden County Animal Alliance sponsors a quarterly pet food pantry for residents in need of food for their pets. Information on the pantry can be found at their Facebook page.

Some shelters in our area also provide low cost spay/neuter and vaccine clinics. Please refer to the list of animal shelters & who they service.

We understand that the decision to surrender a pet is a hard one. Hopefully some of these services will be able to help you keep your pet.

Have a complaint or a concern regarding a neighborhood animal? Complete the complaint form and we will investigate the complaint. Please remember that we can only investigate complaints in the municipalities that we service.

Animal Cruelty/ Welfare Concerns: Please be advised that the NJDOH, local health departments, and ACOs that had a former ACI (Animal Cruelty Investigators) certification do not have the authority to investigate animal cruelty. All animal cruelty investigations shall be conducted by Humane Law Enforcement Officers (HLEOs) that report to county prosecutors. Individuals that suspect animal cruelty or abuse should be directed to their local police or County Prosecutors Office for assistance. Reports of animal cruelty or abuse involving livestock should be directed to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

To summarize. There is no longer an Animal Cruelty Investigator title or authority in New Jersey. Local Animal Control Officers that were previously certified as Animal Cruelty Investigators do not have the authority to investigate animal welfare complaints, animal cruelty violations or enforce N.J. state animal cruelty laws. These investigations/enforcements would need to be conducted by your municipal police department. Animal Control Officers can still investigate animal bites, local ordinance violations, and rabies exposure.

Have a complaint or a concern regarding a neighborhood animal? Complete the complaint form and we will investigate the complaint. Please remember that we can only investigate complaints in the municipalities that we service.

Animal Cruelty/ Welfare Concerns: Please be advised that the NJDOH, local health departments, and ACOs that had a former ACI (Animal Cruelty Investigators) certification do not have the authority to investigate animal cruelty. All animal cruelty investigations shall be conducted by Humane Law Enforcement Officers (HLEOs) that report to county prosecutors. Individuals that suspect animal cruelty or abuse should be directed to their local police or County Prosecutors Office for assistance. Reports of animal cruelty or abuse involving livestock should be directed to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

To summarize. There is no longer an Animal Cruelty Investigator title or authority in New Jersey. Local Animal Control Officers that were previously certified as Animal Cruelty Investigators do not have the authority to investigate animal welfare complaints, animal cruelty violations or enforce N.J. state animal cruelty laws. These investigations/enforcements would need to be conducted by your municipal police department. Animal Control Officers can still investigate animal bites, local ordinance violations, and rabies exposure.

Due to capacity at our local shelters current wait times for trap rental are longer than normal. If you would like to rent a trap for the purpose of having a feral cat spayed/neutered and returned we can accommodate these requests quicker. Please make note that you would like to participate in a spay/neuter return program on our rental form and we will reach out with additional details. Thank you for you patience while we work with our shelter partners in navigating these difficult times.

Feral cats are born outside, are living in a wild state and are normally untouchable by humans. Many times, when approached by people, they will hiss out of fright. This leads people to believe that they can be aggressive but given the chance, they will run away and hide.

How is a stray cat different from a feral cat?

A stray cat is a pet who has been lost or abandoned, is used to contact with people, and is tame enough to be adopted. A feral cat is the offspring of stray or feral cats and is not accustomed to human contact. Feral cats are usually too fearful to be handled or adopted.

Stray cats may be reunited with their families or adopted into new homes, but feral cats will find it difficult or impossible to adapt to living as pets in close contact with people. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t many things you can do to improve feral cats’ health and quality of life.

To learn more about feral cats please check out the links below:

The Humane Society Of The United States

Alley Cat Allies

A note on feral cats: Normally feral cats are not adoptable. The sad truth is that when we bring a trapped feral cat into the animal shelter it has to be held for the 7 days required by state law, then euthanized. Because of this IACS recommends a humane approach to remediate feral cat problems. You can contact Camden County Animal Shelter or Animal Welfare Association to inquire about the TnR (trap, neuter, release) programs in your community. Or you can visit www.alleycat.org/deterrents to learn humane ways to deter feral cats from your property.

A note on feral cats: Normally feral cats are not adoptable. The sad truth is that when we bring a trapped feral cat into the animal shelter it has to be held for the 7 days required by state law, then euthanized. Because of this IACS recommends a humane approach to remediate feral cat problems. You can contact Camden County Animal Shelter or Animal Welfare Association to inquire about the TnR (trap, neuter, release) programs in your community. Or you can visit www.alleycat.org/deterrents to learn humane ways to deter feral cats from your property.

For residents in the municipalities that we service who are having problems with feral cats on their property and wish to have them trapped and removed: IACS provide traps that are available to rent. Trap rental is is FREE and available for certain municipalities that do not have a designated TnR program. Trapped feral cats will be picked up during normal business hours.

Residents renting a trap from IACS must abide by the following:

The trap is only to be used for the capture of unaltered feral cats. Any other animals should be released unharmed.
It is recommended by IACS that feral cats that have been altered, ear tipped, and vaccinated be released on the property.
Traps are only to be used on the property of the resident requesting the trap.
Traps should only be set during our normal business hours. Feral cats that are trapped after hours or on weekends should be released promptly or taken to the proper animal shelter by the resident.
Residents are responsible for maintaining the trap while it is their possession. This include setting up, baiting, and checked the trap frequently throughout the day. Residents should call as soon as they see that a feral cat has been captured. It is the resident responsibility to make sure the the captured feral cat is protected from the elements (rain, snow, temperatures above 85 and below 45 degrees, direct sunlight) or other physical threats.
Residents are responsible for the trap while it is in their possession. If the trap is damaged or stolen, the resident will be responsible for its replacement and/or forfeiture of any deposits.
Residents must read and sign our Humane Trap Loan Agreement

You may request a rental trap by filling out the form. Rental traps are only available for certain municipalities that we service.

Seeing a sick or injured wild animal on your property?

IACS is always available to respond to calls and complaints regarding sick or injured wildlife that poses a treat of rabies. If you see a sick or injured wild animal and its after normal office hours, please contact your local police department.

Rabies is a fatal disease. If you or your pet have been exposed to a sick wild animal, special precautions must be taken and the suspected animal should be tested for rabies. Please do not discard any animals, dead or alive, that you or your animal may have been exposed to.

Although all mammals can carry the rabies virus, the most common animals that pose a threat in our area are bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and groundhogs. To learn more about wildlife that lives in our area you can NJ Fish & Wildlife or Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge for more information.

How do I know it’s sick?

Key in on the behavior of the animal before calling for assistance. Look for:

Staggering gait
An animal seemingly Cedar Run Wildlife Refugeoblivious to noise or nearby movement
Erratic wandering
Discharge from eyes or mouth
Wet and matted hair on face
Repeated high-pitch vocalization (although this is common with juveniles)
Self-mutilation

If you see an animal showing these signs, call us or police department!

Some fun facts!!!

Opossums are amazingly resistant to rabies. This may have something to do with the opossums low body temperature (94-97F) Hissing, drooling, and swaying are part of the opossum’s bluff routine. It is intended to scare away potential predators, yet it looks just like rabies and is the reason people can be convinced they’re seeing “rabid opossums” when they’re not.
If you see a raccoon in your yard during the day, don’t panic—she is not necessarily sick or dangerous. It’s perfectly normal for raccoons to be active throughout the day. She may merely be foraging longer hours to support her young, visiting a garden while the dogs are indoors, or moving to a new location.
Rodents (squirrels, chipmunks, rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, and guinea pigs), rabbits, and hares rarely get rabies and have not been known to cause rabies among humans in the United States. Squirrels may suffer from the fatal roundworm brain parasite, which causes signs that look exactly like rabies.

If you found a baby animal that may have fallen out of its nest it is best to try to reunite the animal with the mom. Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge provides great information and care for orphaned wildlife. Here is a link to all the information you should need to know if you happen to find a baby animal.

Rabbits: If the young rabbits are the size of a tennis ball (4-5 inches) or bigger and their ears are standing up, they are ready to be on their own. Baby rabbits grow up in about 4 weeks. They are still small when they are on their own, but they can survive. Mother rabbits are away from their nest most of the time. They only come back twice a day, in the morning and evening. Just because you don’t see the mother doesn’t mean she’s not coming back. Even if there was a disturbance, the mother will most likely come back. Place some string in a star-shaped pattern over the nest and wait 12-24 hours. If the string does not look disturbed after this time, the babies are abandoned and need to be brought to a rehabilitation center. To keep dogs from disturbing a nest, either keep the dogs inside unless supervised or place a wheelbarrow or box upside down over the nest. Make sure the mother can still slide underneath to get to the nest.

Squirrels: If not injured: make sure the squirrel is warm and put the squirrel in a basket or container with holes in the bottom and hang in a tree nearby where the squirrel was found (as high as can be reached). Squirrels make multiple nests, so the mother will most likely take the squirrel to new nest.

Fawns: Fawns are often left alone by their mother for long periods of time. Reason that you may need to call in a fawn: the fawn is injured, there is a dead doe near, the fawn looks emaciated, weak, or disoriented. If you find an injured adult deer please contact your local police department.

Songbirds: If not injured and not fully-feathered (nestling): put the bird in a basket or container with holes in the bottom and hang in tree nearby where the bird was found. Observe from a distance. It is a myth that if you touch a baby bird the mother won’t come back for it. If the parents are coming to the makeshift nest: the bird is fine. If not injured and fully-feathered (fledgling): place the bird in shrubs/ bushes nearby where it was found. The parents will still come back to check on the bird and feed it. The bird is learning to find food on its own and flying over the next 1-2 weeks.

With less and less available habitat to support the wild animals that are native to this area, wild animals are becoming more acclimated to living in neighborhoods then in the woods. Nuisance wildlife complaints and concerns are becomming a common problem. Most municipal animal control programs do not cover nuisance wildlife complaints, such as squirrels that may be nesting in your attic, the groundhog living under your shed, or the raccoon that is getting into your trash. IACS will always respond to a report of a wild animal that appears to be sick/injured and poses a treat of rabies.

But if you are hearing a critter in your attic or seeing a groundhog eating everything in your garden you have a couple different options. Below are recommendations on how to deal with a nuisance wildlife issue.

Make your property as least of a habitat for wildlife as possible. If you don’t want them there don’t give them a place to eat, drink, or sleep. Overgrown bushes, brush piles and sheds or decks that are raised off the ground provide shelter for animals. Make sure to keep bushes trimmed, brush piles cleaned up, and close off around the bottom of your shed or deck. When doing this, make sure: First, you aren’t trapping anything under there. And second, use a sturdy material like lattice or hardware cloth and dig into the ground about a foot deep around the parameter. To be sure nothing is trapped under there: Close off the whole parameter but a small section, stuff the open section with newspaper and wait a couple days. If the news paper hasn’t moved then you should be good to finish closing the rest. Finally, make sure your trash is kept in sturdy cans with locking lids or keep them in the garage or shed. And make sure anything you may have laying around that can collect water is cleaned up too.
Most hardware stores carry a line of products that are used to deter nuisance wild animals. These can be sprayed or spread around areas that you may be having a problem. For animals that may have gotten into your attic, try keeping the lights on for a couple nights and play a radio. This is normally enough to disturb the animal enough to leave and find someone else’s attic to live in.
Trapping: The same hardware store that sells the deterrents will most likely sell humane animal traps. Just be aware that you are never going to get rid of all the wildlife that lives around us (especially if you are providing a nice habitat for them). They are native to our area and our suppose to here. We don’t recommend trapping wild animals unless they are causing proper damage. For rules and regulations pertaining to trapping and the wild animals that live around us please visit NJ Fish & Wildlife. If you managed to trap an animal it is your responsibility to relocate it properly and in a timely fashion. I know I wouldn’t want to be stuck in a cage for an extended period of time and neither does the animal that you have trapped. If you have an animal trapped and it is during our normal business hours, we may be able to relocate it for you. We do charge a fee for this service. Give us a call and we will let you know if we have someone available and how much the fee will be.
Call a local pest control or wildlife removal company. Most of these companies will be happy to handle your wildlife issue for you. Call around and get some quotes because prices seem to vary with different companies.

IACS FAQs:
Everything you need to know.

Animal Bite Form

Witness Statement Form

Complaint Form

Cat Trap Rental Form

Lost Pet Report

Contact us

Independent Animal Care Services

IACS FAQs: Everything you need to know.

What municipalities do you service?

What are your hours of operation?

How can I contact you?

What do I do if I lost a pet?

What animal shelter is contracted for my municipality?

What do I do if I have found a lost pet?

What should I do if I am unable to care for my pet?

I would like to report animal abuse. What do I do?

How do I report a general complaint on a domestic animal (off leash/running at large, licensing, barking, ect.)?

What do I do if I have feral or free roaming cat concerns or complaints?

What do I do if I have a sick or injured wild animal on my property?

What do I do if I have found baby squirrels, bunnies, birds, raccoons, ect?

What do I do if I think I have something living in my attic or other nuisance wildlife complaints?