An
animal control service or
animal control agency is an entity charged with responding to requests for help with
animals ranging from
wild animals, dangerous animals, or animals in distress. An individual who works for such an entity was once known as a
dog-catcher, but is generally now called an
animal control officer, and may be an
employee or a
contractor - commonly employed by a
municipalities,
county,
shire or other sub-national government area.