Our Marshall's Office: Protection and Service Through Partnership with the Community

We believe in the dignity and worth of all people. We are dedicated to working in partnership with the community to provide a better quality of life by:

Protecting the rights of all people.

Providing for the protection and general welfare of the public throughout community policing efforts.

Reducing crime and accidents through enforcement and education.

Providing the best service possible utilizing all available resources.

Acting as a resource and informational outlet to the citizens and visitors of the community.

Location
134 S. Spruce Street

Office Hours
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday

Phone
(970)728-3818

After Hours and Weekend Phone
(970)252-4018 (Dispatch)

EMERGENCY
911

Fax
(970)728-3863

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 372, Telluride, CO 81435

The Marshal's Department employs a full time Animal Control/Code Enforcement officer and we contract these services to the Mt. Village Police Department and the San Miguel County Sheriff's Department. We operate and maintain an animal shelter located just south of Society Turn on Highway 145. The primary purpose of this shelter is to care for dogs that have been taken into protective custody. (Sorry, we do not provide care for cats.) The shelter is not constantly staffed during regular business hours and it is not a boarding facility.

What do I do if my dog is missing?
How do I retieve a dog from the impound facility?

If your dog is missing, you may call the Animal Control officer at the Marshal's Department during regular business hours at 728-3818. At night or on weekends call 252-4018. If your dog is in our custody, you will be advised how you may make arrangements for its release. Release times are dependent upon the availability of personnel. An impoundment fee of $60 shall be imposed if the Marshal's Department has picked up a dog. This is payable at the time that the animal is released from the shelter. A daily storage fee shall accrue at the rate of $25 per day after the first 24 hours of impoundment. a ticket for an animal violation may be issued to the responsible party at the time of the animals' release.

Responsible Dog Ownership in theTown of Telluride

Dogs are very important to people and provide numerous benefits, so it is well worth the effort to solve associated problems. As a public service, the Town of Telluride provides dog pickup bags in 35 locations throughout town where dogs are often walked. Please take advantage of these bags and remind others to do the same. Thanks for helping to make Telluride a dog & people friendly community!

Dogs that bark incessantly, run unsupervised, attack other dogs, cats, or even children inevitably cause friction where there would otherwise be harmony. The Marshal’s Department receives complaints regularly on this kind of dispute. Having your pets spayed or neutered can really help decrease the tension of animals living in close proximity. Numerous pets each year are abandoned due to our transient human population. This is a very cruel manner in which to dispose of an unwanted pet, and it happens all too frequently. Please think carefully about the responsibility involved before you adopt a dog or cat!

LICENSING:
Any dog residing within Town limits must be licensed with the current license tag attached to the dog's collar. Licenses are issued for each calendar year. The cost of a license is $50 for breedable and $15 for spayed or neutered dogs. You must show proof of a current rabies vaccination to receive a license tag, which is issued at Rebekah Hall, 113 W. Columbia Avenue. Visiting dogs are also required to have proof of current rabies vaccination.

HITCHING:
In addition to areas designated as “Puppy Parking”, dogs may be hitched to public property or in public areas as long as they do not disrupt bicycle, pedestrian, or vehicular traffic and as long as they do not cause a nuisance. No dog may be hitched to a fire hydrant, in a fire lane, in a public road, or such that the animal strays into such areas. Hitching for more than 8 hours in a twelve-hour period, leaving an unattended animal hitched to a vehicle, and hitching on private property without permission are all strictly prohibited.

LEASHING:
No owner shall fail to keep a dog on a leash within Town Park or in the area between Columbia Avenue and Pacific Street. The leash must be attached to the dog and be held by the owner or their representative.

RUNNING AT LARGE:
No owner shall permit any dog to run at large within the Town. A dog is at large if the owner is not present or cannot see the dog. Dogs outside the leash area must be under voice control.

HARASSMENT OF WILDLIFE:
No owner shall knowingly or negligently allow a dog to harass wildlife, whether the wildlife is actually injured or not.

IMPOUNDMENT:
The Telluride Marshal's Department is authorized to impound dogs that are in violation of any applicable laws. No dog shall be released from impoundment until all fees are paid. A $60 pickup fee, plus a fee of $25 per day of impoundment shall accrue.

PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES:
Excessive barking, trashing, threatening and vicious behavior, and defecating on public property unless immediately picked up or private property without the property owner’s permission. In addition, unspayed dogs in estrus are required to be suitably confined in a secure location so as not to cause a public nuisance.

Regulations in their entirety are found in the Telluride Municipal Code at Chapters 6.08, "Care and Keeping of Animals and Impoundment" and 6.12, "Dogs". Animal violation fines double if they are not paid by the court date.

WILDLIFE IN TELLURIDE

The Town of Telluride is located in a black bear habitat area and had been visited by bears many times. The town’s first priority is to protect the public, but we would like to be able to do that without unduly harming wildlife. With that in mind here are a few things to do to get us safely through the bear season. First and foremost – LOCK YOUR TRASH CONTAINER!! According to Telluride Municipal Code 7.12.020 B, between the dates of April 15 and November 15 of any calendar year, any refuse container that contains refuse which is attractive to bears or other wildlife shall be secured with a locking mechanism except when refuse is being deposited. Failure to comply with the wildlife protection ordinance can result in a fine of $50 for the first offense: $250 for a second offense: a third offense will result in a summons to appear in Municipal Court. If your container has been damaged call the town clerks at 728-2160 if you have a town issued polycart. If your trash goes into a commercial dumpster make sure that it is properly latched. If your dumpster is damaged call your trash hauler. Their number should be posted on the dumpster.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU MEET A BEAR. Bear attacks are rare compared to the number of close encounters. However, if you do meet a bear, here are some suggestions.

STAY CALM. If you see a bear and it hasn’t seen you, calmly leave the area. As you move away, talk aloud to let the bear discover your presence. If the bear is near your home call 911 and stay inside your house.

STOP. Back away slowly while facing the bear. Avoid direct eye contact. Give the bear plenty of room to escape. Bears rarely attack people unless they feel threatened or provoked. Don’t run or make sudden movements. Running is likely to prompt the bear to give chase and you can’t outrun a bear.

SPEAK SOFTLY. This may reassure a bear that no harm is meant to it. Try not to show fear. Coming between a female and her cubs can be dangerous. If a cub is nearby, try to move away from it. Be alert-other cubs may be in the area.

FIGHT BACK if a black bear attacks you. Black bears have been driven away when people have fought back with rocks, sticks and even their bare hands.

If a bear enters your house when you are present, keep your cool as best you can. Yelling and screaming simply upsets a bear whose mind had previously been focused on finding food. If you can exit your house without crossing the bear’s path, obviously you should do so. Leave as many doors and windows open as possible so that the bruin can leave after finishing his meal. If no door exit is available to you, try to reach a first floor room where you can barricade the door and climb out the window. Otherwise, opt for a second story room with a phone (dial 911), no food and a door to bar shut. If the bear pays you a night-time visit, turn on as many lights as possible. To keep a bear from entering your house, lock your door at night and close and latch first floor windows, especially those in or near your kitchen or food storage areas.

If you have a bear problem please contact the Telluride Marshal’s office (728-3818 during regular business hours or 252-4018 at night and on weekends.) If it is an emergency situation please call 911.

SKUNKS – The second most bothersome form of wildlife in Telluride is undoubtedly a skunk. They are not dangerous like bears can be, but they can make life miserable. Here are a few suggestions to make your home less attractive to skunks.

1. Do not leave pet food outside. Always feed pets indoors and don’t throw out scraps. Also pick up animal feces in your yard. Feces and the insects that they attract can be attractive to skunks.
2. Remove wood piles or junk piles to prevent a skunk from setting up a home.
3. Pick up trash and make sure that garbage cans have tight fitting lids. Latch your trash can.
4. Cover window wells to prevent curious skunks from falling in and becoming trapped. If you find one in a window well, place a 2x4 board in at a 45-degree angle to allow the skunk to climb out after dark.
5. Prevent access to crawl spaces, under decks, and sheds. Block holes and bury heavy screen 18 inches deep to prevent burrowing.
6. Don’t leave pets outside at night, especially dogs. Skunks are very docile and are easily killed by dogs, which will cause the skunk to spray your pets or your house leaving behind a very unpleasant odor. This is also a good way to expose your pets to rabies. Keep them in.
7. Don’t rely on trapping. All trapped skunks must be destroyed. State Health laws do not permit relocation. Trapping is only a short-term solution. If the environment is right, a new skunk will move in to replace the old one, thus restarting the same old problem.

PREVENTION IS THE BEST POLICY FOR SKUNK CONTROL.
For more information call the Marshal’s office at 728-3818.

COYOTES – Coyotes are rarely a serious problem in Telluride, but they are constantly around the outskirts of town, so a little caution is in order. Never feed coyotes or other wildlife (except birds.) Do not leave dog food outside and secure your trash. Keep cats and dogs, especially small dogs, in at night. They can become the prey of coyotes. If a coyote becomes a nuisance or appears to be sick or injured, please call the Marshal’s office at 728-3818.

BIRDS – During bear season (between April 15 and November 15) bird feeders must be taken down or hung in such a way as to be inaccessible to bears. The ground under bird feeders should be kept clean to prevent problems with bears and skunks.

Telluride Hotel Guide