Metro animal control officers will answer calls 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, with overnight coverage four nights a week. A staffing shortage is behind the change.

Metro Animal Care and Control will cut back its after-hours animal control service in the coming weeks because it is short of officers. Officers will answer calls every day from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Overnight coverage will continue four nights a week.

The agency announced the change in a release on Thursday. It said the daytime window is when it receives most of its calls for service.

The release did not give a start date or say which four nights will be covered.

Why it is changing

The agency said a recent staffing shortage forced it to change hours and shifts for its animal control officers. The aim is to handle as many calls as officers can safely address while they are on duty. The agency is hiring to fill open jobs and training new officers.

“The health and well-being of the animals in Nashville is our top priority,” Dannielle Carter, the agency’s director, said. “Service changes are designed to ensure our officers are able to respond to calls safely and effectively.”

Coverage will expand again when more officers are hired and trained, the agency said. It did not say how many posts are vacant.

Who handles animal calls at night

On nights without an officer, the agency said it will work with the Office of Emergency Management and the Metro Nashville Police Department on animal-related calls.

What it means for you

  • Call the shelter at 615-862-7928 for an animal control service request, the number on its animal control page. After hours, leave a detailed message. Staff will check messages when they are back in the building.
  • File online with the same page’s animal control complaint form, any time.
  • Check your pet’s microchip. The agency asked owners to make sure pets are microchipped and that the contact details are current.
  • Found a lost pet? Take it to the nearest veterinary clinic to be scanned for a chip. The agency’s lost pet page lists the next steps.

The shelter itself is not changing its hours. It is at 5125 Harding Place and is open seven days a week for adoptions, lost pet reclaims and other needs.

For an emergency involving a person’s safety, call 911. Metro’s non-emergency police line is 615-862-8600. Our who to call at City Hall page has the other Metro numbers.