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animal control

[ an-uh-muhl kuhn-trohl ]
/ ˈæn ə məl kənˌtroʊl /
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noun
a government entity that takes custody of stray domestic animals and facilitates their return to or placement in a home environment, defends animals from abuse and neglect, and protects the public from aggressive or dangerous animals: Someone needs to call animal control to deal with the feral cats in this neighborhood.
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Also called animal control agency, animal control service .

Origin of animal control

First recorded in 1980–85
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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