Frequently Asked Questions

Lost or Found Animals

The City of Edgewood has an Interlocal Agreement with Metro Animal Services for all your pet-related services/needs. You may purchase your pet licenses at City Hall or you can visit the Metro Animal Services Page to purchase your license online. Licensing and micro-chipping your pet is the best way to ensure its safe return home.  If your pet is lost, a license lets the finder know that it is a cherished member of your family, not a stray.  Click here for more information on licensing your pet. 

If your pet is lost:

Don’t give up!  Contact Metro Animal Services Shelter at 253-299-PETS (7387).  You can also check with the Humane Society of Tacoma / Pierce County at 253-383-2733.  In addition, consider posting on social media sites.  Be sure to use a recent photograph so your pet is easily identifiable.

If you have found someone else’s pet:

• Confine the animal if it is safe to do so 
• Contact Metro Animal Services Shelter at 253-299-PETS (7387) (use same links as above) 
• If you are able, consider taking the animal to a local veterinary clinic to see if it has a microchip 

Animal Complaints

Metro Animal Services is dedicated to protecting people and animals. Violations of county code and/or state law can have big penalties - from a $246 infraction to imprisonment.  There are two ways to file a complaint - online or by phone.  

For emergencies:

Dial 9-1-1.  Emergencies are situations such as: aggressive and threatening animals currently loose, injured domestic animals, and animal cruelty or abuse in progress.

For non-emergencies:

Call Metro Animal Services at 253-299-PETS (7387).  If directed to leave a message, please include your name, address, phone number, the nature of your complaint and the animal owner’s address, if known. After making a complaint, you may be contacted to obtain a statement or additional information.

Animal Noise Complaints

Metro has three full time Animal Control Officers who provide field services including response to stray or lost animals, barking dogs and animal noise nuisance complaints, aggressive and dangerous dogs, as well as injured animal rescue, dead animal removal, investigating reports of animal cruelty, kennel and pet shop inspections, and public education.

If you need Animal Control assistance, call the shelter at 253-299-PETS (7387).  All calls will be handled on a priority basis. For emergencies involving immediate threats to public safety, call 9-1-1.

Threats to Public Safety

Threats include but are not limited to: 

• Dogs running loose that have bitten a human 
• Vicious or scared dogs running in traffic or in neighborhoods
• Loose horses or livestock roaming in traffic

Dog Bites/Attacks

A dog that has bitten a human must be captured and appropriately quarantined for a ten-day period. Dog bites should be reported to Metro Animal Services as soon as possible by calling the shelter at 253-299-PETS (7387). If the bite requires medical attention, call 9-1-1 to notify an animal control officer.

Injured Animals

Injured animals should be called in to the on-duty animal control officer. After normal service hours, citizens should call 9-1-1.

Stray Animals

During normal business hours, animal control officers will pick up stray animals.  However, pick-ups must be completed by 4 pm to allow the animal control officer ample travel time and processing at the shelter.  You may bring animals directly to the shelter, located in Puyallup at 1200 39th Ave SE.  Due to limited staffing and high caseloads, you may experience a delayed response to your request for a stray animal pick-up.  If you feel it is safe to transport non-aggressive animals directly to the animal shelter, you may prefer to use that option.

You may also request a stray animal patrol if you know of a specific problem in your neighborhood.  Please provide the description of the dog and the owner information if known.  Stray animal patrol requests are handled as soon as possible on a priority basis compared with other requests for service.

Barking Dogs

A certain amount of noise must be tolerated living in urban and suburban areas, as they are part of daily life. However, when the noise becomes unreasonable, such as a chronic, excessive barking dog, we offer suggestions that can help reinstate peace and quiet to your neighborhood.

The first course of action is to speak to the dog owner directly, or if that is not possible, send a letter.  Be sure to use a neighborly tone, offering solutions and compromises, and allow a remedy period.  Those are your best options for solving the problem at a neighborhood level.

If that approach is unsuccessful, please contact the shelter for assistance.  Beyond a written warning, it can be difficult to enforce a barking dog complaint.  Many complaints require one or more witnesses to file a written statement documenting the date, time, and location of the incident; animal description; and the owner information, if known.  Please be prepared to provide additional information to the investigating officer about specific dates and times that the violation is occurring.

Other Complaints

Be sure to report any incidents involving dog bites to domestic animals, ongoing animal neglect, cruelty and/or abuse, or general nuisance problems.  Start by contacting the shelter.

Many complaints require one or more witnesses to file a written statement documenting the date, time, and location of the incident; animal description; and the owner information, if known. Anonymous complaints can be made but any enforcement beyond a verbal warning generally requires that a witness write a statement and be willing to testify in court.   

Leave an Anonymous Tip About a Crime

Thank you for your willingness to be part of the solution by helping fight crime.  At this time, tips cannot be left anonymously on this site.  However, you can contact Crime Stoppers 24 hours a day by clicking here or by calling 800-222-TIPS.  Callers can remain anonymous and are eligible to receive a cash reward if the information given leads to an ARREST & CHARGES or grand jury indictment of a felony offender. 

(NOTE: Crime Stoppers is NOT law enforcement, therefore they do NOT file reports nor investigate crime. They forward your tip to law Enforcement investigating those crimes.  They do not take tips from victims of a crime as they must file a report with Law Enforcement for a crime to exist.  They must then continue to work with the detective assigned to their case.)

Police Scams

You may get a call saying you have a warrant for missing jury duty and you’re going to be arrested unless you pay the warrant using gift cards.  Or they may say you have a relative who has been arrested in a foreign country and they will go to prison if you don’t pay their bail immediately using gift cards.  Both of these scenarios are complete scams.  You will never be asked to pay police fines using gift cards.  

Free Trial Period

A caller might promise a Free Trial but then sign you up for products — sometimes lots of products — that you’re billed for every month until you cancel, and they will make it very difficult to cancel.  Don’t fall for it. 

Prize and Lottery

Have you been notified you won a prize or lottery but need to pay the registration, shipping, or taxes to claim your winnings?  This is a scam.  You will never have to pay money up front for winning a lottery legitimately.  And be real … if you didn’t play the Costa Rican Lottery, you probably didn’t win the Costa Rican Lottery.  Oh, and it’s illegal to play foreign lotteries by mail or phone.

Online Sales

Trying to sell something online?  Beware of buyers sending you a check for more than the selling price and asking you to send them back the balance.  These are usually stolen or forged checks.  Just don’t do it.  

Virtual Kidnapping / Ransom

You get a call your family member has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom.  You may even hear screaming in the background that sounds like your loved one.  They order you to stay on the phone until the money is wired to prevent you from calling your relative to check on them.  This is a scam, hang up and call your loved one.  If you’re still concerned, call the police to check on them.   

Online Dating

Are you using social connection sites to meet someone special?  Scammers often pose as good-looking, wealthy suitors looking for love.  Beware of someone who brags about riches, shows interest when they are much younger than you, or asks to leave the monitored site to talk directly via phone or email.  These are common red flags that they are up to no good.  And NEVER EVER send this special person money.  

Hitman

You get an email from an assassin who claims he’s been hired to kill you and he’s watching your every move.  Fortunately for you, the hitman is willing to spare your life if you pay him.  Oh, and you can’t call the police because he has people inside the PD working with him.  Don’t believe this story, it’s a popular scam.  

Solicitor Scam

Sometimes door-to-door salespeople aren’t legit.  By misrepresenting themselves, scammers can learn your name and the names of family members, determine how many people live in your home, what your schedule is, and even get the opportunity to case your house when they are invited in.  If you didn’t call them, don’t let them in!

REMEMBER…

Important points to remember when you’re trying to determine if something is a scam:

• There is no prize! 
• You won’t get arrested!
• You don’t need to decide right now!
• There is NEVER a good reason to send cash or a gift card!
• Government agencies aren’t calling you asking you to confirm your sensitive information!

Where can I find a crime map for my area?

Click here to be directed to Edgewood’s Crime Data map.  On it, you will be able to see the past 90 days of crimes in Edgewood collected by Pierce County.  Please be aware, there can be a delay of up to several weeks as data is uploaded to the system. 

For nation-wide crime data, visit the Community Crime Map by LexisNexis.

The Crime Free Multi-Housing (CFMH) Program strives to create a close working relationship between property owners/managers and law enforcement.  
The  goal of this program is to empower property managers with the knowledge and tools needed to keep illegal activity off their rental property.  This is a solution-oriented program which is designed to be simple yet effective in reducing the incidences of crime in rental property.  

The benefits can include: 

• Increased property values
• Lower property maintenance and repair costs
• A more stable tenant base
• Improved personal safety for tenants, landlords, managers, and the surrounding community
• Cooperative solutions for improving tenant management

To learn more about Edgewood PD’s CFMH Program, please contact our Community Liaison Deputy  or calling 253-798-4960.  

What is a Junk Vehicle?

A junk vehicle is defined as any vehicle with three or more of the following conditions:

• Must be at least three years old
• Must be extensively damaged 
• Must be apparently inoperable 
• Must have a fair market value equal only to the approximate value of the scrap of the vehicle

This definition does not include special-interest vehicles, vehicles undergoing active restoration, farm machinery, or prominently displayed ornamental machinery.

How do I get rid of a junk vehicle on my own property?

If you own the vehicle: 

If you have the title – call a towing or wrecking company near your home and ask if the company is licensed to remove junk vehicles.  Depending on the scrap metal market value and the type of the vehicle you have, the hauler may or may not charge to haul your vehicle.  Some may even pay you.  Call around for the best deal.  The original copy of your title will go with the hauler; however, you may want to make copies for your own records.  If you cannot find the title, contact the Department of Licensing (DOL).  

If the vehicle belongs to someone else:

If you do not have the legal documentation for the vehicle (for example, a title or court order), fill out a Junk Vehicle Affidavit Request Form and return. The Code Enforcement Officer will perform an inspection and notify you when the Junk Vehicle Affidavit (JVA) is ready for you. Follow the instructions on the back of the JVA to notify the legal owner. The form also contains a section for cases where the legal owner can’t be found. The original copy of your JVA will go with the hauler, however, you may want to make copies for your own records.

Can I use the JVA to re-title or sell the vehicle?  

No, the Junk Vehicle Affidavit Request program is designed of the purpose of disposing of junk vehicles.  Your JVA will have a large red stamp on it that states “FOR SCRAP ONLY”.  Contact your local DOL office for title information.  

Does the city remove the vehicle from my property?

No, the city process does not include removing the junk vehicle from your property.  You will need to make arrangements and pay for the removal of the vehicle.  

More questions?

Please email  Edgewood Code Enforcement  or call 253-392-2561. 

Forgery Victim

If you are a resident of Edgewood and have been a victim of a forgery, immediately close the account that is being used, whether it is a checking account or a credit card account. Report the forgery to your Edgewood PD by either calling the non-emergency number at 253-287-4455 or clicking here to file a police report online.  

Identity Theft Victim

If you are a resident of Edgewood and have been a victim of identity theft, either by the use of your social security number, name and/or credit information, report the forgery to your Edgewood PD by either calling the non-emergency number at 253-287-4455 or clicking here to file a police report online.  Next, notify the Social Security Administration, all three credit bureaus, and the U.S. Postal Inspector or Federal Trade Commission if appropriate. 

• Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline: 800-269-0271
• Experian: 888-397-3742
• Equifax: 800-525-6285
• Transunion: 800-680-7289
• Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Hotline: 877-438-4338
• The U.S. Postal Inspector: 877-876-2455

Tips to Help Prevent Identity Theft

• Check your credit reports annually with all three credit-reporting agencies
• Change all passwords regularly
• Make passwords unique. Mix letters with numbers
• Memorize passwords. Don’t write them down
• Be vigilant for unusual charges on your monthly credit card statements, telephone bills and bank statements. Inquire about any charges that are suspicious
• Guard your Social Security number - don’t carry your card (or your number) in your wallet or purse. Don’t print the number or your driver’s license number or on checks. And don’t give out your Social Security number to anyone unless there is a good reason
• Be very careful when carrying your insurance identification card. It may contain your social security number
• Shred papers before throwing them out, especially those containing identifying information such as your social security number. A crosscut paper shredder works best
• Never provide information over the phone unless you initiated the call and you know the party you are speaking with
• Use a locked mailbox to send and receive all mail. Never leave your outgoing mail out in a street-side mailbox. If your mail is delivered to a street-side mailbox, pick up delivered mail as soon as possible. Be alert to strangers who may be taking mail out of mailboxes. Only authorized postal carriers have reason to reach into a mailbox. It is illegal for any other person or business to use your mailbox
• Reduce the number of pre-approved credit card offers you receive by calling 888-5OPTOUT (they will ask for your Social Security number)
• Register with the Do Not Call Registry 
• Monitor all your accounts and statements for possible fraudulent activity.

Source: Identity Theft Resource Center

Dispose of any left-over prescription or over-the-counter medicine the safe way at Edgewood City Hall.  Disposing here keeps your meds from being misused or polluting the environment.  Look for the blue bin in the lobby.  It’s easy to use, just drop in old medicine by opening the front just like a mailbox.  No forms, no paperwork, no fuss. 

When operating on our standard schedule, City Hall is open to use the bin M-F from 8:00am to 4:30pm.  Please call the Edgewood PD at 253-798-4960 to set up an appointment to drop your medications off.  

There are many other medication disposal bins available throughout Pierce County. 

Accepted Items: 

• Controlled substances
• Inhalers
• Liquid medication in glass or leak-proof containers 
• Medicated ointments / lotions
• Medication samples 
• Prescription and over-the-counter medication 
• Veterinary medications
• Vitamins

Items Not Accepted:

• Bloody or infectious waste
• Business waste 
• Empty containers 
• Hydrogen peroxide
• IV bags 
• Needles 
• Personal care products 
• Thermometers

How do I find out about sex offenders in my area?

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and the Edgewood Police Department feel you have the right to know about high-risk sexual offenders living in your neighborhood.  To find out more information or to view a current map, click here.

If you are an Edgewood resident, are planning to be away from home for at least 5 days but not more than 90 days, and would like the Edgewood Police to perform residence checks on your home and property in your absence, please complete a Vacation Check Request and return it to the Police Department at least 7 days before your scheduled departure. We are not able to accept requests made by telephone.

If you are a victim and you need help, you are not alone. Please reach out to one of the community organizations below.

2-1-1

This is a Washington State Information Network that can get you quickly connected with the resources that can help you–everything from Confidential Address Protection Programs to Victim/Offender Mediation Programs.  Get started by simply dialing 211.

Victim Information & Notification Service

The Washington Statewide Victim Information and Notification Service will tell you if an offender is in custody and will give you other important custody information.  You may register for automatic notification when an offender is released, transferred, escapes or dies.  This service is completely confidential, and the offender will not know you are registered.  Click here to learn more or call 1-877-846-3492.

Resources for Victims of Domestic Violence

There are a number of additional resources for victims of domestic violence:
•    The Crystal Judson Family Justice Center 253-798-4310
•    National Domestic Violence 24-hr Hotline 800-799-7233
•    Pierce County 24-hr Crisis Line 800-576-7764
•    Rebuilding Hope Sexual Assault Center for Pierce County 253-474-7273 or 800-756-7273

Shelters in Pierce County

•    Exodus Housing 253-862-6808
•    YWCA Women’s Shelter 253-383-2593
•    Family Renewal Shelter 253-475-9010
•    Salvation Army 24-hr number 253-572-8452
•    Korean Women’s Association 253-359-0470