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Problems and Solutions to the Most Frequently Asked Questions
PossibleCruelty
Problem
What can be done about the following:
- Dog left outside without shade, food, or clean water?
- Dog that is underweight?
- Dog/Cat with visible medical problems?
- Puppy stuck in a cage on a back porch for almost a month?
- Dog/Puppy tied to a very short chain/rope?
- Someone mistreating any animal?
Solution
The agency to call depends on where the pet owner lives. If the owner of the animal in question resides in Coral Springs, Pompano Beach, Margate, or Hollywood, you must call the appropriate city. These cities have their own Animal Control Department that handles cruelty situations in their city.
If the owner lives in an unincorporated area of the county or in any other city than the ones listed above, Broward County Animal Care and Regulation Division handles these cruelty situations.
Call the Animal Care Dispatch Center at 954-359-1313 ext. 400 Monday through Friday during business hours. Provide the Dispatcher the complete address of the pet owner, name (if known) and the time of day when the owner is home. The Dispatcher will send an Animal Care Officer to check on the situation.
If you want to find out the results of the visit, ask the Dispatcher for the Dispatch Activity Number. When you call back, provide this number and the Dispatcher can tell you what happened when the officer visited the home.
Dog Running Loose (at Large)
Problem
A dog is running loose in the neighborhood, defecating in your yard or threatening you and your pets or knocking over garbage cans.
If you live in the city of Coral Springs, Margate, Pompano Beach, or Hollywood, contact the city's Animal Control Department. These cities have their own Animal Control Department that handles these situations.
If you live in any other city or an unincorporated area of the county, the Broward County Animal Care and Regulation handles these problems.
Solution
Option 1
There is a leash law in Broward County that states all dogs must be on a leash when off their owner’s property.
Provide us with the name and address of the dog owner and the time of day the owner is home. We will send an Animal Care Officer to the home. The key is to know who owns the dog and where they live. The Officer can warn the pet owner about the nuisance and check for current rabies vaccinations and animal licenses. The Officer can write a citation or 30-day warning for expired rabies vaccination and license tags. In most cases this will solve the problem. They cannot issue a citation for the Dog at Large unless they see the violation or See Option 2.
Option 1a
If you don’t know where the dog lives, we can send an Animal Care Officer to drive in the neighborhood at the time of day the dog runs loose.
Call Animal Care Dispatch at 954-359-1313 ext. 400 and they will send an Animal Care Officer to the area or home. Please provide the Dispatcher with the complete address, owners' name (if you know it), description of the dog(s), when the dog(s) run loose, and when the owner is home.
If you want to know what happened when the Officer visited the home, ask the Dispatcher for the Activity Number of the call. Then call back a few days later and provide the Activity Number to the Dispatcher. The Dispatcher can look up the results of the visit.
Option 2
An Animal Care Officer can issue a citation to the dog owner (this is done after a verbal warning is issued). The Officer can only issue a citation for the Dog at Large violation if they witness the violation or if you provide two affidavits attesting to the violation. You and a neighbor (not related to you) have to complete Affidavits. Please provide your full name and mailing address and we will mail you the paperwork.
Once we have the two affidavits, an Officer will issue the citation to the pet owner. You and the neighbor would have to appear in court if the dog owner wants to contest the citation. The second option is more work and time for you and a neighbor.
Nuisance Owned Cat
Problem
Your neighbor’s cat comes on your property and causes damages, urinates, etc.
Solution
There is no leash law for cats in Broward County so the owner is not breaking the leash law. Here are a few options to solve this problem.
1. Talk to your neighbor and explain the problem with the cat.
2. Animal Care Ordinance Chapter 4, Section 4-4 (Nuisance Dogs and Cats) gives you the right to trap the cat that comes on your property. Click here for complete legal document written in legalese or click here for a version written in common English.
Below are a few options for containing/trapping the cat.
a. Hire a private trapper to remove the cat. Look under Animal Removal Services in the Yellow Pages. Prices vary, so call a few companies to obtain the best price. They will also take the trapped cat away.
b. Trap the cat yourself. Rental companies offer traps for rent. Look in the Yellow Pages under Rental Service Stores and Yards. After you trap the cat, then call us (see below) for pick up. Animal Care will only pick up a cat that is contained in a box or trap.
c. If the cat is friendly and you can catch it by hand without danger to yourself, place it in a box or container. For pick up, call Animal Care Dispatch at 954-359-1313 ext. 400 weekdays during business hours.
3. We can send an Animal Care Officer to the pet owner’s house to check for current license tags and rabies vaccinations. The Officer can either issue a citation or 30-day warning to the pet owner. Call Animal Care Dispatch. Provide the complete address of the cat owner and when he/she is home. The Officer can also warn the pet owner the cat is causing a nuisance in the neighborhood and subject to possible trapping.
Nuisance Stray Cat
Problem
A stray cat comes on your property causing damage, urinating, etc.
Solution
1. Hire a private trapper to remove the cats. They are listed in the Yellow Pages under Animal Removal Services. Prices vary, so call a few companies to obtain the best price. They will also take the trapped cats away.
2. Trap the animals yourself. Rental companies offer traps for rent. Look in the Yellow Pages under Rental Service Stores and Yards. After you trap the cats, then call us (see below) for pick up. Animal Care will only pick up cats that are contained in a box or trap.
3. If the cats are friendly and you can catch the cats by hand without danger to yourself, place them in boxes or containers. we will pick them up. For pick up, call 954-359-1313 ext. 400 weekdays during business hours.
4. You can also call Animal Aid at 954-429-9990 or Cats Exclusive a 954-975-834. These nonprofit organizations might assist in trapping the cats and adopting them through their adoption centers.
Surrendering A Cat or Dog
Problem
You want to surrender a dog or cat that you own.
Solution
1. Bring the animal to one of our shelters and bring some proof of ownership such as a picture or veterinarian bill. There is no fee involved. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the animal will be placed for adoption because there are many factors involved in this process. For maps to our shelters and times for surrender, click here.
2. If you want to guarantee the dog/cat gets a good home, you have to find the new owner yourself. Distribute flyers around the neighborhood or place an ad in a newspaper. Ask everyone you know if they want to adopt it.
3. A nonprofit rescue organization might take the animal (depending if they have room) and place it for adoption. Call the Florida Humane Society at 954-570-9507 or Abandoned Pet Rescue at 954-728-9010.
4. The Humane Society of Broward County (954-989-3977) always accepts cats and dogs though they cannot make any guarantees about adoption.
Lost Cat or Dog
Problem
You lost your cat or dog.
Solution
1. There are four ways to find your lost pet through Animal Care and Regulation Division. Remember, it is your responsibility to look for your pet.
View the photos and descriptions of all the stray (found) dogs and cats at both Division shelters. Below are the instructions.
a. Click on View Photos and Descriptions of Adoptable and Stray Animals.
b. Enter the Zip Code 33315. Click on the "Find Shelters" button.
c. Check both Broward County Animal Care and Regulation Division Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach shelters. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Search."
d. It then asks you to "Choose a Search Type." You have four choices:
1. Dogs under the "Adoptable Animals" heading
2. Cats under the "Adoptable Animals" heading
3. Dogs under the "Found Animals" heading
4. Cats under the "Found Animals" heading
Under the “Found Animals” heading, click on the “Dogs” button or the “Cats” button.
e. It asks you to define the search by selecting: Breed, Gender, Age, Size, and Main Color. You can select no preference for all of these. Click on “Search.”
It will generate a list of the found (stray) animals presently at the shelter(s) that meet your selection criteria.
What about stray animals that will arrive at the shelter in the future. There is a special feature where you receive an email for the next 30 days when a particular breed arrives at the shelter.
If for example, you lost a male Collie dog. You will receive an email for 30 days when any male Collie dogs arrive at the shelter. You still need to visit the shelter to see if this dog is yours.
f. Scroll to the bottom of this screen below the photos and descriptions and look for "Special Searches Register your Breed Interest. Receive an email when a match animal arrives at the shelter." Select either Dogs or Cats.
g. Follow the instructions and complete the form. One of the first fields you must complete is “Interest Type.” From the pull down menu, select “I lost my pet.”
Lost dogs and cats picked up north of Commercial Boulevard go to the Pompano Beach shelter. Animals picked up south of Commercial Boulevard go to the Fort Lauderdale shelter.
2. If you lost a dog or cat that was wearing a Broward County license tag, leave a message on the Lost and Found Line at 954-359-1313 ext. 242. Staff will call you back if the animal is at one of our animal shelters.
3. If you lost a pet not wearing a license tag, you must visit the animal shelter to look for your pet and to complete a Lost Report. We will notify you by phone if we find the animal at a later date. We also recommend that you visit the animal shelter to look for your pet at least every other day. Click here for the addresses, maps, and operating hours of the Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach shelters.
4. Check the Daily Animal Intake List and match the description to your lost pet. It contains all the stray/lost dogs and cats at our two shelters covering the last seven days. The animals are listed in alphabetical order by city where they were found and then by intake date. It also has the street crossing, shelter location, type (dog or cat), breed, color, and condition. If you find a match, then visit the appropriate shelter to reclaim your lost pet.
Other Ways to Find A Lost Pet
1. Place a Lost Ad in the newspaper. Some papers will offer this service free.
2. Create a Lost Poster with a photo of your pet and your phone number. Make copies of the poster and place them around the neighborhood.
3. Talk to your postal carrier or delivery person. They travel the neighborhood on a daily basis. Give them a poster in case they see the pet.
4. Place outside of your house, some item that has your smell or that has the pet's smell. Dogs and cats have a great sense of smell and the item will act as a beacon so the pet can follow the sent home.
Medical Problem
Problem
There is a medical problem with your dog, cat, or other pet.
Does your facility declaw front paws of a cat?
Solution
As a governmental agency, we do not provide medical care or advice to pets owned by the public. The veterinary community provides this service. Consult with your veterinarian. If you don’t have a veterinarian, ask for a recommendation from family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc.
Nuisance Wildlife Problem
Problem
Any situation dealing with a healthy nuisance wild animal.
Solution
Animal Care and Regulation does not handle nuisance wildlife situations. We only handle dog and cat issues. You have two options: live with the wildlife by taking some actions to deal with the nuisance wildlife, or have the nuisance animal(s) removed.
1. For more information about dealing with nuisance wildlife, go to Nuisance Wildlife
2. The second option is to hire a private trapper to remove the nuisance wildlife. Trappers are listed in the Yellow Pages under Animal Removal Services and Pest Control. Call several trappers to get the best price.
3. Call the wildlife experts at the Wildlife Care Center (954-524-4302) or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Sunrise Office (954-746-1789). They can offer advice on how to solve the wildlife problem.
Record Update
Problem
How do I update my address and phone number?
My dog or cat recently died, how do I update my record?
I gave away my dog/cat, how do I update my record?
Solution
You have two ways to update your pet’s registration information.
1. Go to Record Update
2. Call our Data Entry staff at 954-359-1313 ext. 247, Monday through Friday during business hours.
Adopting A Specific Breed
Problem
I want to adopt a specific breed, how do I know when the breed arrives at the shelter?
Solution
There are four ways to know if we have a specific breed for adoption.
1. Click on Adoptable Pets . This is a list with a brief description of all the adoptable dogs and cats. If you see a breed you are interested in adopting, come to the animal shelter. Click here for Maps, Addresses, and Adoption Hours.
2. Call the Adoption Section at 954-359-1313 ext. 229 Monday through Friday from 1:15 - 6 p.m. or Saturday from 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. The Adoption staff has the latest information on the breeds available for adoption.
3. Come to the shelter and look in the stray kennels for the breed you want to adopt. If you find a dog, you then complete an Adoption Application and leave a $5 nonrefundable deposit. If the dog is not returned to its original owner, you will have the first opportunity to adopt it (after its exam and sterilization). Most of the small dogs are adopted this way. We will call you when the dog is ready for pick up. You then come to the shelter and pay $55 (the remainder of the adoption fee.)
4. We have another online feature that has photos, descriptions, and a way to receive an email when a particular breed arrives at the shelter. Below are the instructions.
a. Click on View Photos and Descriptions of Adoptable and Stray Animals .
b. Enter the Zip Code 33315. Click on the "Find Shelters" button.
c. Check both Broward County Animal Care and Regulation Division Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach shelters. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Search."
d. It then asks you to "Choose a Search Type." You have four choices:
1. Dogs under the "Adoptable Animals" heading
2. Cats under the "Adoptable Animals" heading
3. Dogs under the “Found Animals” heading
4. Cats under the “Found Animals” heading.
Click on either Dogs or Cats under the Adoptable Animals heading.
e. It asks you to define the search by selecting: Breed, Gender, Age, Size, and Main Color. You can select no preference for all of these. Click on “Search.”
It will generate a list of the animals that meet your selection criteria for the shelter(s) you choose.
f. Scroll to the bottom of this screen below the photos and descriptions and look for "Special Searches Register your Breed Interest. Receive an email when a match animal arrives at the shelter." Select either Dogs or Cats.
g. Follow the instructions and complete the form. One of the first fields you must complete is “Interest Type.” From the pull down menu, you have two choices, “I want to adopt a pet,” ”and I lost my pet. “ By selecting “I want to adopt a pet,” the system will send you an email of just the adoptable animals that meet your selected criteria.
By selecting “I lost my pet,” on the email form, you will receive an email of the just the found animals that meet your selection criteria. If you receive an email of a found dog that interests you, you must then visit the shelter and leave a $5 deposit. See item 3 for more details.
This method works very well for small dogs because most of theses animals are adopted by leaving a deposit on a stray animal. Found (stray) animals with a deposit are not classified as “adoptable animals,” but they are classified as “found animals.”
If you receive an email that the breed you selected arrived at the shelter and you want to adopt the animal, then you need to visit the appropriate shelter.
Go to Adoptions for details about the Adoption Procedures, Adopting a Stray, and other information.
Checking Registration Information
Problem
How do I look up my dog’s/cat’s registration number online to make sure all the information is updated.
Solution
Go to the Licensing Database . You can search by the license tag number or your name. Follow the instructions on how to enter the license tag number. If the information is not correct, then read the previous Problem/Solution.
You can also call the Data Entry Section at 954-359-1313 ext. 247 and speak to a person to answer any questions and update your record.
Proof of Ownership
Problem
How do I prove that I own a dog or cat?
Solution
There are several ways to prove you are the owner of a dog or cat.
1. Medical Records provides information about the pet and identifies the owner (in most cases).
2. Rabies Vaccination Certificate shows your name and address along with a description of the pet. This certificate is completed by a veterinarian and given to the owner to prove the pet received a rabies vaccination and it may include the animal license tag number.
3. Photo of you and the pet.
4. Other Documentation that describes the pet and owner. This documentation may include a health certificate used in traveling.
Boarding Kennel
Problem
Does your agency board pets?
How can I find a boarding kennel?
Solution
Animal Care and Regulation does not serve as a boarding facility. This service is offered by private business and some veterinarians.
1. For a comprehensive list, look in the Yellow Pages under Boarding Kennels.
2. Go to Boarding Kennels. This list contains a smaller number of kennels that will board during a hurricane and throughout the year.
3. Your veterinarian may offer boarding at their animal clinic.
Dog Friendly Places/Dog Beach
Problem
What are some places that are pet friendly, in other words what are places I can take my dog to have FUN?
Is there a beach where I can take my dog?
Solution
1. All the Broward County Parks (except for the nature centers) allow dogs on leashes.
2. There is the Dog Beach in Fort Lauderdale. Call their Parks and Recreation Division at 954-828-7275 to obtain a special permit required for the beach.
3. Dog Parks where leashes are not required are listed below.
Bark Park at Snyder Park in Fort Lauderdale 954-828-3647.
Dr. Pauls Pet Care Center Dog Park at the Sportsplex in Coral Springs 954-344-1841.
Happytrails Dog Park at Seminole Park in Plantation 954-452-2510.
Poinciana Dog Park at Poinciana Neighborhood Park in Hollywood 954-921-3404.
Woodville Park located at 1500 S.W. 83rd Ave., North Lauderdale 954-724-7061.
Inexpensive Rabies Vaccination
Problem
Where in Broward County can I find an inexpensive place to vaccinate my dog?
Solution
Animal Care offers the rabies vaccination and county license tag for only $15 at our Low-Cost Rabies Vaccination and License Tag Clinics. The clinics are restricted to low-income Broward pet owners and held once a month from May through October at different parks throughout the county. Go to Low Cost Rabies Vaccination and License Tag Clinics for all the details.
Barking Dog
Problem
Either a city or the county enforces the noise ordinance so it depends on where you live.
Solution
If you live in an incorporated city, (such as Plantation, Margate, Weston, etc.) your city's Code Enforcement Department or Police Department would enforce their noise ordinance. Most cities have their own noise ordinance or they can use the county's noise ordinance.
If you live in an unincorporated area of the county, then the Animal Care and Regulation Division enforces the noise ordinance. We can begin an investigation only when we have two signed affidavits from two unrelated people (in different homes). To receive the two affidavits and instructions by mail, call 954-359-1313 and ask to speak to the Division Secretary.
The county ordinance on barking dogs is Section 4-8 c1. Click here for the legal document written in legalese or click here for a version written in common English.
Purchasing A License Tag
Problem
You need to purchase a license tag for your dog or cat.
Solution
You can purchase the license tag by mail, by visiting one of our shelters, or by visiting a veterinarian that issues Broward County animal license tags. You cannot purchase it online at this time. Click here for more details about Licensing.
Purchasing a Replacement License Tag
Problem
Your dog or cat lost its animal license tag and you want to purchase a replacement license tag.
Solution
You can purchase a replacement animal license tag in three ways: at a veterinarian's office, through the mail, or at Animal Care two animal shelters. Click here for more information.
Pit Bulls in Broward County
Problem
You want to know if Pit Bulls are allowed in Broward County
Solution
Pit Bulls are allowed in all cities of Broward County. To the best of our knowledge, only Hollywood, Sunrise, and Tamarac have special requirements for pit bulls. Call your City's Code Enforcement Department.
For additional information about Pits Bulls and pet limits, Click here.
Remember, all dogs and cats four months and older are required to receive a yearly rabies vaccination and wear a county animal license tag.
A Pet or Wild Animal Bit My Pet
Problem
A pet or wild animal has bit your dog or cat and you don’t know what to do.
Solution
The first step in documenting the actions of this pet is to report the bite to Lynette Davis, Bite Coordinator, at 954-359-1347 or 954-359-1313 ext. 231. Call Ms. Davis from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
She will send an Animal Care Officer to your house and to the dog owner's house to investigate the bite and possibly issue a citation to the dog owner. The dog maybe required to wear a muzzle depending on the findings of the investigation. Please provide her with the complete address of the other dog owner and the time of day when the owner is home. If the officer does issue a citation and the owner appeals the citation, you will have to appear in court as a witness.
Broward County has an excellent Animal Care Ordinance with a Muzzle Section and Dangerous Dog Section that applies to all breeds. After two attacks on other pets, a dog may be declared dangerous. For more details about these sections, Click here.
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