Animal Care and Regulation / Wildlife

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We Love Our Pets

Be a responsible pet owner. Know the law when it comes to Animal Care in Broward County. An annual Rabies vaccination is required for cats, dogs, and ferrets (Broward County Code of Ordinances Section 4-10, and pets must have and wear a current Rabies Registration Tag (Section 4-11.) This is very important should your pet come into contact with rabid wildlife.

paw print
For more information on lost or found pets, pet registration tag 

for dogs and cats, pet adoption, pet surrender, or volunteering contact: 

Broward County Animal Care and Adoption   

954-359-1313
Broward.org/animal

Click here to learn more about animal laws in Broward.


Lost/Stray Pets

If you have found a lost pet, it's best to make an appointment to bring the pet in by calling 954-357-9758 or e-mailing Broward County Animal Care Center at admissions@broward.org. If you cannot wait for an appointment, please visit the shelter for service, or call the Field Services team for stray pet pick-up at 954-359-1313, Option 2.


Deceased Animals

For dead animals on the public roadways, contact Public Works at 954-385-2600, or within a gated community please contact your Homeowner Association or Property Maintenance Association.


Nuisance Animals

All other animals on private property, such as rodents and raccoons (dead or alive), are the responsibility of the property owner.  A private vendor can be contracted.

Community (Feral) Cats

Free-roaming cat populations, sometimes referred to as community cats, generally consist of a mixture of truly feral cats, semi-socialized cats and lost and abandoned pets. Community/feral cats multiply rapidly.  

Broward County Animal Care has established responsible cat management programs that works to effectively reduce the cat population throughout our community. Such programs include Trap, Neuter and Return (TNR), as well as Return to Field (RTF).

Read more about these programs.

Learn tips to manage community cats in your neighborhood.

Read more on feral cats from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Dogs "At Large"

Leash Law (Broward County Code of Ordinances Section 4-3): Dogs must be kept on a leash or confined within a fenced in yard when outside of your home. No exceptions.

Pet Waste 

It’s your doo-ty to pick up after your dog. (Sorry, we had to go there.) Pet waste left behind is considered an illegal nuisance, plus it contaminates our waterways, (fecal coliform is found in waterbodies throughout Broward.) Just bag it and trash it.


Wildlife

Please visit our Wildlife page for more information on the variety of wildlife species that live or migrate through our area.  

Alligators

If an alligator appears threatening, comes close to your home, or becomes a risk for humans or pets, contact Alligator Control at 866-392-4286 between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 561-357-4200 after hours. Only nuisance alligators can be removed. The City is not permitted to handle an alligator for any reason.