Cats and Dogs: Update your Rabies Vaccine and County License
Doc Truli has heard from several clients about dog and cat Pinellas County pet license enforcement. Animal Control Officers recently went door-to-door on Woodbine Street, and requested County licenses to be presented for inspection. Neighbors found not to have current rabies vaccines and dog and cat licenses had their pets impounded. It can be expensive and emotionally draining to have your pet impounded and subsequently released to your care, so please call us today to get your rabies vaccine and license, or to inquire if you are not sure if your pet is up to date on the license.
Why Do We Have to Have Pet Licensing?
Many people assume the pet licensing laws were invented to generate money for the county. Actually, the laws are put into place as part of a comprehensive rabies prevention public health policy.
Did You Know?
Pinellas County, Florida…”has more dogs and cats licensed and vaccinated for rabies than any other Florida County. This provides the first line of defense against rabies, and it results in more animals being reunited with their owners than in any other Florida County. For more information contact Animal Services at (727) 582-2600.”
Who Needs a License?
Cats, dogs, ferrets, sheep, horses, and cattle who have reached the age of four months old must have a rabies vaccine in the State of Florida.
In Pinellas County, every cat and dog must have a county license. To save taxpayers’ money, since 2009, lifetime county tags/licenses have been issued. This program saves paperwork and money by assigning a unique pet license number and tag to your pet. You pet keeps the same “tag” or “license” for a lifetime, while you pay your licensing fee and send in your paperwork every 1 or 3 years, depending on the age of your pet and the rabies vaccine they received. The fee for the 1 year or the 3 year is $20.
What Can Happen If I Don’t Have the License?
Your pet can be impounded by an Animal Control Officer. Impounding means your pet is taken to the shelter and you cannot have them back until you pay for the rabies vaccine, license, and pay boarding fees at the impound.
To get your pet back from the County Impound, you must also either pay an impound fee, or pay a fee to have an intact pet spayed or castrated, and Pinellas County will waive the impound fee.
Impound Expenses (please refer to Pinellas County for up-to-date and accurate fees: fines and rules subject to change.)
Impoundment fee:
Charges assessed for reclaiming your lost or impounded pet:
- Sterilized pet = $50
- Intact pet = $80
- Board per day = $10
If your pet does not have a current county pet license or rabies vaccination, they will be required at the time of reclaiming your pet:
- License = $20
- Rabies vaccination = $5
When unaltered (reproductively intact) animals are impounded and reclaimed by the owner, an incentive will be offered at that time to have the animal spayed/neutered at a low cost and, in addition, the impound fees will be waived. The boarding fees will still be assessed per each day the animal was in the shelter.
Low-Cost Spaying & Neutering Fees:
- Spay – Dog = $40
- Spay – Cat =$30
- Neuter – Dog =$30
- Neuter – Cat =$20
Get Your Pet License(s)
In summary, be sure your cats and dogs have their up-to-date Pinellas County licenses. The County does enforce the law and your pets do have to have their licenses.
References
Pinellas County Website regarding Animal Services, including licenses