Citrus County, Florida

Sec. 14-32. – Definitions.

When utilized herein, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings, unless the content clearly requires otherwise:

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Hobby breeder means any person who breeds and/or raises on his/her property dogs, cats, and or companion animals, and who sells no more than two litters, or 20 dogs, cats and/or companion animals per year, whichever is greater.

Sec. 14-33. – Licenses.

(a) Requirements.

(1) Except as provided for in subsection (c) of this section, all dogs, cats, and ferrets at least four months of age or older must be registered with animal services. Registration may be obtained for either one or three years.

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(b) Fees.

(1) The fee for registration certificates and tags shall be established by resolution of the board. There shall be a differential between the fee assessed for registration certificates and tags of intact dogs or cats versus sterilized animals, with intact animals to be charged at a higher rate unless a veterinarian has determined that the animal is not healthy enough to sterilize.

Sec. 14-35. – Impoundment.

(c) There is no mandatory hold time for cats and kittens which have been impounded and are without any form of identification (including, but not limited to, collars, tags, microchips and tattoos). Cats and kittens impounded without any form of identification may be made available for adoption at any time after impoundment. Intact cats and kittens over the age of four months impounded without any form of identification may be spayed or neutered at any time after impoundment.

(d) All puppies six months of age or less which are impounded without any form of identification (including, but not limited to, collars, tags, microchips and tattoos) may be made available for adoption and may be spayed or neutered any time after impoundment. Dogs which are impounded without any form of identification and which are not suffering from or suspected to have an infectious or contagious disease, or which have not been injured to such an extent as to cause unjustified pain or suffering, shall be held for redemption for a minimum of three days, including the day said animal was impounded, after which time the dog may be spayed or neutered and made available for adoption. Puppies six months of age or less and dogs which have identification and which have been impounded and are not suffering from or suspected to have an infectious or contagious disease, or which have not been injured to such an extent as to cause unjustified pain or suffering, shall be held for redemption for a minimum of five days, including the day said animal was impounded, after which the animal may be spayed or neutered and made available for adoption.

Sec. 14-37. – Adoption and redemption of animals

(1) Redemption.

c. All persons claiming their animal must provide proof of ownership, proof of sterilization, as well as proof of current registration and rabies vaccination if such is required by this article. Redeemed animals for which sterilization, rabies vaccination and/or registration is required pursuant to sections 14-33 and 14-34, and whose owner cannot verify compliance with such requirements, shall be sterilized and vaccinated by the on-staff veterinarian prior to redemption. The owner shall be responsible for paying the cost of the vaccination and sterilization prior to redeeming the animal.

d. Exceptions to the sterilization requirement will be granted for the following animals:

i. First time impounded at-large animals, upon owner’s payment of a $250.00 fee, cost of an unaltered license and any other applicable fees;

ii. Animals impounded for the first time for reasons other than being at-large;

iii. First time impounded animals having a current unaltered license and microchip;

iv. Animals too young or infirm to be sterilized as determined by the shelter veterinarian.

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(2) Adoption.

a. All dogs and cats adopted from animal services must be properly vaccinated and sterilized. All dogs and cats adopted from animal services will be appropriately vaccinated and sterilized by the on-staff county veterinarian prior to the release of the animal. In the absence of the on-staff county veterinarian, a voucher must be obtained from animal services at the time of adoption, redeemable for such service(s) at a local participating veterinarian. Adopted animals for which sterilization and/or rabies vaccination is required shall obtain from animal services at the time of adoption a voucher, redeemable for such service(s) at a local participating veterinarian. The owner of such adopted animal must provide verification of rabies vaccination as required by law and register such animal with animal services within 30 days of adoption. Verification of sterilization shall be provided within 30 days of adoption.

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e. Recognized rescue organizations may be exempt from the purchase of vouchers required by this article for sterilization and/or rabies vaccination, provided, however, that proof of such vaccination and/or sterilization is provided within 30 days.

f. The animal services director may, at his/her discretion, extend the time period for which an individual must provide verification of rabies vaccination, sterilization and/or registration, when such extension will not be injurious to the health, safety and welfare of the public. In no event shall the time of extension exceed 60 days, unless the animal qualifies for an exemption as set forth in this article or as otherwise recognized by law.

g. Any person who fails to have an adopted animal sterilized within the time allotted by this chapter, unless such person was acting upon the contrary medical advice of a veterinarian regarding the adopted animal, shall be in violation of this article. The county shall have the right to repossess any adopted animal that is not sterilized pursuant to this section.

Sec. 14-58. – Outside cats.

It shall be a violation of this article for any person who owns, harbors, or keeps any unsterilized cat three months of age or older to allow or permit such unsterilized cat to be or remain outdoors.

Sec. 14-65. – Mandatory spay and neuter for cats.

(a) Purpose. The board has determined that the unintended or uncontrolled breeding of cats within the county leads to many cats and kittens being unwanted, becoming strays, suffering privation and death, being impounded and euthanized at great expense to the community, and constituting a public nuisance and public health hazard. It is, therefore, declared to be the public policy of the county to encourage every feasible means of reducing the number of unwanted cats and kittens in the county.

(b) Spaying, neutering of cats.

(1) Every cat four months of age or older within the county shall be spayed or neutered, unless proof of one of the following exemptions is provided to the county:

a. The cat is registered with a national or international club or association and the owner certifies in writing to the county that the animal is being used, trained, or considered for use in a show(s), sporting competition(s), or other similar competitive event(s) held by one or more national or international clubs or associations.

b. A veterinarian licensed in the state certifies in writing that the cat is medically unfit to undergo the required spay or neuter procedure because of a medical condition, including, but not limited to, age, that would be substantially aggravated by such procedure or would likely cause the cat’s death. The writing must state the date by which the cat may be safely spayed or neutered. The county may extend the time for spaying or neutering a cat or may exempt such cat from the spay/neuter requirement based upon the written medical recommendation of a licensed veterinarian. For a cat that is not spayed or neutered due to a health condition as provided herein, the license tag fee established by the board for sterilized cats shall apply. As soon as the medical condition that prevents a cat from being spayed or neutered ceases to exist, it shall be the duty of the owner of such cat to promptly comply with this section.

c. The owner wishes to keep the cat unsterilized and has purchased an unsterilized license and has microchipped the cat for identification. However, if the cat is trapped or otherwise found at large and impounded at animal services more than once, the license will be forfeited and the cat will be sterilized.

d. The cat is used for breeding purposes by a licensed hobby or commercial breeder and is registered as a pedigreed cat with the Cat Fancier Association or the International Cat Association.

e. The cat is being harbored by a shelter, humane society, or private animal nonprofit organization, whether public or private, whose principal purpose is securing the adoption of cats or offering sanctuary for cats, provided that the cat is spayed or neutered prior to being placed for adoption.

Sec. 14-66. – Registration of rescue groups, breeders, hobby breeders and owners of eleven or more companion animals.

(a) Rescue groups, breeders, hobby breeders and owners of 11 or more dogs, cats and companion animals shall register annually with the County.

(b) The fee for annual registration is $25.00.

(c) Those registering shall submit a disaster plan and shall authorize animal control to inspect the location where the animals are kept.

(d) A $250.00 penalty may be assessed for failure to register.