Pinellas County, Florida

Sec. 14-29. – Pet dealerships; kennels; and hobby breeders.

I. Activities requiring permits.

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(c) Hobby breeders are exempt from the provisions of subsection 14-29(I)(b) and (d), and may instead operate under a hobby breeder permit, provided that:

(1) They sell no more than two litters, or 20 animals, per year, whichever is greater, per household; and

(2) They are in compliance with all other provisions of this article and applicable laws relating to animals.

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II. Permit procedures. The following provisions shall apply to permits required by this section:

(a) Any person or entity desiring to operate as a pet dealer, kennel, hobby breeder, or retail sales commercial establishment shall file a permit application with the department on such form as provided by the department and within the timeframe required by the department.

(b) All permit holders and applicants shall provide an update within 15 calendar days of any addition or change of the physical address of the location(s) of all animals being bred or offered for sale.

(c) A permit issued under this section is nontransferable from one entity or person to another or from one location to another.

(d) All permits issued under this section shall be valid for one year.

(e) In order to cover administrative and enforcement costs associated with this section, the board of county commissioners will establish by resolution annual permitting application fees for each permit category. Annual application fees are nonrefundable.

(f) It shall be a violation of this article if the permit holder fails to meet the standards set forth for basic animal care and facility sanitation as established by the department, which standards shall be available on the department’s website. A permit holder is responsible for remaining familiar with the most recent standards.

(g) All locations identified by the permit applicant shall be subject to an initial inspection to determine compliance with the department’s applicable published standards.

(h) An annual inspection shall be required prior to any permit issuance or renewal. The renewal inspection period shall extend from 60 days prior to the end of a current permit period until the last day of the current permit period. Notice of the renewal inspection period, including a description of the scope and criteria of the inspection, shall be provided no later than ten days prior to a renewal inspection period, and any effort to seek review by a competent jurisdiction of the intended inspection must be initiated before the renewal period begins. The renewal inspection shall be unscheduled, and may be conducted at any reasonable hour by any animal control code enforcement officer, who shall act in accordance with the renewal inspection period notice and at a minimum shall be given access to and the opportunity to investigate the animals, premises and records of a permit holder to determine compliance with F.S. Chs. 767 and 828, as may be amended, and this article.

(i) If a permit holder under this section receives an unsatisfactory inspection or an ordinance violation, a permit may be suspended or revoked. Upon correction of violations and, provided a satisfactory reinspection is completed, a permit may be reinstated for the duration of the permit period for a reinstatement fee, as established by the board of county commissioners.

(j) Any decision by the department to deny, suspend, or revoke the permit of a permit applicant or permit holder may be reviewed by the county administrator. A permit applicant or permit holder may initiate review by delivering a written request for review of the action to the director by 5:00 p.m. EST on the fifth full business day after the date of the relevant department action. The written notice shall include the basis of review and relief sought, as well as any supporting materials which the requesting party deems relevant to the issues raised in the request. The county administrator will issue a decision in writing stating the reason for the determination in the matter, with a copy furnished to the initiating party no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on the seventh full business day after receipt of the request for review. The decision shall be final and conclusive as to the county unless a party commences action in a court of competent jurisdiction.

III. Additional restrictions pertaining to animal sales by permitted entities.

(a) Sales subject to this section shall only take place in locations authorized in permits and in no event shall such sale locations be permitted in a public thoroughfare, public common area, parking lots open to the public or flea market.

(b) No person or entity may advertise for the sale of animals, unless such advertisement includes the permit number issued by the department.

For purposes of this section, advertise (or advertisement) includes, but is not limited to, announcements, listings, displays, entries, or other written statements containing the name of the permit holder or identifying the services offered by the permit holder or by a person or entity subject to this section and that are placed in a magazine or periodical, newspaper or inserts, direct mail pieces, audio broadcasting or telephone directory, on the internet, or on vehicles or equipment.

(c) After each sale, pet dealers and hobby breeders shall submit point of sale certificates provided by the department.

Sec. 14-49. – Adoption, redemption and disposition of animals.

(a) The disposition of all animals, which have been impounded or rescued by the department shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of this article as provided below:

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(3) All dogs and cats placed for adoption shall be vaccinated, licensed, and sterilized before custody is relinquished to the new owner.

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(d) Adopting found stray animals. The department at its sole discretion, may permit residents who possess a stray dog or cat and who wish to provide it a permanent home, to legally become the owner of such animal by adhering to the following procedures:

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(6) A person may become the licensed owner of such an animal pursuant to this section, provided the following requirements are also met:

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c. The animal has been sterilized;

Sec. 14-50. – Sterilization.

(a) All dogs and cats adopted from the county shall be sterilized by a veterinarian before adoption, except when a veterinarian determines that sterilization would endanger the animal’s health due to its age, infirmity or illness.

(b) A dog which is impounded two times while at large within a 24-month period shall be sterilized before it may be redeemed for the second time, except when the department’s staff veterinarian determines that the sterilization would endanger the animal’s health due to its age, infirmity or illness.

(c) For the purposes of controlling pet overpopulation and ensuring all animals adopted from the county are sterilized in an expeditious manner, the county shall be considered the legal owner of: all stray dogs that remain in the shelter three days after intake/impound (i.e., on the third day sterilization may take place) unless positive, traceable ownership may be indicated by a registered microchip, city tag or private id tag; and all stray cats upon intake/impound unless positive, traceable ownership may be indicated by a registered microchip, city tag, other form of traceable permanent identification, or private identification tag. The county is hereby authorized to perform sterilization procedures on any animal any time after it becomes county property, such ownership provisions shall not affect the holding periods established in section 14-48.