Seminole County, Florida

Sec. 20.01. – Definitions.

Breeder: Any person or entity that causes dogs or cats to reproduce, either willfully or through failure to exercise due care and control, regardless of the size or number of litters produced. Any person or entity offering male dogs or cats for stud purposes will be classified as a breeder. This classification does not apply to a hobby breeder, as defined in this Section, or to a pet owner who breeds his or her own pets and keeps all of the offspring.

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Hobby Breeder: Any person or entity, that intentionally causes or allows willfully or through failure to exercise due care and control, the breeding or studding of a dog or cat resulting in no more than a total of one (1) litter per calendar year per legal residence whether or not the animals in such litter are offered for sale or other transfer.

ARTICLE III. – STANDARDS OF CARE CERTIFICATE

Sec. 20.71. – Standards of Care Certificate required.

(a) It is unlawful for any person or entity except as provided below to fail to obtain a Standards of Care certificate prior to engaging in any of the following activities in Seminole County:

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(3) Operating or managing an animal-based business accepting payment for providing or offering any of the following services for dogs or cats: housing, boarding, buying, selling, re-homing, or adopting of dogs and cats;

(4) Hobby breeding as defined in Section 20.01; or

(5) Exceeding the animal limits per residence as defined in Section 20.83(i);

(b) Exemptions. The following entities are exempt from the Standards of Care Certificate requirement:

(1) Animal hospitals that do not provide or offer boarding;

(2) Animal training facilities that do not provide or offer boarding; and

(3) Grooming facilities that do not provide or offer boarding.

Sec. 20.72. – Cost of certificate; issuance generally.

(a) Standards of Care Certificates shall be issued after completion of an application and payment of such certificate fee as shall be established by duly adopted resolution of the Board of County Commissioners. If the certificate is not secured within sixty (60) days of engaging in an activity regulated by Section 20.71, or within sixty (60) days after the expiration date of the prior licensing period, such penalty fee as shall be established by duly adopted resolution of the Board of County Commissioners shall be added to the cost of the certificate.

(b) The fee for any certificate issued to a certificate holder who first becomes subject to the certificate provisions after March 31st of any calendar year shall be one-half of the full fee for that year.

(c) If a certificate is lost or damaged, the certificate holder may secure a duplicate by making payment of such fee as shall be established by duly adopted resolution of the Board of County Commissioners.

(d) Unless approved by the Animal Control Official, no refunds for Standards of Care Certificates shall be issued.

Sec. 20.73. – Duration of certificate.

A Standards of Care Certificate shall be issued for each fiscal year beginning October 1st and ending September 30th upon a payment of the proper fee.

Sec. 20.74. – Contents of certificate.

All Standards of Care Certificates shall have a number and show their expiration date.

Sec. 20.75. – Display and inspection of certificate.

The certificate required by this Part shall be prominently displayed at the location where the regulated activity occurs and be readily available for public inspection.

Sec. 20.76. – Care of animals.

(a) Every person or entity holding a Standards of Care Certificate or engaging in activities regulated by Section 20.71 within the County shall properly feed and care for all animals in their custody.

(b) The premises at which the regulated activity occurs will be periodically inspected by the Animal Control Official, who will issue a notice of violation upon observing any violation of any requirement of this Part during the inspection. Such premises will be reinspected within three business days after issuance of such notice of violation.

(c) The failure to correct such violation after notice is unlawful and the Animal Control Official is authorized to issue citations, revoke the Standards of Care Certificate, file a complaint with the State Attorney’s Office or take any combination of these actions in addition to any other remedy provided by law. No new certificate will be issued to the certificate holder for a period of three (3) years, unless found not guilty on all charges filed by the State Attorney or the certificate holder is granted a waiver by the Animal Control Official upon a showing of rehabilitation by the certificate holder. The Animal Control Official may place such conditions on the issuance of such a certificate holder as he or she deems necessary to protect the public interest and welfare of animals.

(d) When neglect of animals or failure to feed and care for animals causes any animal(s) located at the premises at which the regulated activity occurs to require veterinary care or causes loss of life of any animal(s), the Standards of Care Certificate may be rescinded or revoked.

(e) The Standards of Care Certificate shall be revoked if a certificate holder, or representative of the certificate holder, refuses to allow inspection of any premises or structures where the activity regulated by the certificate occurs.

(f) The Standards of Care Certificate shall be revoked if a certificate holder does not allow an inspection of the premises at which the regulated activity occurs within forty-eight (48) hours of receiving notification that the Animal Control Official has received a reliable report from an identified source that animal cruelty or neglect is occurring at the premises at which the regulated activity occurs.