Animal Services

Citations (Civil Violation Notices)

Miami-Dade County pet owners registered with Animal Services are issued courtesy renewal notices advising to vaccinate against rabies and/or renew their rabies. One and three-year rabies vaccines and licenses are available to the public at the Main Shelter. Failure to license or vaccinate against rabies is a safety and public health issue, and a violation of the Florida State Statute and County Code.

Civil Citation/Violation notices are issued to dog owners for failure to license or vaccinate their dog against rabies. Under Chapter 5, Section 8cc-10 of the municipal code of Miami-Dade County:

• Pet owners are required to purchase a rabies license tag within 30-days of their dog becoming 4-months old.
• All dogs 4-months and older must wear their rabies license tag.
• Licenses and vaccinations are due on the expiration date (due every 1 or 3 years). If in doubt, please check with your vet to confirm the expiration date for the vaccine and or search our license database for the information. 
•  Failure to renew may result in a citation being issued.
  

Residents can check the status of a citation and pay the fee with a major credit card using the citation number, name of person issued the citation, the folio number or mailing address on the Clerk of Court Citation Search site. Please note: Citations are filed under the owner's name, not the pet's name.

Payment of Citations*
Check, money order or cashier's check must be made payable to Board of County Commissioners and mailed to:

* Citation number(s) must be referenced in all check payments.

You may also pay by phone at 305-375-2333 or 305-375-3494