Miami-Dade Animal Services urges community support as shelter faces outbreak of strep zoo and critical overcrowding

Miami-Dade County Animal Services (Animal Services) is currently managing an outbreak of Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus (Strep Zoo), a highly contagious bacterial infection that can cause hemorrhagic pneumonia in dogs. While rare, this bacteria can also affect immunocompromised individuals and other animals.

Due to the shelter’s severe overcrowding, the risk of transmission among dogs has increased significantly. Dogs brought into the shelter are at high risk of exposure. To protect the pets currently in our care and reduce further risk, Animal Services is urging the community to help by adopting or fostering now. Additionally, we are asking residents not to surrender their pets or bring in lost or stray pets to the shelter at this time unless the animal poses a risk to public safety or is injured or ill. This will help us prioritize space and resources for the animals in most urgent need.

How the Community Can Help Save Lives:
Adopt – Give a shelter pet a loving home. Every adoption creates much-needed space and helps protect the animals who remain.
Foster – Provide a temporary safe haven for a dog or cat. Fostering not only saves lives but helps decompress the shelter and improve animal health. Supplies and support are provided.

Each animal that leaves the shelter helps us reduce overcrowding, lower stress levels, and stop the spread of disease.

We need the support of our residents now more than ever to ensure our pets find the safe, loving homes they deserve.

For more information on how to adopt, foster, or help, visit animals.miamidade.gov or call 311.
To inquire about fostering opportunities, visit our website or email [email protected].
Together, we can help save lives and protect the health of the pets in our community.

About Miami-Dade County Animal Services  
Every year Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department (Animal Services) provides care and refuge to almost 15,000 lost, abandoned, injured, ill, or abused dogs and cats and affords vaccination and sterilization services to almost 20,000 free-roaming community cats. Every day, Animal Services staff works diligently to find life-long homes for these shelter animals by facilitating onsite adoptions, hosting offsite adoptions at events and locations throughout the community, and working collaboratively with rescue organizations, volunteers, and adoption partners. For more information visit www.miamidade.gov/animals and follow @AdoptMiamiPets on Facebook, Instagram and X.