Miami-Dade Animal Services recognized nationally as a lifesaving shelter

Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department (Animal Services) has once again achieved a significant milestone in lifesaving animal welfare. According to Best Friends Animal Society’s annual data report, the department maintained its no-kill status in 2024, saving more than 90% of the dogs and cats that entered its care, marking the 10th consecutive year the department has met or exceeded this benchmark. 

“Ten years as a lifesaving shelter is an extraordinary milestone that reflects Miami-Dade’s unwavering commitment to animal welfare,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “I’m proud of the work our Animal Services team and partners do every day to give pets a second chance at life. Together, we’re proving that with the right programs, partnerships, and public support, we can build a more humane and hopeful future for every animal in our care.”

In 2024, more than 14,000 animals entered the shelter system. Many were lost, abandoned, injured, or facing crisis situations. Despite continued national challenges like shelter overcrowding, veterinary shortages, and adoption slowdowns, Miami-Dade Animal Services met the challenges with expanded programming, proactive community outreach, and strategic partnerships.

Key programs and services that helped Animal Services sustain its no-kill status in 2024 include:
•    Robust adoption efforts at the Pet Adoption and Protection Center and mobile pop-up events across Miami-Dade County
•    Free and low-cost spay/neuter services to reduce pet overpopulation and unwanted litters
•    The Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) program, helping humanely manage the community cat population
•    Strong pet retention support to help struggling families keep their pets during housing or financial crises
•    An active foster network, ensuring sick, underage, and special-needs animals get the care they need
•    Volunteer opportunities to engage the public in walking dogs, socializing cats, and supporting special events

“This achievement reflects the incredible dedication of our staff, volunteers, and rescue partners—and the deep compassion of our community,” said Annette Jose, Director of Miami-Dade Animal Services. “Being a no-kill shelter means we are saving healthy and treatable pets, even in challenging times. But continued community support is essential, whether through adoption, fostering, volunteering, or simply spreading the word. Together, we save lives.”

Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare organization working to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters, recognizes this achievement as a positive step forward and one that can be replicated by other shelters in Florida. 

To learn more about Miami-Dade Animal Services visit www.miamidade.gov/animals.

*A 90% save rate is the nationally recognized benchmark to be considered “no-kill,” factoring that approximately 10 % of pets who enter shelters have medical or behavioral circumstances that warrant humane euthanasia rather than killing for lack of space. 

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/or follow @adoptmiamipets on Facebook, and X.

About Best Friends Animal Society:
Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and cats in America's shelters and making the entire country no-kill. Founded in 1984, Best Friends runs lifesaving facilities and programs nationwide in partnership with more than 5,000 shelters and rescue organizations. From our headquarters in Kanab, Utah, we also operate the nation's largest no-kill animal sanctuary — a destination that brings our mission to life for thousands of visitors each year. We maintain the most comprehensive animal sheltering data in the country and make it accessible to the public — empowering communities with critical insights into the needs of their local shelters and how they can help. We believe every dog and cat deserves a home. And we believe that, by working together, we can Save Them All®.