Shipping Pets

Miami-Dade County

Vaccinations

• County law requires rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats.
• Dogs and cats must be four months old to receive the rabies vaccination.
• The owner must have the dog or cat registered in Miami-Dade County, though the owner does not have to be a Miami-Dade resident.
• In lieu of a late fee, pet owners have a 30-day grace period from the license and rabies vaccine expiration date to renew their pet's license and rabies vaccination. Failure to renew within the grace period will result in the issuance of a civil violation notice.

Exemptions

• A veterinarian may exempt your dog or cat from the rabies vaccine for up to one year for health reasons. You must submit a written notice signed by a licensed veterinarian to Animal Services within 30 days of the vaccine expiration date. If your dog has ongoing health issues, you must submit the rabies exemption written request annually. (Note: The dog license tag is still required regardless of the rabies vaccine exemption. Renewal must occur within 30 days of the license expiration date.)
• Pets can't be vaccinated when pregnant, but can be vaccinated when nursing.
• Greyhounds kept, maintained or brought into Miami-Dade County for the purpose of racing at licensed greyhound tracks are exempt. So are dogs used as part of entertainment acts when properly controlled, or dogs that remain in the Miami-Dade for less than 30 days.

Licenses for pets

• Animal license tags are available for dogs and cats.
• The county requires license tags for all dogs older than four months of age. The owner must register the dog with Miami-Dade County and the dog must wear the tag at all times.
• The county doesn't require cats to wear the tag, but they are available for cats. Since cats are clever enough to take off their collars, the county recommends a microchip instead of a tag.

License renewal

• You can buy or renew a dog license at your local veterinarian’s office, at the Animal Services Shelter or at any one of the 311 Service Centers. The county requires dog licenses for all dogs older than four months of age.
• The owner must renew the dog license tag every year by the anniversary of the month and date of the dog’s most recent rabies vaccine, whether your dog receives the one-year or the three-year rabies vaccination.
• The county will accept a valid driver's license or passport as identification for the purpose of registering a dog.
• An owner must purchase a three-year tag when (or shortly thereafter) the dog receives a three-year vaccination. The owner must also provide proof of the three-year vaccination. Regardless of when the owner purchases the dog license, the expiration date will coincide with the vaccine expiration date.

How to purchase a tag

Purchase a dog license (tag) in one of the following ways:

• Visit the Pet Adoption and Protection Center at 3599 NW 79th Avenue, Doral, FL 33122.
• Go to your local veterinarian’s office.
• Visit any one of the 311 Service Centers (they only accept personal check, cashier's check or money order).
• Make a check payable to Miami-Dade Animal Services and mail to: 
  Miami-Dade Animal Services 
  Tag Unit 
  3599 NW 79^th Avenue 
  Doral, FL 33122

You are not able to purchase or renew your dog's license online.

Fees

Altered dog fee (spayed or neutered) requires proof that the dog has been spayed/neutered includes the following:

• One-year altered-dog fee: around $40
• One-year (younger than 12 months) altered dog fee: around $40
• Three-year altered dog fee: around $120

Unaltered dog fee (not spayed or neutered) includes the following:

• One-year unaltered dog fee: around $80
• One-year (younger than 12 months) unaltered dog fee: around $30
• Three-year unaltered dog fee: around $180

Low-income household fee 

• One-year low-income household altered dog fee: around $25 (requires proof that the dog has been spayed or neutered)
• One-year low-income household unaltered dog fee: around $25
• To qualify for this discount price, owners on public assistance must provide a current eligibility letter from at least one of the following:
  • Food Stamps
  • Medicaid
  • SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
  • Jackson Memorial Hospital Clinic Cards
  • TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needed Families)

Replacement tags 
Owners can purchase an animal license replacement in person at the Animal Services shelter or at any of the 311 Service Centers. The county will issue a new tag with a new number, but the expiration date will be the same as the tag the owner lost.

Owners can purchase tags in person or by mail. If paying by check, make it payable to Miami-Dade Animal Services. The county doesn't accept cash for mail orders.

Broward County

Registration requirements

Broward County requires that owners register all dogs and cats, four months or older, and that the animal wears a rabies tag.

• Have your pet vaccinated against rabies before you register them. You must present a copy of a current Rabies Certificate, issued by a licensed veterinarian at the time of purchase.
• If a licensed veterinarian has determined that a rabies vaccination will be detrimental to your pet’s health, they may issue a Waiver Certificate. This Certificate must be signed by the veterinarian and sent to Broward County Animal Care. However, the owner must still purchase a rabies tag.
• “Indoor” pets are not exempt from Broward County’s registration requirement.
• Broward County also requires pets that have a tattoo, microchip or personalized name tag to have the rabies tag.
• Only one-year rabies tags are available. You must renew the tag each year on the anniversary of your pet's rabies vaccination, even if your pet received a three-year vaccine.

The cost of the rabies tag depends on whether your pet is a dog or cat and whether your pet is spayed or neutered.

Rabies tag fees for dogs include the following:

• Altered dog fee (spayed or neutered): around $55
• Unaltered dog fee (not spayed or neutered): around $75

Rabies tag fees for cats include the following:

• Altered cat fee (spayed or neutered): around $35
• Unaltered cat fee (not spayed or neutered): around $50

The county will apply a $10 late fee if you do not purchase your pet's rabies tag within 30 days of their rabies vaccination.

Note: There is a $300 fine for pets that are not vaccinated against rabies and a $300 fine for pets that are not registered with the county.​​

Purchase a pet registration rabies tag

Note: Broward County no longer offers online tag purchasing and renewal services.

Your pet's rabies registration tag can be purchased at the following locations: 

• At the Adoption Center, 2400 SW 42nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312. The center is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; and closed on Mondays. Take a copy of your pet's current Rabies Certificate with you.
• At veterinary offices that supply the county tag. If your pet received his rabies vaccination from another clinic or facility, be sure to take a copy of the Rabies Certificate with you.
• At one of our neighborhood Rabies Clinics. If your pet has already received a current rabies vaccination, then you must take a copy of the Rabies Certificate with you.
• At the Pet Supermarket Stores located in Broward County. You must take a copy of your pet's Rabies Certificate with you.

Vaccinations are an important part of your pet's health and well-being. A schedule of regular vaccines, as determined by your veterinarian, is crucial in order to keep your dog or cat free of disease.

Rabies vaccinations

A rabies vaccination protects your pet against contracting the deadly rabies virus and is the first line of defense against rabies spreading to you, your family, and your neighbors. For humans, rabies is a potentially fatal disease if not treated in its early stages. Because of this, the Broward County requires a rabies vaccination for all dogs and cats living within its borders. 

Before your dog or cat can receive a Broward County rabies registration tag, it must first receive a vaccination against rabies. If your veterinarian determines that the rabies vaccination would be detrimental to your pet’s health, they may issue a Waiver Certificate. You must send the signed Waiver Certificate to Broward County Animal Care to receive a rabies registration tag.

The Waiver Certificate waives or exempts your pet from receiving the rabies vaccination for health reasons. It does not exempt your pet from rabies registration tag requirements.

Types of rabies vaccinations

Every dog or cat must begin with a one-year rabies vaccination. After that, depending on your veterinarian’s determination, your pet may receive another one-year rabies or a three-year rabies vaccine.

Rabies Clinics

Every month, Animal Care provides rabies vaccinations, registration tags and microchips for a nominal fee at one of our neighborhood Rabies Clinics. All Broward County residents are invited to attend.

There are no specific laws about quarantine for pets upon arrival in Miami-Dade or Broward counties. In Miami-Dade County, any animal that has bitten a human or is suspected of having rabies or bitten by a known rabid animal shall be impounded and quarantined for 10 days from the date of the bite.

There are no pet boarding facilities available on the installation but there are various pet boarding facilities located throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties that can be located by conducting an internet search. 

There are no veterinary services available on the installation, but most communities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties have veterinary services that can be found online.

In Miami-Dade County, it has been illegal to acquire a new pit bull dog since January 1, 1990. Failure to register, muzzle, confine and insure a pit bull is a violation of the law and subject to severe penalty. Every owner of a pit bull dog shall maintain and be able to provide evidence of the owner's financial ability to respond in damages up to and including the amount of $50,000 for bodily harm or death of any person or damage to property which may result from the ownership, keeping or maintenance of such dog. Pit bull dogs must at all times be securely confined indoors, or confined in a securely and totally enclosed and locked pen, with either a top or with all four sides at least six feet high, with a conspicuous sign displaying the words "Dangerous Dog". Every owner of a pit bull dog in Miami-Dade County shall register the dog with the Animal Services Division of the Public Works Department of the County. Registration shall include the following:  Name, address and telephone of the dog's owner; the address where the dog is harbored, if different from the owner's address; a complete identification of the dog to include the dog's sex, color and any other distinguishing physical characteristics; a color photograph of the dog; a description of the method of compliance with the confinement requirements; proof of the liability insurance or other evidence of financial responsibility required; and a registration fee.

In Broward County, pit bulls are not specifically banned, but according to Section 4-2 of Broward County, Florida, Code of Ordinances ownership of any “dangerous dog” carries with it specific responsibilities under the law.

A “dangerous dog” is defined as one that:

• Has aggressively bitten, attacked, endangered or has inflicted severe injury on a human being on public or private property;
• Has more than once severely injured or killed a domestic animal while off the owner’s property; or
• Has, when not under the direct control of any person and, when unprovoked, chased, or approached a person upon the streets, sidewalks or any public grounds in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, provided that such actions are attested to in a sworn statement by one or more persons and dutifully investigated by the appropriate authority.

A dog shall not be classified by the Division or Hearing Officer as dangerous if the threat, injury or damage sustained by a person was sustained at a time when the person was unlawfully on the property of the dog's owner, or while a person was lawfully on the property of the dog's owner but was tormenting, abusing, or assaulting the dog, its owner, or a family member or guest of the owner; or if the dog was protecting or defending a human being within the immediate vicinity of the dog from an unjustified attack or assault.

Moving With Pets

When making a military move, having a pet can add another layer of complexity, particularly if you’re moving overseas. But by planning and preparing, you can ease some of the stress of relocating for you and your pet.

Before your move, take your pet to the vet to make sure they are healthy and that their immunizations are updated. This can make a domestic or overseas move go smoother.

The following tips can help you keep track of your pet in unfamiliar territory:

• Make sure your pet has an identification tag. The tag should display the name of your pet and your phone number, as well as the number of an emergency contact.
• Take a picture of your pet so you can show people what it looks like should it get lost during the move.
• Consider having your veterinarian insert an identification microchip under your pet’s skin.

When moving to another state:

• Visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s website to see if there are rules for bringing animals into the state to which you have been assigned.
• There may be a limit to the number of pets you can have on a military installation. Check the regulations for your installation.
• Call a friend and ask if they can watch your pet on moving day.
• Seek pet-friendly hotels along your route.
• Don’t forget to bring your pet’s health certificate and proof of vaccinations.
• Put your pet’s food, water, bowls, leash, toys, bedding, plastic bags and medication in one bag.
• Feed your pet three to four hours before the trip and give it a light meal when you stop for the night.
• Stop at rest areas and give your pet some water as well as a chance to run around. Provide your cat access to a litter box.

When moving to another country:

Prepare to move your pet in advance of an overseas trip. You can save yourself a lot of hassle and potential heartache by understanding the ins and outs of the rules of your destination country. Different nations have different rules and quarantine requirements associated with the relocation of cats, dogs and other types of pets.

• Contact the consulate or embassy in the country to which you were assigned for details on its rules.
• Many overseas destinations require that pets have microchips with a number that matches the one on the health certificate.
• Check the airline travel requirements for pet crates before buying a crate.
• Write your name, your pet’s name and your destination address on the crate. If your pet is unfriendly, then put a warning on the crate.
• Ask your airline if you need to reserve a space for your pet.
• Some countries may require your pet to be quarantined for an extended amount of time before it can live with you. The cost associated with that quarantine can be steep. The Defense Department may reimburse you for up to $550 if you are an active-duty member moving to a country where the quarantine period is mandatory.
• The Defense Department will not reimburse you for the cost of moving your pet from one country to another.

Help ease the stress your family and pet might experience during a major move by knowing what to expect before you begin to pack. Various transportation rules and health regulations could impact you and your pet, and you will want to be prepared to deal with any issues if they arise.

Each installation has its own rules regarding pets. Army Garrison-Miami has no on-post housing and no specific information or rules regarding pets.  Contact the city in which you plan to live for specific information on rules regarding pets.