§ 1-4-28. License certificates and license tags.

(a)

The owner or keeper of a dog, cat or ferret in the county shall obtain a license certificate and license tag for such dog, cat or ferret each year on the anniversary of the initial vaccination. It is a violation of this article for the owner or keeper of a dog, cat or ferret to refuse or fail to obtain a current license certificate or license tag for the dog, cat or ferret as required by this section. The lack of a license tag on the collar or harness of dogs, cats or ferrets or the lack of approved license marking shall be deemed prima facie evidence that the animal has not been licensed or vaccinated and of evidence of the violation of this article.

(1)

Every person who owns, keeps, or harbors within the county any dog, cat or ferret four (4) months of age or older shall obtain a county animal license for such dog, cat or ferret, except that no license shall be issued unless such dog, cat or ferret shall have been inoculated against rabies as herein provided. Such license shall be valid for one (1) year from the anniversary date of the first vaccination. The license certificate shall have printed thereon a number which corresponds to the license tag number required herein.

(2)

Each dog, cat or ferret shall be issued a license tag or shall be marked or tagged by a method approved by the animal control director. Such tag or mark shall have a license identification number which corresponds to the number on the license certificate. The color and shape of the license tag shall be changed each calendar year. No other license identification tag or marks shall be valid under the provisions of this article. It shall be a violation of this article for a dog, cat or ferret to wear an expired license tag.

(3)

It is a violation of this article for any license identification tags or marks issued for one animal to be utilized for another animal.

(4)

It is a violation of this article for any person to possess or use a stolen, counterfeit or forged certificate, tag, or other document required by or issued pursuant to this article.

(5)

The license tag shall be attached to the collar or harness of the dog, cat or ferret and shall be worn at all times, and it is a violation of this article for a dog, cat or ferret not to wear such tags. This requirement shall not apply to any dog actually engaged in the sport of hunting in authorized areas, at authorized times, and supervised by a competent person; dogs used by state, county or municipal law enforcement forces in the exercise of their duties; or dogs used to work livestock in areas of the county designated as green belt areas.

(6)

The county license certificate and license tag or mark shall be issued by the department, or any licensed veterinarian who agrees to collect the fee for the license certificate and license tags. Such certificates shall be executed in triplicate. A copy of the license certificate shall be given to the owner of the animal, to the impounding officer and to the person administering the inoculation. The copy retained by the veterinarian shall be deemed to be the certificate of vaccination.

(7)

Proof of current rabies vaccination and purchase of rabies vaccination tag must be forwarded or shown when paying the civil penalties for those violations or the charges will not be satisfied.

(8)

The costs of each county animal license certificate and license tag and duplicate shall be set by resolution of the board.

(9)

In the event of loss or destruction of the license tag issued pursuant to this section, the owner shall obtain a duplicate tag and shall pay one-half (½) the fees therefor. Issuance of a duplicate tag shall be subject to the following:

a.

No duplicate tag shall be issued without a current license certificate being presented to the veterinarian or impounding officer issuing the duplicate tag.

b.

The officer issuing the duplicate tag on behalf of the department shall be notified of all duplicate tags and the license number it is replacing.

(10)

The licensing requirements of this article shall not apply to dogs trained to assist or aid disabled or handicapped persons, provided such dogs are vaccinated against rabies as provided herein and are actually being used for the purpose of assisting or aiding such person.

(11)

The licensing requirements of this article shall not apply to animals whose owners are not residents of the county. For purposes of this article, any person who lives in the county for more than twenty-eight (28) consecutive days shall be deemed to be a resident of the county.

(12)

It is a violation of this article for the owner or keeper of a dog, cat or ferret to refuse or fail to show the certificate, tag or other document required by or issued pursuant to this article, upon lawful demand by an officer, provided that the officer may allow the owner or keeper seventy-two (72) hours to produce the requested certificate, tag, or other document.

(13)

It is a violation of this article for any person to sell a dog or cat without a current official certificate of veterinary inspection for that animal. The certificate must be issued by a state-licensed veterinarian and obtained prior to the dog or cat being offered for sale. The certificate must accompany the dog or cat at all times while being offered for sale pursuant to section 828.29(3)(a), Florida Statutes. The seller shall retain one (1) copy of the certificate for at least one (1) year after the date of sale.

(Ord. No. 98-070, § 6, 12-1-98; Ord. No. 2006-062, § 12, 6-27-06; Ord. No. 2012-023, § 1, 6-12-12)