Surrendering Your Pet

Related FAQs

• What are the requirements to surrender my pet?
  • Must be a Miami-Dade County resident
  • Must show proof of ownership to surrender the pet
  • Only dogs and cats are accepted
  • There is no age limit on the pet to be surrendered
  • $10.00 surrender fee
• How do I surrender my dog or cat?

  If you have explored all alternatives and wish to surrender your pet bring your pet to the Animal Services Pet Adoption and Protection Center. The pet surrender desk is located on the south side rear of the building.

  Surrender hours:
  Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  Closed Sunday

• Can I get assistance before I surrender my dog or cat?

  Animal Services staff works with pet owners to help prevent them from surrendering their pets, while helping to ease the stray population and space at the Pet Adoption and Protection Center.

  Email the department with the following information to consider circumstances to keep your pet:

  • Pet owner's name
  • Pet owner's phone number
  • Pet owner's email
  • Pet name, dog or cat, and age

  We ask pet owners to consider the following alternatives before surrendering a pet to the Pet Adoption and Protection Center:

  • Keeping their pet at home until they can find a permanent home for the animal. Consider friends, family, co-workers, or neighbors who may be looking for a pet.
  • Reach out to Animal rescue groups
  • Find Pet-friendly housing
  • Use Training tips for behavioral issues
• Can I get help to rehome my pet?

  The Pet Deferral program offers options to help rehome your pet to avoid having to relinquish your dog or cat at the shelter.

  In some cases, when the shelter is full or nearly full, Animal Services may administer free DHPP and Bordetella vaccines and ask owners to keep their pets until space becomes available. Once there is space in the shelter a staff member will contact the owner. If a solution to keep or rehome their pet has not been reached, the owner may surrender their pet.

  Animal Services staff works with pet owners on a case-by-case basis to provide this service.

  Pet owners interested in the program can contact ASD by sending an email to: [email protected] or call 311.