Resources

Animal Ordinances

Dogs running at large is against the law. Leon County and the City of Tallahassee both have leash law ordinances. You can receive a citation if you let your dog run loose at County greenways, roads, parks, or any other public place. The best place to keep your dog is in your home or securely confined in the safety of your own yard, but if you just need to let your dog run, check out one of the dog parks in Leon County.

If you just can't find the time to get to one of these parks, get up, get out and take your dog for a walk in your neighborhood. Use a good, strong leash and collar and a steady pace and you will be rewarded with a chilled out, happy dog. Even if you only have 10 minutes, get up and go because it is good for both of you and it just might keep your dog from wanting to get out of the yard to go check things out on their own. If you live in unincorporated Leon County, view the Leon County Animal Ordinance for more information. If you live inside city limits, contact the Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center for animal laws specific to your area.

Cold Weather Tips

Pets can freeze and get frostbite.
If it's too cold for you, it's too cold for your pet, so bring them inside,
If you have an outdoor pet, place hay and several soft blankets inside your pet's shelter to help keep them warm. (Bring them inside when temperatures dip to 32 degrees or below.)
Pets, like people, burn more calories when trying to stay warm, so feed your pet a little bit more on cold days.
Keep pets on leashes when outdoors as they can easily get disoriented in cold weather and get lost.
Make sure your pet has an identification tag or a microchip.
Do not leave your pet in a vehicle in cold weather. It can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold, and your animal could freeze to death.
Make noise as cats and other loose outdoor animals may be attracted to the heat coming off of your vehicle's engine and crawl under the hood.

Help Stop Animal Fighting

If you have information about illegal animal fighting in Florida, you may call the Humane Society of the United State (HSUS) at 202-452-1100. Additionally, the HSUS has partnered with the Florida Association of Crime Stoppers to help stop dog fighting. The Crime Stoppers program offers the ability to remain completely anonymous and still be eligible for a cash reward. A list of Florida’s Crime Stopper organizations can be found on the FACS website.

About Dogfighting

Dogfighting is a highly organized criminal industry. More than 250,000 dogs are placed in dogfighting pits each year.

A Chicago Police Department study showed that 65 percent of people charged with animal abuse crimes, including dogfighting, were also charged with violent crimes against people.

About Cockfighting

Tens of thousands of people are involved in cockfighting nationwide. Common cockfighting practices include breeding birds for viciousness, drugging them to heighten aggression, and fitting their legs with razor-sharp knives or gaffs resembling ice picks. Law enforcement raids across the country have revealed that cockfights, which are frequently attended by children, often involve gambling and, as a result of the large amount of cash present, firearms and other weapons are also often present.

Law enforcement officials have documented a strong connection between cockfighting and the distribution of illegal drugs.

Breeding and transporting fighting roosters for cockfighting is implicated in the spread of diseases such as Exotic Newcastle Disease, which can decimate the poultry industry

Vaccinate Your Pets Against Rabies

Rabies is a virus that is transmittable from animal to human, usually transferred by a bite from an infected animal. Rabies is preventable in people and pets, it just requires owners to get their animals to their veterinarian for their immunization shot. Leon County Animal Control advises people to avoid the five common rabies carriers, raccoons, bats, skunks, foxes, and coyotes. If you see a sick animal, contact the following agencies:

Unincorporated areas of Leon County – Leon County Animal Control at 850-606-5400
City of Tallahassee –Tallahassee Animal Service Center at 850-891-2950
After hours – Consolidated Dispatch Agency at -850-606-5800

Residents are advised to follow these suggestions:

Keep children away from wildlife.
Keep pets away from wildlife.
Keep pets inside, if possible.
Do not feed wildlife.
Do not leave food or food sources outside and accessible to wildlife.
Vaccinate pets, including dogs, cats, and ferrets.

For rabies vaccinations, contact these organizations: