Links of Interest

Did you know?

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 one of our green-ways, 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 these dog parks in Tallahassee...

• Tom Brown Park on Easterwood Drive has 3 separate areas for your small, medium or large dog to run and play.
• Mission San Luis at 1560 San Luis Road where there is one large fenced yard where your dog can really burn off some energy.

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, 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, it is good for both of you and it just might help keep your dog from wanting to get out of the yard to go check things out on his own. If you live in the unincorporated areas of Leon County click on the Animal Ordinance link on the right side of this page to get more information. If you live inside the city limits click on the Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center link to get more information in regards to the 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, 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, feed your pet a little bit more on cold days.
• Keep pets on leashes when outdoors, 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, cats and other loose outdoor animals may be attracted to the heat coming off of your vehicle's engine and crawl up under the hood.

Help Stop Dog 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. Crime Stoppers programs offer the ability to remain completely anonymous and still be eligible for a cash reward. A list of Florida’s Crime Stoppers organizations can be found on the FACS website: facsflorida.org.

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 to people and pets, it just requires owners to get their animals to their veterinarian for their immunizations shot. Leon County Animal Control advises people to leave the five common rabies carriers alone - Raccoons, Bats, Skunks, Foxes & Coyotes. If you see a sick animal, contact the following agencies:

Un-incorporated 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, call the Consolidated Dispatch Agency (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: dogs, cats, and ferrets

New Animal Control Fees

http://www.talgov.com/animals/animals-control.aspx

Animal Health Vaccinations:

Rabies is a deadly virus that is contagious to humans as well as pets, but is preventable. Animal Control encourages all pet owners to have their animals (dogs, cats, ferrets), 4 months or older, vaccinated by a veterinarian. If you are unable to have your pet vaccinated by a local veterinarian, you may contact one of the following pet stores that provide weekend rabies vaccination clinics.

State law mandates that rabies vaccinations may only be administered by a State Licensed Veterinarian.

For weather updates, contact the National Weather Service by clicking the picture below.