Broward County, FL Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Second impoundment of an intact animal
- Who performs it
- Division's veterinarian, at owner's expense
- Funds go to
- Animal Care Sterilization Trust Fund
- Timing
- Based on health, age, condition
Summary
Broward County requires the Division's veterinarian to sterilize any intact dog or cat impounded more than once, billing the cost to the owner at a fee set by the County Commission.
(b)Any intact dog or cat that is impounded on more than one (1) occasion shall be sterilized by the Division's veterinarian at the owner's expense at a fee established by the Commission by resolution. Such sterilizations shall be performed based upon the health, age, and general condition of the dog or cat. (Ord. No. 1998-41, § 14, 11-10-98; Ord. No. 2013-10, § 1, 2-12-13; Ord. No. 2015-37, § 1, 9-10-15; Ord. No. 2026-03, § 1, 2-3-26)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72 | Administrative Code: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
Broward County does not require pet owners to spay or neuter animals as a matter of course. Instead, the Animal Care Division's veterinarian sterilizes any intact dog or cat that turns up impounded a second time, at the owner's expense, under a fee the County Commission sets by resolution. The reclaim fee charged on every intact impounded animal, plus this mandatory sterilization charge, feeds the county's Animal Care Sterilization Trust Fund. Sterilization timing bends to the animal's health, age and general condition rather than a fixed deadline.
Violations & Fines
Reclaiming a second-time intact impound without paying the sterilization fee and undergoing the procedure blocks release; the Division's veterinarian performs the surgery at the owner's expense as a condition of getting the animal back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Broward require all pets to be spayed or neutered?
Who pays for the mandatory sterilization?
Are aggressive or dangerous dogs also required to be sterilized?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Broward County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Broward County to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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