Miami-Dade County Code Chapter 5 requires every dog or cat adopted from, or reclaimed by, county Animal Services to be microchipped before release. Miami residents follow this county rule. Microchip registration must list the current owner address and phone.
Animal Services implants an ISO-standard 15-digit microchip in every shelter dog and cat before adoption or reclaim. Owners receive registration documents and must keep contact information current with the chip registry. The county also runs free or low-cost microchip clinics for resident pets not yet chipped. Microchip status helps stray pets be returned home without impound fees and is required to qualify for the Unaltered Animal Permit. Lost-pet reports are checked against the chip database before euthanasia hold periods expire. Veterinarians may scan and report found pets directly.
Releasing or adopting an unchipped pet, or refusing to microchip a reclaimed animal, results in surgery at owner expense, fines up to $200 per animal, and longer mandatory hold or potential loss of reclaim privileges.
Miami, FL
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Miami, FL
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Miami, FL
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See how Miami's microchipping rules stack up against other locations.
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