The American Humane Society estimates over 10 million dogs or cats are reported as "lost" each year. Without proper identification and maintenance, 90% of pets won't return home, end up in shelters, or are kept by the people who find them. There could be a number of reasons for the failure to reunite, but top of the list is the inability to identify and contact the owner. One way to ensure your pets are safe is by properly affixing identification which can be done two ways: microchipping and identification (ID) tags.
Microchips
Microchipping is a permanent way to identify your pet if it is lost or stolen. Microchips are tiny computer chips. They are implanted under your pet’s skin by a veterinarian using a large bore needle without anesthesia, similar to a simple vaccination. Each microchip carries a registration number that is associated with the owner’s name and contact information. This information is added to a pet registry service offered by the chip manufacturer. The registry information on the chips can be read using a handheld reader that displays the information so that the owner can be identified. Most shelters and veterinarians have these readers and can scan the pet and contact the owner if the pet is lost.
The Animal Safety, Services & Protection Division (ASSP) is committed to reuniting animals with their owners if at all possible prior to impounding the animal to the County's animal holding facility. If an Animal Safety Officer (ASO) picks up a stray animal, they will attempt to scan for a microchip if it is safe to do so depending on the animal’s behavior. If a microchip is found, the ASO will try to contact the registered owner to reunite them with their pet prior to impoundment. Unfortunately, one of the most common roadblocks that are encountered with microchips is owners who do not keep their contact information up to date and current with the microchip company. It is important to periodically check with the microchip company to ensure all of the contact information and alternate emergency contact information is accurate to better ensure your pet can be reunited with you in the event they are lost or stolen.
Benefits of Microchipping
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Unlike physical tags, microchips last a lifetime and can’t be separated from the pet, although it is a good idea to have your vet scan your pet each year to guard against any malfunction.
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A microchip and its registration is definitive proof of ownership. (This is particularly helpful in the case of stolen pets when ownership might be in dispute).
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Statistically, a microchip greatly increases the likelihood that your pet will be returned to you if they are lost.
ID Tags
While microchips serve as permanent identification for pets, it is also a good idea to make sure your pet has some type of ID tag attached to their collar. Private citizens usually attempt to contact the owner on the tag to reunite the pet with their owners prior to contacting ASSP to pick up stray animal. The ASO’s will also attempt to contact the owners listed on ID tags in order to reunite them with their pet prior to impoundment. As with microchips, tag information should be kept up to date and current in order to be effective in reuniting you with your pet.
Always remember, just because an animal is not wearing a collar or tag, it does not mean they have been abandoned. Always check for a microchip and follow the proper process for reporting a found animal.
Spay/Neuter Assistance Program
St. Lucie County Animal Safety, Services & Protection currently offers two Spay/Neuter Programs to the residents of the unincorporated areas of the County which are funded by the County’s Pet Licensing Program. The Spay/Neuter Assistance Program covers the cost of a basic spay or neuter procedure for cats and dogs, however the pet owner would be financially responsible for any additional costs associated with the surgery and/or post-op medications needed.
To apply for spay/neuter assistance, download and fill out the Spay/Neuter Assistance Program application, choose your preferred veterinary clinic from the listed participating veterinary facilities, and provide proof of residency (i.e. current phone bill, current utility bill, Driver’s License, ID card, etc.,), and submit a completed application attached below:
Spay/Neuter Assistance Program Application
Applications can be submitted via mail at:
St. Lucie County Animal Safety
Attn: Spay/Neuter Program
15305 W. Midway Rd
Ft. Piece, FL 34945
*Applications not accepted in-person at this location
Email: acvoucher@stlucieco.org
Fax:772-462-8484
*Be advised that Driver’s Licenses and ID cards do not come through fax as information is unreadable*
In-person submission at our Animal Safety facility:
3404 W. Midway Rd
Ft. Pierce, FL 34981
Open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 4pm and closed 1pm to 2pm for lunch.
Applications are reviewed and processed on the 15th of each month and the approved applications are sent to the selected veterinary clinics for scheduling via email. Prior to scheduling a spay/neuter procedure with one of the participating veterinary clinics, please wait for your application to be approved; the Division does not do expedited spay/neuter application approvals due to previously scheduled surgical appointments.
Additional Information:
- Both programs require the pet owner to purchase a County License at the time services have been rendered in order to be in compliance with County Ordinance 6-51.
- If the animal is not current on a rabies vaccination, the pet owner would be financially responsible to cover the cost associated with the vaccination, as they are required by the Florida State Statute 828.30 and County Ordinance 6-27 for animals four months of age and older.
- The program is limited to assisting with five animals per household in order to remain in compliance with County Ordinance 7.10.03 which restricts the number of animals allowed per household.
- Beginning October 1, 2019, all participants for the spay/neuter programs will be required to have their pet microchipped at the expense of the owners if the pet is not already microchipped; this will help the Animal Safety, Services & Protection Division identify the owners of animals picked up as a stray so they can be returned home instead of being impounded to the County's animal holding facility which will then decrease the number of animals in our shelters.
- It is advised that you contact the participating veterinary clinics to discuss any additional charges you may be responsible for before selecting a clinic and submitting the application to the Division.
Protect Against Rabies
According to the CDC, rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The virus is present in some of Florida's wildlife and can spread to unvaccinated pets, which can then pose a high risk to the pet, owner, and their family. Fortunately, there is effective treatment available that can prevent infections if administered appropriately.
If you believe you may have been exposed to rabies, contact your health care provider and your county health department right away! If your animal is attacked by a wild, stray or unvaccinated animal, DO NOT examine your pet for injuries without wearing gloves. DO wash your pet with soap and water to remove saliva from the attacking animal. DO NOT let your animal come into contact with other animals or people until the situation can be handled by animal control or county health department staff.
Be sure to report any animal bites or scratches that cause a break in the skin (bleeding) to the Animal Safety, Services & Protection Division (ASSP) no matter how minor the wound may seem. It only takes a very small amount of saliva from an infected animal to transmit rabies. The ASSP will complete a bite report for the incident, check the rabies vaccination status of the animal (if located) as dogs, cats and ferrets are required by law to be vaccinated against rabies in the state of Florida, and place the animal on a 10 day quarantine to monitor the animal for signs of rabies. All of this information is reported to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH).
The FDOH recommends the following steps to prevent exposure to rabies:
- Avoid direct human and domestic animal contact with wild animals.
- Have your veterinarian vaccinate (and revaccinate) pets and at-risk livestock.
- Never feed wild or stray animals and avoid attracting them with outdoors food sources.
- Do not allow your pets to run free; follow leash laws by keeping pets and livestock secured on your property.
- Educate the public to reduce contact with stray and feral animals.
- Support animal control efforts to reduce feral and stray animal populations.
For more information from the FDOH regarding rabies and prevention, please visit their website:
http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/rabies/index.html
