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Purpose & Mission
The City of Bowling Green Animal Control office provides humane treatment of stray, abused, and neglected animals. We also wish to provide our professional assistance for the health and protection of the residents of Bowling Green.
Our responsibilities include:
- Enforcement of local and state animal control laws and ordinances.
- The humane capture and treatment of unwanted animals.
- Investigation of animal neglect, abuse, and cruelty.
- Investigation of animal bites, nuisance animals, and stray domestic pets.
Need help?
To help answer questions you may have regarding what to do with a stray animal you have found, services provided by Animal Control, etc., please see our FAQ. If you don’t see your question answered or need further assistance, please feel free to contact the Animal Control Office at 863-375-2255.
FAQ
- Do I have to give my name and address if I make a complaint to Animal Control?
No. It is helpful to officers to have this information so they can check with the complainant if they need further details, but it is not required. - If I find a stray animal, what do I do?
Call the Animal Control Office immediately. Keeping the animal for more than five days gives you responsibility for that animal. - If I have found a lost pet and the owner does not call, can I keep it?
Yes, if the owner has not been in contact with you after five days. - What do I do if I am bitten by an animal?
Wash the wound immediately then go straight to the hospital and let them complete a bite report. Contact the Hardee County Health Department or the City of Bowling Green Animal Control office afterwards. - If an animal bites someone, where must the animal be quarantined and who makes this decision?
The decision as to where the animal will be quarantined belongs to the Animal Control Officer. Typically, if the animal has a current rabies vaccination, it can be quarantined inside the owner’s home. Without a current rabies vaccination, the animal must be quarantined at the shelter. - How long is quarantine?
Quarantine lasts for ten days, in either our boarding facility or the owner’s home. - I have a problem with stray or feral cats. What can I do?
The Animal Control Department can set out traps for you. These are live traps that do not harm the animal. Traps are set out Monday through Thursday (not on holidays or weekends). For the safety of the animal, traps are not set out during heat or frost advisories. - Does Animal Control pick up personal pets?
Yes, but we have to charge what the shelter charges, which is the boarding fee plus $25.00. - What is a microchip, and why should all pets have one?
A microchip is a small identification device about the size of a grain of rice that is implanted just under the skin at the base of the neck. Animal Control agencies or shelters who might take possession of a stray animal can scan the animal with a hand-help scanner to help locate the animal’s owners. It is another avenue to reunite pets with their owners. - Can I give my pet a rabies vaccination myself?
No. Florida state law requires that a rabies vaccination be administered by a licensed veterinarian and a copy of the vaccination certificate be forwarded to the appropriate animal control agency.
