§ 5-11. Report and sale of license.

(a)

Legislative intent. This section utilizes the authority and powers of Miami-Dade County in order to secure for the citizens of this County the protection of their health, safety and welfare. It is applicable to all practicing licensed veterinarians. This section is designed to regulate veterinarians by requiring that licenses be offered for sale at the time and place of vaccination of a dog against rabies, and that a report be forwarded to the Department containing the names of persons, including address and other contact information, refusing to purchase these licenses. These measures are intended to ensure that the County has the necessary information and capital resources to enforce the County's already existing licensing ordinance. The unique history and lack of success with other measures attempted at controlling stray dogs and enforcing the licensing ordinance have been determined to require the special regulations and provisions contained within this section which the County Commission hereby finds reasonable and necessary.

(b)

Postmarked no later than the tenth day of each month, all veterinarians administering rabies vaccinations shall, as to each dog vaccinated, deliver to the Department one (1) copy of the certificate prescribed under Section 5-6 as evidence of each vaccination administered the previous month.

(c)

It shall be the duty of all veterinarians, upon vaccinating a dog against rabies, to offer for sale at the time and place of vaccination the Miami-Dade County licenses required by Section 5-7, and to report to the Department, together with the vaccination certificate required by this chapter, whether the responsible party declined to purchase a license from the veterinarian. All veterinarians shall also have Miami-Dade County licenses available for purchase, at the time and place of presentation, by a responsible party who presents evidence to the veterinarian that the party's dog has a current rabies vaccination.

(d)

Veterinarians may collect as payment for each license no more than the value of the license as established by Miami-Dade County, and a maximum premium of twenty (20) percent of the value of the license. Veterinarians shall be responsible for the value of all licenses held by them for sale to dog owners.

(e)

Postmarked no later than the tenth day of each month, each veterinarian shall deliver to the Department one (1) payment containing the value of any and all licenses sold or lost, destroyed, or stolen the previous month. Along with each month's remittance, each veterinarian shall submit to the Department documentation to be provided by Miami-Dade County covering all licenses sold, lost, destroyed, or stolen, and shall submit all registration, microchip, and owner information for all dogs and cats vaccinated the previous month. If no transactions occurred, a report that zero transactions occurred shall be submitted for that month. In addition, postmarked no later than the 10th of October of each year, each veterinarian shall deliver to the Department all unsold licenses from the previous fiscal year (defined as October 1—September 30). The Department shall have the authority to assess interest for any payments received after the deadline established in this section.

(f)

All veterinarians shall also provide such persons with literature, prepared by Miami-Dade County for this purpose, stating that Miami-Dade County law requires that every dog be vaccinated against rabies and that every dog wear a license that must be renewed annually or as otherwise specified.

(g)

Each euthanasia or disposal of a dead dog performed or overseen by a Veterinarian shall be reported to the Department no later than the 10 ^th day of the following month.

(h)

Violations of the requirements of this section shall subject the veterinarian to civil penalties, except when such requirement would violate a confidential doctor-client relationship.

(i)

The Director may authorize animal rescue organizations approved by the Department to sell licenses, but an animal rescue organization that chooses to sell licenses shall comply with this section.

(Ord. No. 08-10, § 1, 1-22-08; Ord. No. 09-16, § 1, 3-3-09; Ord. No. 15-117, § 5, 10-6-15)