MIAMI (WSVN) - Miami-Dade commissioners passed an ordinance Tuesday affecting stray dogs in the county.
The ordinance requires individuals and rescue organizations who take in lost or stray dogs to notify the county’s animal services department and have the dog scanned for a microchip within 72 hours.
If the dog has a registered owner, the finder must contact the county within 24 hours, or face a possible fine.
The legislation’s sponsor, Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz, credited a story by former 7News investigative reporter Carmel Cafiero.
“What happens is, sometimes, other people just take the dog, and they don’t let it go through the shelter, and deal with it, so this is why this is so important,” Diaz said, “and I want to thank Carmel Cafiero for doing that report to give us the insight.”
Carmel’s report highlighted a family who did not know their lost dog Pepper had been found until it was given away to another family.
The law also calls for the county to create an online lost dog registry.
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