ANIMAL SERVICES
The Boynton Beach Police Department provides animal control services with an emphasis on proactive enforcement of local ordinances and state statutes pertaining to the responsible ownership and humane treatment of all animals. Animal-related enforcement is a quality of life issue for the community. Irresponsible animal ownership poses great risk to the safety and welfare of the community, as well as the well-being of our four-legged friends.
We respond to over 700 animal-related calls for service each year. Approximately 30 percent of those calls are concerns for the physical well-being of an animal or the manner in which an animal is housed. Many of these calls can be resolved through education, warnings and/or the issuance of civil citations, followed-up by an officer recheck to ensure the violations have been corrected. However, some cases involve egregious acts of overt neglect or cruelty. These cases are criminal in nature and result in the seizure of the animal and subsequent prosecution of the abuser.
It is unlawful to tether or restrain an animal by tying the animal to any object or structure by any means such as a rope, chain, cord, running line, etc. at any time of the day or night unless the owner is present and the animal is attended at all times. For the welfare and protection of our furry friends, violations of outdoor housing regulations are strictly enforced.
In addition, the City of Boynton Beach Leash Law requires all dogs to be securely confined to their owner’s property or under physical restraint at all times (use of retractable leashes is discouraged). Please do your part in ensuring the safety of our two-legged and four-legged residents by adhering to the law while on both public and private property.
To report an animal concern in the City of Boynton Beach, call our non-emergency number at 561-732-8116.
To report confined stray animals, call Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control at 561-233-1200.
To report concerns regarding injured birds, orphaned wildlife or sick or injured non-threatening wildlife, call Busch Wildlife Sanctuary at 561-575-3399.
