Pasco County Animal Services is frequently contacted by citizen’s reporting there are problems with stray cats in their neighborhood.  The below information provides options which are currently available to help eliminate stray cat problems in your neighborhood.

Pasco County does not currently have a cat leash or license law. There are no cat pick up services currently available.  At this time, Pasco County has no ordinance requirements, funding or resources to patrol neighborhoods looking for stray cats.  Thus, it is not illegal for a person to allow their cat to roam loose.

In an effort to assist citizens who might have stray cat problems, we developed a "self-help" program, where we loan humane cat traps and transfer cages to the public - free of charge.  These traps can be picked-up at the Animal Shelter in Land O’ Lakes. We recommend that folks call us first, before coming out to borrow a trap, to make sure the equipment is available.  We would not want anyone to make the trip out here just to find out that all of the traps are loaned out.  Do not, however, come to get a trap to capture wildlife or to trap cats that you know have owners*.  Wildlife problems are handled by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.  They can provide you with names and numbers of licensed wildlife trappers to assist you.  Their phone number is 1-863-648-3203. 

*If you are experiencing problems caused by owned cats, we suggest you discuss the issue with the cat owner, and request their help in resolving your problems.  If these efforts fail, individuals have the option to privately litigate to resolve nuisances caused by another neighbor.  If there are more than nine (9) cats owned by one individual, that person may be in violation of County Zoning laws.  Contact the County Code Enforcement Office to report this type of violation. 

Even though there are not any cat leash laws at this time, there are State Statutes and County Ordinances that require cat owners to have their cats vaccinated against rabies.  We will investigate reports of violations of these laws.  To report a violation, you would need to call our office and provide our staff with your name and address, as well as the name and address of the cat owners.

If you are a person who is feeding “stray” cats, you can be held responsible for them.  As the “owner, harborer or keeper” of an animal, you are responsible for compliance with these local and State laws and can be charged for failure to comply.  If you have been feeding “stray” cats, but do not want to be held legally responsible for them, we urge you to consider finding homes for the cats, or bring them to a shelter or rescue organization.

Pasco Animal Services shelter receives over 6,000 cats per year, which are mostly brought to us by private citizens.  Pasco Animal Services shelter is the only "Open Admissions" shelter in the County - which means we do not pick and choose which dogs and cats we will help.  We accept them all, sick, healthy, friendly, feral, injured and aggressive.  We do not turn people away at our doors, nor do we refuse to accept animals because we are "full". 

Animal Services may occasionally pick up a cat, but under very specific, limited circumstances.  If a stray cat has been seriously injured, such as being hit by a car, for humanitarian purposes we will render aid.  If any cat has bitten or scratched someone, we will get involved for public health and safety concerns.  Staff will try and locate the animal and place it in quarantine confinement, so the human victim will not have to under go rabies shots.  We will also investigate cruelty to animal’s complaints dealing with cats.  Call our office to report these types of situations.