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Animal Control is a Palm Beach County service. The City of Delray Beach supplements these services with one full-time Animal Control Officer to ensure the desired level of services for its residents. Please visit Palm Beach County Animal Control for information regarding lost pets, animal adoption, and low cost clinic services (spay/neuter, rabies vaccinations, microchips).
The City's Animal Control function operates from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm on week days. Emergency situations occurring before or after hours, on weekends or on holidays should be referred to Palm Beach County at (561) 276-1344. In general, the County will investigate emergency situations such as injured animals or animals menacing human beings.
The City's Animal Control Officer investigates animal bite incidents, allegations of animal cruelty and animal noise disturbance incidents. In addition, the Animal Control Officer removes dead animals from public rights-of-way during the normal work week.
Capturing Loose Domestic Animals at Large
Domestic animals running at large on public property create a nuisance for residents, delivery persons and visitors. The animal Control Officer will attempt to capture loose domestic animals running at large. Captured domestic animals will be taken to the City's kennel, and if unclaimed, after a day or two transferred to Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control. There is a fee to reclaim animals captured by the Animal Control Officer.
Wildlife is not handled by our personnel unless injured and capable of being trapped. Non-injured wildlife inadvertently caught in a City trap will be released immediately.
Accepting Surrendered Domestic Animals
Residents may surrender dogs and cats they own to the Animal Control Officer at removal cost. The City does not accept surrendered wildlife or other types of pets unless the animals are injured. Surrendered animals are transferred to Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control.
Adoption
The City does not have an adoption program because there is very limited kennel area and animals can not be held more than several days.
Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control does have a very active adoption program for a variety of animals.
Wildlife
The City does not handle wildlife, which we define as any animals other than dogs and cats – except if the wildlife is injured.
There are several reasons why we do not handle wildlife. First, there are variety of rules and regulations promulgated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission concerning trapping and relocation of wildlife. It would be difficult for us to follow these rules and regulations and provide the desired level of services to other residents who have problems with domestic animals. Second, we do not have facilities to house, feed or care for wildlife, even on a temporary basis.
Nuisance problems with wildlife are best handled by hiring a private trapper.
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