Livestock Registration Program

By Trisha Penabade

If you attended the Keystone Civic Association general meeting in May, you heard the Sheriff’s Department mention the livestock registry program. At the beginning of 2021 the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office started this simple program to help quickly identify and return loose livestock to their owners.

Livestock owners who have animals like horses, cows, goats, sheep, donkey, emus, or pigs can register them with HCSO. In the event that an animal escapes, a responding deputy can look up registered animal’s owner contact information.

“Our goal here at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is to continue being as relevant and as proactive as possible,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “This is an opportunity for the community to help us, help them. The livestock registration program allows a dispatched deputy to have all the information they will need — like the owner’s contact information and address — even before responding to a loose animal call. Our goal is always to make sure we can reunite lost livestock with their rightful owners. This information will, without a doubt, help expedite that process.”

To voluntarily register your livestock, visit www.teamhcso.com and click “online register service” tab. The program is called “livestock registration”.

Also, you can report information about loose animals or agricultural crime by calling 813-247-8200.