§ 14-97. Running at large.

(a)

It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person who owns, keeps, or harbors a dog, or any person charged with the care, custody, or control of any dog, to fail to prevent the dog from roaming, wandering, or running at large in, on or about any public street, roadway or place in the unincorporated area of the county or in, on or about the private property of any person or persons including the dog owner's property. Except as provided in subsection (c) below, all dogs shall be under the direct control, as defined in this chapter, of a person who is capable of controlling and managing such dog.

(b)

It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog to tie, chain or tether a dog such that it has access to public property, a public or private roadway, or the property of another without the express written consent of such adjoining property owner.

(c)

Specifically trained dogs used for hunting purposes are exempt from this section to the extent that the dogs may be permitted to run free while the dogs are in the act of training or hunting in accordance with the rules set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, provided the dogs are accompanied in the field by the owner or his agent.

(d)

Any dog that is on private property without the consent of the property owner or resident may be captured in a humane trap or otherwise confined. Persons capturing at large dogs must contact animal services within 24 hours of its capture to have the animal picked up by animal services and will be responsible for the humane care free from cruelty of the animal until the animal is picked up by the department. Any person capturing an animal shall do so at his own risk, and must sign a document stating the date, time, and location where the animal was captured and stating whether the animal has a known owner/harborer/keeper. A person shall not entice a dog to become at large for the purpose of trapping or apprehending it when that dog would otherwise not be at large.

(e)

Officers are authorized to impound any dog that is witnessed by the officer to be at large and are authorized to enter onto private property, including that of the animal's owner, without permission, with the exception of inside a structure or dwelling, to continue an active pursuit of an animal to attempt to capture the animal for impoundment.

(Ord. No. 16-29, § 3, 10-11-16)