Monroe County, FL Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Basis for restriction
- Behavior/history, not breed
- Declaring authority
- County animal control supervisor
- Restraint duty
- Sec. 4-67(b), as ordered
- Declaration procedure
- Now follows F.S. § 767.10 et seq.
- Max civil penalty
- $500.00 per violation (Sec. 4-46)
Summary
Monroe County has no breed-specific bans; instead a dog is regulated as "dangerous" based on its behavior, such as unprovoked bites, attacks, or dog-fighting use. Once the animal control supervisor declares a dog dangerous, its owner must secure, restrain or confine it exactly as ordered, or face enforcement action in the unincorporated Keys.
Dangerous dog means any dog that according to the records of the appropriate authority: (1)Has aggressively bitten, attacked, or endangered or has inflicted severe injury on a human being on public or private property;(2)Has more than once severely injured or killed a domestic animal while off the owner's property;(3)Has been used primarily or in part for the purpose of dog fighting or is a dog trained for dog fighting; or(4)Has, when not provoked, chased, or approached a person upon the streets, sidewalks, or any public grounds in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, provided that such actions are attested to in a sworn statement by one or more persons and dutifully investigated by the animal control supervisor. ... No owner or keeper of a dog declared by the animal control supervisor to be dangerous shall allow the dog to run at large or to fail to secure, restrain or confine the dog as ordered by the animal control supervisor or animal control officer pursuant to this chapter.
Full Breakdown
Monroe County Code § 4-1 defines "dangerous dog" not by breed but by conduct: a dog that has aggressively bitten, attacked, or inflicted severe injury on a person; has more than once severely injured or killed a domestic animal off its owner's property; has been used for or trained for dog fighting; or has, unprovoked, chased or approached a person on a public street or grounds in a menacing, apparent-attack manner, attested to in a sworn statement and investigated by the animal control supervisor. Dogs responding to provocation, protecting themselves or another, doing law-enforcement work, or engaged in a legal hunt, trial or show are excluded.
Once a dog is declared dangerous, § 4-67(b) requires the owner or keeper not to let it run at large and not to fail to secure, restrain, or confine it exactly as ordered by the animal control supervisor or an animal control officer. The county's own hearing and confinement procedure for making that declaration, formerly § 4-75, was repealed by Ord. No. 025-2025 (adopted Nov. for the declaration and appeal process itself, while § 4-1's definition and § 4-67(b)'s restraint mandate remain in force as local law.
Violations & Fines
Failing to secure, restrain, or confine a dog after it has been declared dangerous, or letting a declared-dangerous dog run at large, violates § 4-67(b) and is enforced through the chapter 4 citation and civil-infraction process under § 4-46, including up to a $500.00 maximum civil penalty per violation and mandatory court appearance for aggravated incidents such as an unprovoked bite or attack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Monroe County ban specific dog breeds?
What must I do if my dog is declared dangerous?
Who decides if my dog is legally "dangerous" in Monroe County?
Is a dog automatically dangerous if it bites someone in self-defense?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monroe County
How Monroe County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Monroe County to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.