Port St. Lucie, FL Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed-specific ban
- None found in Chapter 92
- Standard applied
- Behavior, not breed or size
- Dangerous dog tag
- $125, then $35 annual renewal
- Tag deadline
- 14 days after classification is final
- Outside the enclosure
- Muzzled, leashed, adult in control
Summary
Port St. Lucie's animal chapter classifies dangerous dogs by what a dog has done, not by breed. The Sec. 92.01 definition turns on bites, attacks and menacing behavior, and no breed is named anywhere in Chapter 92.
767.14 Additional local restrictions authorized.-This act does not limit any local government or public housing authority from adopting an ordinance or a policy, respectively, to address the safety and welfare concerns caused by attacks on persons or domestic animals; placing further restrictions or additional requirements on owners of dogs that have bitten or attacked persons or domestic animals; or developing procedures and criteria for the implementation of this act, provided that no such regulation is specific to breed, weight, or size and that the provisions of this act are not lessened by such additional regulations or requirements.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 92 handles dangerous dogs through a behavior test. Sec. 92.01 defines a dangerous dog as one that has aggressively bitten, attacked, endangered or inflicted severe injury on a person, severely injured or killed a domestic animal off the owner's property, or when unprovoked chased or approached someone in a menacing fashion, attested in a sworn statement and investigated. Animal Control investigates and makes an initial determination under Sec. 92.02, and the owner may request a hearing before a Special Magistrate. Once the classification is final, Sec. 92.028 gives the owner fourteen days to obtain a dangerous dog license tag and meet confinement, signage, sterilization and identification requirements.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 92.99(f)(2) imposes a $500 fine on the owner of a dangerous dog who violates Sec. 92.02 or Sec. 92.41; a dog that attacks again unprovoked may be confiscated and destroyed under Sec. 92.028(n).
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pit bulls or any other breeds banned in Port St. Lucie?
What makes a dog 'dangerous' in Port St. Lucie?
What must the owner of a declared dangerous dog do?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port St. Lucie
How Port St. Lucie compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Port St. Lucie to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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