Florida Statute 767.14, as amended by SB 942 effective October 1, 2023, prohibits any local government from regulating dogs based on breed, weight, or size, fully preempting Tarpon Springs from adopting breed-specific restrictions.
Tarpon Springs cannot enact or enforce breed-specific dog regulations because Florida Statute 767.14 preempts local breed bans. The 2023 amendment via SB 942 eliminated the prior grandfather clause that had allowed Miami-Dade County's pit bull ban, and now uniformly bars any Florida county, municipality, or housing authority from adopting policies that target a specific breed, weight, or size. Tarpon Springs may still regulate dangerous dogs under the broader Chapter 767 framework, including impoundment, muzzling orders, and registration of dogs declared dangerous after a hearing, but those measures must apply to individual dogs based on documented behavior, not breed.
Local breed-specific rules are unenforceable; dangerous-dog determinations follow Chapter 767 due-process procedures with civil and criminal penalties.
See how other cities in Pinellas County handle breed restrictions.
See how Tarpon Springs's breed restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.