Okaloosa County, FL Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Section 5-31, "Harboring stray animals," makes it a violation to harbor a stray dog or cat except under two specific circumstances. First, anyone who takes in a stray dog or cat must notify the animal control agency of the animal's presence and provide a description and any information that could help reunite it with an owner; the animal control agency may then request the stray be surrendered within ten days if an owner is identified.

Second, the section carves out organized feral-cat colony management: a state-registered nonprofit organization may harbor stray cats or dogs on private property under a documented and accepted spay/neuter/release program, but only if the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society or the board of county commissioners approves the program and the owner of the private property consents in writing. An organization seeking approval applies through the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society's office, which sets the review standards; if that office denies approval, the organization can instead present its program directly to the board of county commissioners at a regular meeting, and the board's decision is final. Approval already granted can be withdrawn by either the Society or the board at any time if the organization is not meeting the program's requirements or if the program is shown to threaten public health, safety or welfare.

This section works alongside Section 5-26, which separately makes an unprovoked biting or attacking cat a "bad cat" subject to citation, independent of colony-management status.