In unincorporated Leon County, Code of Laws Sec. 4-35 makes it unlawful for any animal to run or remain at large on any street, road, alley, park or public place. A dog off the owner's premises must be under 'direct control' - restrained by a leash or tether of appropriate length or another control device per Sec. 4-26.
Leash and at-large rules for unincorporated Leon County are in the Code of Laws of Leon County, Chapter 4 (Animals), Article II, Division 1. Sec. 4-35(a) states it is unlawful for any animal to run or remain at large on any street, road, alley, park or other public place; Sec. 4-35(b) also bars an animal from being on private property without the owner's consent, whether or not it is under direct control. Sec. 4-26 defines 'at large' as an animal off the owner's premises unless 'restrained by leash or tether of appropriate length, or other electronic control device, such that the animal is under the direct control of a responsible person.' 'Direct control' (Sec. 4-26) means the animal is obedient to a competent person's commands, restrained by a leash or tether of appropriate length or an electronic control device, or within a secure enclosure. The ordinance does not set a specific maximum leash length for walking a dog; the six-foot minimum length appears only in the separate tethering rule (Sec. 4-37(e)(2)). Sec. 4-35(g) exempts dogs engaged in a legal sport including supervised hunting in authorized areas, dogs being officially shown or trained, service animals, law-enforcement/rescue/emergency dogs, and dogs in a designated or established off-leash dog park while supervised and following posted rules. Ordinance 23-01 amended Chapter 4 to align with Chapter 767, Florida Statutes. Enforcement is by the Leon County Division of Animal Control.
Running at large is a civil infraction enforced by citation under Sec. 4-29. Per the Sec. 4-29(i) fine schedule, running at large (Sec. 4-35) carries minimum civil penalties of $50 first violation, $100 second, and $250 third and thereafter. Penalties are enhanced under Sec. 4-29 when a violation causes destruction or loss of personal property ($100/$250/$500 plus mandatory court appearance) or involves unprovoked biting, wounding, or attacking ($450 person / $250 animal escalating to $500 and a mandatory court appearance). The maximum civil penalty for any single violation of the article is $500 (Sec. 4-29(f)), plus a $5.00 surcharge and court costs.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Unincorporated Leon County regulates amplified sound in two ways. Sec. 12-56(6) bars unreasonably loud loudspeakers, amplifiers, and PA systems near resident...
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In unincorporated Leon County, construction, demolition, alteration, or repair of buildings (and excavation of streets/highways) is a per se noise violation ...
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Unincorporated Leon County's Noise Control article (Code of Laws Ch. 12, Art. II, Ord. 08-08) does not set a single blanket curfew but bans specific activiti...
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On-street parking on the unincorporated Leon County road system is governed mainly by Florida state law - Statute 316.194 controls parking on highways outsid...
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Unincorporated Leon County has no codified ordinance capping the size or number of commercial vehicles parked at a residence. The Code Compliance Program FAQ...
See how Leon County's dog leash laws rules stack up against other locations.
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