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Fort Myers, FL Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Adopting section
Fort Myers Code § 14-31
Governing rule
Lee County Animal Control Ordinance
Enforcement agency
Fort Myers Police Department
Adopted text location
On file with city clerk

Summary

Fort Myers has no separate leash ordinance of its own: the city adopted the Lee County Animal Control Ordinance by reference to govern dogs and other animals within city limits, enforced by the Fort Myers Police Department.

(a)Lee County Code, Article III, Lee County Animal Control Ordinance, as may be amended from time to time in the future, is hereby adopted by the city for the control of animals in the city in lieu of former ordinances and is on file in the office of the city clerk.(b)The city police department will be designated the animal control enforcement agency at the discretion of the chief of police. (Code 1963, § 5-14; Code 1991, § 5-26; Ord. No. 2800, § 2, 3-17-1997; Ord. No. 3285, § 1, 7-5-2005)

Cross reference— Administration, ch. 2.

Chapters 15—17 - RESERVED

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 60).

Full Breakdown

Under Fort Myers Code of Ordinances § 14-31, the city adopted the Lee County Animal Control Ordinance (Lee County Code, art. III), as amended, to govern animal control, including dogs at large, within Fort Myers, in lieu of the city's own former animal-control ordinances; the adopting text is on file with the city clerk. The Fort Myers Police Department is designated the animal control enforcement agency at the discretion of the chief of police. Fort Myers Chapter 14 itself covers only excrement removal (§ 14-2) and the citywide bird sanctuary (§ 14-1); the operative at-large and leash standard is the county ordinance the city adopted, not separate city text.

Violations & Fines

The adopted county ordinance sets the actual at-large and leash penalties; Fort Myers's own code names only the enforcement agency, the police department, without reciting fine amounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Fort Myers have its own dog leash law?
No: the city adopted the Lee County Animal Control Ordinance by reference under § 14-31, so leash and at-large rules in Fort Myers are the county's ordinance, enforced by city police.
Who enforces leash and at-large rules in Fort Myers?
The Fort Myers Police Department, designated the animal control enforcement agency under § 14-31 at the discretion of the chief of police.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Fort Myers

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