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

Animal control inside the City of Fort Myers is delegated to Lee County Domestic Animal Services (LCDAS) under an interlocal agreement, and the operative law is Lee County Ordinance 14-22 (the consolidated Lee County animal control ordinance, which repealed and replaced Ordinance 14-04). Under Ordinance 14-22, 'Direct Control' is defined as 'immediate and continuous physical control of an animal at all times, such as by means of a fence, leash not to exceed 8 feet in length, cord, or chain of sufficient strength to restrain said animal.' Limited exceptions are recognized for working herding dogs, hunting dogs actively engaged in the hunt, police K-9s, and dogs participating in registered field trials or obedience training. 'Tethering' (tying an animal to a stationary object such as a tree, post, fence, or weighted object) is regulated separately and is not the same as a leash used to walk the animal. Florida state law (Fla. Stat. Chapter 828) covers cruelty including unlawful confinement. Fort Myers does not maintain its own animal control officers - calls go to LCDAS dispatch at (239) 533-7387. Rabies vaccination and Lee County pet licensing (for dogs and cats over 4 months) are required under the Lee County ordinance and Fla. Stat. § 828.30.