In unincorporated Lee County, dogs must be under "direct control" at all times. Off your own property that means a leash no longer than 8 feet, a fence, or a cord/chain strong enough to restrain the dog. Loose dogs are "roaming at large" and citable.
Lee County Domestic Animal Services enforces Ordinance 14-22 countywide. "Direct control" is defined as immediate and continuous physical control, such as a leash not exceeding 8 feet, a fence, cord, or chain. An animal not under restraint, confinement, or direct control is "roaming at large." Herding dogs, hunting dogs, police dogs, dogs in registered field trials or obedience training, and dogs on the owner's own property are excluded from the direct-control definition. Owners are responsible for keeping animals under direct control at all times and are accountable for any violation. Municipalities with their own ordinances prevail within their limits.
Animal Control Officers issue citations; fines are set by BOCC resolution. A mandatory $25 payment to the Animal Care Trust Fund applies to any adjudicated violation, plus a statutory surcharge under FS 828.27(4)(b).
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See how Lee County's dog leash laws rules stack up against other locations.
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