Tamarac, FL Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Tamarac Code § 4-2
- Leash limit
- maximum 8 feet, dependable strength
- Applies
- public streets, public places, others' property
- Impoundment
- held at least 5 days, owner pays costs
- Owner defined
- anyone owning, harboring, or maintaining custody
- Default penalty
- up to $500 fine or 90 days jail
Summary
Tamarac Code § 4-2 bars any animal from being on a public street, public place, or someone else's property unless securely under control or on a leash no longer than eight feet. A loose animal found off its owner's property is presumptive evidence of a violation and can be impounded for at least five days.
(a)No animal shall be allowed upon the public street of the city or in any public place or upon property other than that of its owner unless such animal is securely under control or fastened to a suitable leash of dependable strength not to exceed eight (8) feet in length.(b)Proof of ownership of any such animal found in any public place or upon property other than that of its owner shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this chapter.(c)In the event of a violation of this chapter, the animal involved may be picked up by a police officer of the city, public health officer of the county, the humane society of the county, or any other appropriate and authorized official, and shall be placed with the humane society of the county or any other similar agency and retained by such agency for at least five (5) days. As a condition of repossession of such animal, the owner shall pay to the humane society or other agency all costs.
Full Breakdown
Section 4-2, carried forward from the 1975 Code, applies to any dog, cat, or other nonhuman animal as defined in § 4-1. It requires that an animal on a public street, in any public place, or on property other than its owner's be either securely under control or fastened to a leash of dependable strength that does not exceed eight feet. Simply finding an animal loose off its owner's property is prima facie evidence of a violation, meaning the city does not have to prove the owner intentionally let it run at large.
When a violation occurs, a city police officer, Broward County public health officer, the county humane society, or another authorized official may pick up the animal, and it must be placed with the county humane society or a similar agency and held for at least five days. To get the animal back, the owner must pay the humane society or agency all of its costs of care and impoundment. The section defines "owner" broadly to include anyone owning, harboring, or maintaining custody of the animal, so a temporary caretaker or a family member who is not the titled owner can still be held responsible.
The leash rule works alongside § 4-4's duty to scoop and remove animal waste and § 4-5's ban on feeding animals a person does not own, all enforced as part of the animal control program the Broward Sheriff's Office and Broward County Animal Care carry out under the city's contracts, since § 4-2 assigns no unique fine and violations default to Tamarac's general penalty in § 1-13, up to $500.00 or 90 days in jail.
Violations & Fines
Letting a dog, cat, or other animal onto a public street, public place, or someone else's property without being securely controlled or on a leash no longer than eight feet violates § 4-2. Being found loose off the owner's property is treated as prima facie proof of the violation, and the animal can be impounded for at least five days at the owner's expense. Because § 4-2 carries no dedicated fine, a citation defaults to the general penalty in § 1-13: up to $500.00, up to 90 days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a dog leash be in Tamarac?
What happens if animal control picks up my loose dog in Tamarac?
Can I be cited if I'm not the dog's registered owner?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tamarac
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