Port Orange, FL Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)

Under City Code Chapter 10, Port Orange bars anyone from harboring an unaltered cat or dog six months or older unless the owner has qualified for an unaltered animal permit or the animal falls within a narrow exemption, such as being harbored in the city fewer than 90 consecutive days a year or kept by a licensed humane society that certifies it does not breed. Owners seeking a permit must document one of several categories: the animal shows or competes and is registered with a recognized breed or sporting association, a licensed Florida veterinarian certifies the animal is medically unfit for surgery, the dog serves in law enforcement or as a service animal, the owner holds a breeding contract or breed-club membership, or the dog is used or trained for hunting or herding.

Owners who acquire an animal six months or older, or whose pet reaches that age, have 30 days to spay, neuter, or obtain a permit. A permit runs for the life of the animal but the holder must report any address change within 30 days and any change of ownership within 30 days. The city clerk may revoke a permit on notice mailed, hand-delivered, or posted at the property, and the holder has 30 days to request a hearing before the city's special magistrate before the revocation becomes final. 00, with a reduced amount if the citation is not contested.