Animal Ordinances in Fort Lauderdale, FL (2026)
7 verified animal ordinances for Fort Lauderdale, Florida, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Fort Lauderdale bars keeping any animal in residential districts except common household pets, and the pet exception expressly excludes chickens, roosters and geese. Roosters are barred within 100 yards of any dwelling and livestock is effectively prohibited outside the narrow nonresidential rules.
Chickens, Roosters and Livestock Banned in Residential Areas
Heavy RestrictionsFort Lauderdale, FL, Code of Ordinances ch. 6, art. I, Sec. 6-5 (Animals prohibited in certain areas of the city; exceptions)
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, maintain or permit to be kept or maintained or permit on the premises any animal in any residential district of the city; provided, however, that this prohibition shall not apply to animals capable of being kept as pets within a home such as those species of animals that generally are kept as pets and live in or about the habitation of humans, i...
Dog Leash Laws
Fort Lauderdale prohibits any animal from running at large and bans pets on the sandy public beach, parks and playgrounds, with a narrow leashed-dog beach permit window of 6:00-9:00 a.m. Broward County's countywide leash rule (Sec. 4-3) also applies.
Leash, At-Large and Beach Pet Rules
Some RestrictionsFort Lauderdale, FL, Code of Ordinances ch. 6, art. I, Sec. 6-2 (Running at large prohibited; impounding)
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any animal to permit or allow the same to run at large in the city. It shall be the duty of the police department to notify or to take up and deliver to the county humane society or county rabies control department any such animal found running at large. Every owner of an animal shall keep such animal in a substantial pen, coop or enclosure at all times.
Breed Restrictions
Fort Lauderdale has no breed-specific dog ban. Its only dangerous-dog rule (Sec. 6-33) targets behavior, not breed, and Florida Statute 767.14 prohibits local governments from adopting any regulation specific to breed, weight or size.
No Breed-Specific Bans; State Law Preempts
Few RestrictionsFla. Stat. Sec. 767.14 (Additional local restrictions authorized)
This act does not limit any local government or public housing authority from adopting an ordinance or a policy, respectively, to address the safety and welfare concerns caused by attacks on persons or domestic animals; placing further restrictions or additional requirements on owners of dogs that have bitten or attacked persons or domestic animals; or developing procedures and criteria for the...
Beekeeping
Fort Lauderdale allows beekeeping but Sec. 6-12 requires beekeepers to control the bees' flight path so it does not interfere with neighbors and to keep a year-round water supply nearer the hives than any water on adjoining property.
Beekeeping Flight-Path and Water Rules
Some RestrictionsFort Lauderdale, FL, Code of Ordinances ch. 6, art. I, Sec. 6-12 (Beekeeping restrictions)
Flight path control of bees. It shall be unlawful for a beekeeper to fail to control the flight path of the bees on the beekeeper's premises so that as a result the flight path of the beekeeper's bees interferes with the use and enjoyment of adjoining property. Availability of water on the premises. It shall be unlawful for any such person to fail to have an adequate supply of water available o...
Exotic Pets
Florida has extensive exotic animal regulations through the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Many species require permits, and certain dangerous animals are prohibited.
Fort Lauderdale Exotic Pet Regulations
Heavy RestrictionsWildlife Feeding
Sec. 6-15 makes it unlawful to feed, or fail to prevent the unintentional feeding of, high-risk rabies-vector wildlife such as raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks within public rights-of-way and on city property in the defined beachside area.
Ban on Feeding Rabies-Risk Wildlife
Some RestrictionsFort Lauderdale, FL, Code of Ordinances ch. 6, art. I, Sec. 6-15 (Feeding of wild animals prohibited)
It shall be unlawful for any person to feed or fail to take appropriate precautions to prevent the unintentional feeding of any wild animal known to be a high risk species for rabies, including but not limited to raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks within the public rights-of-way and on city property within the area bounded on the west by the eastern shoreline of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway,...
Pet Limits
Fort Lauderdale sets no flat numeric limit on household dogs or cats, but Sec. 6-34 defines four or more dogs or cats over four months of age as a 'kennel,' which is unlawful unless it complies with applicable zoning and licensing provisions.
Pet Limits and Kennel Threshold
Some RestrictionsFort Lauderdale, FL, Code of Ordinances ch. 6, art. II, Sec. 6-34 (Kennels)
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, maintain or permit to be kept or maintained or permit on the premises a kennel, unless such kennel is maintained in compliance with applicable zoning and licensing provisions of this Code. For the purpose of this section, a kennel is defined as any place or premises where four (4) or more dogs or cats over four (4) months of age are kept.
Looking for Broward County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Fort Lauderdale city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Broward County →