10 rules for unincorporated Collier County, Florida.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens and livestock are allowed on land zoned Agricultural or in the Estates district under Collier County's Land Development Code, and must be kept per recognized husbandry practices. Florida's Right to Farm Act protects bona fide farm operations on agricultural land from local bans.
F.S. 823.14(6)
a local government may not adopt any ordinance, regulation, rule, or policy to prohibit, restrict, regulate, or otherwise limit an activity of a bona fide farm operation on land classified as agricultural land.
In unincorporated Collier County, dogs may not run at large on any public street, sidewalk, public place, or another person's property. Animals must be confined to the owner's property or under control on a leash. Outdoor tethering is tightly restricted.
Collier County Code sec. 14-35(1)(B)
It shall be unlawful for the owner of an animal to allow or permit his or her animal ... To run at large in or upon any public street, road, sidewalk, other public place, or upon private property without the expressed or implied consent, subject to zoning, of the owner or any lessee of such private property.
Collier County has no breed-specific ban. Dangerous-dog determinations under Code sec. 14-38 are based on a dog's behavior, adopting Florida's dangerous-dog statute (F.S. ch. 767). Florida law (F.S. 767.14) prohibits local governments from regulating dogs by breed, weight, or size.
F.S. 767.14
Nothing in this act shall limit any local government from placing further restrictions or additional requirements on owners of dangerous dogs or other dogs that have bitten or attacked a person or domestic animal, provided that no such regulation is specific to breed, weight, or size.
Collier County cannot regulate or ban backyard beekeeping. Under Florida Statute 586.10, authority over managed honeybee colonies is preempted to the state through the Department of Agriculture (FDACS). All beekeepers, including hobbyists with one hive, must register colonies with FDACS.
F.S. 586.10
The authority to regulate, inspect, and permit managed honeybee colonies and to adopt rules on the placement and location of registered inspected managed honeybee colonies is preempted to the state through the department and supersedes any related ordinance adopted by a county, municipality, or political subdivision thereof.
Collier County Code sec. 14-42 makes it unlawful to keep a wild animal unless you are licensed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the animal is confined on your premises, or you keep it for exhibition as a licensed circus, zoo, attraction, or educational institution.
Collier County Code sec. 14-42
It shall be unlawful for any person to maintain or keep a wild animal except: 1. Owners licensed by the State Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and confined to the owner's premises in a cage or enclosure. 2. A wild animal for exhibition purposes maintained by a licensed circus, zoo, attraction or educational institution.
Collier County has no separate ordinance on feeding wildlife; the rules are set statewide by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. F.A.C. 68A-4.001 prohibits intentionally feeding, or placing food or garbage that attracts, black bears, coyotes, foxes, and raccoons in a way that creates a nuisance, and bans feeding
Collier County Code sec. 14-48 requires every livestock owner to build and maintain a fence strong enough to confine their animals. Letting livestock run at large on roads, rights-of-way, or another person's property is a violation. Horses must carry a current negative Coggins (EIA) test.
Collier County Code sec. 14-48(1)
Every owner of livestock shall erect and/or maintain a fence to contain and confine all livestock kept or maintained on his/her premises. Such fence shall be sufficiently strong and substantial so as to prevent egress of livestock.
Collier County Code sec. 14-36(2) flatly states no person shall engage in animal hoarding. Sec. 14-28 defines hoarding as failing to provide minimal sanitation, space, nutrition, or veterinary care while accumulating or keeping animals amid progressively deteriorating conditions.
Collier County Code sec. 14-28 (Animal hoarding); sec. 14-36(2)
Animal hoarding means the activity of a person characterized by the following: A. Failure to provide minimal standards of sanitation, space, nutrition or veterinary care for animals; and B. Attempts to accumulate or maintain a collection of animals in the face of progressively deteriorating conditions.
Collier County Code sets no fixed numeric limit on household dogs or cats. Instead, keeping animals commercially triggers licensing: a person who breeds three or more litters a year, or offers dogs or cats for breeding, is a regulated breeder needing a business tax receipt. Zoning also limits kennels.
Collier County Code sec. 14-28 (Breeder)
Breeder means any person or business required to hold a business tax receipt who engages in the sale or breeding of three (3) or more litters of dogs or cats, per a one-year period or offers one (1) or more domestic cat(s) or dog(s) for breeding or stud purposes.
Cats over four months old must be licensed and rabies-vaccinated (sec. 14-33). Under sec. 14-35(1)(K), any cat that is outdoors while not under direct control must be sterilized. Managed community-cat colonies are allowed when sterilized, ear-tipped, vaccinated, and properly cared for (sec. 14-44).
Collier County Code sec. 14-35(1)(K)
Any cat that is outdoors while not under direct control must be sterilized.
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