§ 14-44. Cruelty to Animals prohibited.

(a)

It is a violation of this article to commit an act or omission of Cruelty on any Animal, or cause any act of Cruelty to be committed on any Animal. The standards of animal care set forth in this section are designed to prevent Cruelty.

(b)

Any Animal that is Confined must be provided appropriate care, sufficient quantities of good and wholesome food and Water on a daily basis, kept in sanitary conditions provided with sufficient room to stand up, turn around, and sit comfortably, proper air ventilation and quantity of air, and protection from the weather and from excessive exposure to fleas, ticks, and other harmful insects and external parasites.

(c)

The following acts or omissions shall constitute improper Confinement or abandonment:

(1)

Impounding or Confining an Animal without sufficient quantity of good and wholesome food and Water.

(2)

Keeping an Animal in any enclosure without wholesome exercise and change of air.

(3)

Abandoning to die any Animal that is maimed, sick, malformed or diseased.

(4)

Abandoning an Animal to suffer injury, malnutrition or illness without veterinary care.

(5)

Failure to provide a regular lighting cycle of either natural or artificial light corresponding to the natural periods of daylight unless otherwise directed by a Veterinarian.

(d)

No vehicle owner, passenger or operator shall place or confine an Animal or allow it to be placed or confined or to remain in any unattended vehicle without sufficient ventilation or under conditions or for such a period of time as may reasonably be expected to endanger the health or well-being of such Animal due to heat, lack of water or such other circumstances as may be expected to cause suffering, disability or death.

(1)

Any Animal Services Officer who finds an Animal in a vehicle in violation of this article may enter the vehicle by using the amount of force which is reasonably necessary to remove the Animal. The Officer is authorized to impound and dispose of such Animal in the manner provided for in this article or Chapter 828, Florida Statutes.

(2)

Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit the transportation of horses, cattle, sheep, poultry or other agricultural livestock in trailers or other vehicles designed and constructed for such purposes.

(e)

Under no circumstances shall any of the following acts be allowed:

(1)

Producing, rearing, breeding, keeping, or releasing Animals, including pigeons, to be shot at either for amusement or test of skill in marksmanship;

(2)

Shooting at an Animal, including a pigeon, produced, reared, bred, kept, or released as described in subsection (e)(1) of this section; or

(3)

Knowingly allowing land or premises under one's ownership or control to be used for either of the purposes described in subsections (e)(1) and (2) of this section.

This subsection shall not be construed to prohibit the taking of game in accordance with the regulations set forth in Ch. 372, Florida Statutes, and Florida Administrative Code, Title 39.

(f)

Under no circumstances shall a person improperly Tether any Animal. It shall be unlawful for an Owner to tether an Animal outdoors, except for when all of the following conditions are met:

(1)

The Animal is in visual range of the Owner, and the Owner is located outside with the Animal.

(2)

The tether is connected to the Animal by a buckle-type collar or a body harness made of nylon or leather, not less than one inch in width.

(3)

The tether has the following properties:

a.

It is at least five times the length of the Animal's body, as measured from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail;

b.

It terminates at both ends with a swivel;

c.

It does not weigh more than one-eighth of the Animal's weight; and

d.

Is free of tangles.

(4)

The Animal is tethered in such a manner as to prevent injury, strangulation, or entanglement.

(5)

The Animal is not outside during a period of extreme weather, including without limitation extreme heat or near-freezing temperatures, thunderstorms, tornadoes, tropical storms, or hurricanes.

(6)

The Animal has access to water, shelter, and dry ground.

(7)

The Animal is at least six months of age. Puppies, kittens, and other young Animals shall not be tethered.

(8)

The Animal is not sick or injured.

(9)

Pulley, running line, or trolley systems are at least 15 feet in length and are less than seven feet above the ground.

(10)

If there are multiple Animals, each Animal is tethered separately.

(Ord. No. 95-042, § 14, 5-9-1994; Ord. No. 97-044, § 1(14), 6-17-1997; Ord. No. 2004-111, § 8, 11-10-2004; Ord. No. 2009-050, § 8, 10-13-2009; Ord. No. 2010-053, § 4, 9-15-2010)