Featured Adoptable Pets

Brevard County Animal Services Pet Laws

Sec. 14-65. Abandonment of animals.

Pursuant to Section § 828.13, Florida Statues, any person who is the owner, possessor, or caregiver, or has charge or custody of any animal who abandons such animal to suffer injury or malnutrition or abandons any animal in or on a street, road or public place without providing for the care, sustenance, protection and shelter of such animal is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in F.S. § 775.082, or a fine of not more than $5,000 or by both punishment and a fine.

Sec. 14-54. Animal License Tags.

(j) If an animal license tag is lost or destroyed, the animal owner shall obtain a replacement animal license tag. The replacement animal license tag may be issued to the owner upon presentation of the corresponding license certificate and payment of the applicable fee.

(k) The license tag shall be attached to the collar or harness of the dog or cat and shall be worn at all times, except when such animal is confined for treatment in a veterinary hospital or clinic operated by a licensed veterinarian, or while competing in organized animal show, trial or training therefore.

(l) It is a violation of this article for the owner of a dog or cat to permit or allow the dog or ca to be without a physically attached animal license tag as required by this section.

(m) An animal license tag shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance.

(n) It is a violation of this article for the owner of a dog or cat to permit or allow the dog or cat to wear an animal license tag that has expired.

(o) A rabies vaccination certificate or animal license tag issued for one dog or cat is not valid for any other animal, and it is a violation of this article for the owner to intentionally allow the animal to wear an animal license tag which has not been issued for such dog or cat.

(p) A police dog shall be exempt from wearing an animal license tag while being used by a law enforcement agency.

Sec. 14-53. Cruel and inhumane treatment of animals prohibited.

(a) The provisions of F.S. § 828.12 and 828.13, as they may be amended from time to time, are hereby adopted by reference in this article, and shall be enforced as if fully set forth herein. A copy of F.S. § 828, is attached to the ordinance enacting this article, and is available for inspection in the office of the Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners.

(b) It is a violation of this article for any person to commit an act or omission, or cause an act to be committed, in violation of F.S. § 828.12 or 828.13.

(c) Inhumane treatment of animals is prohibited. It is a violation of this article, by any person, to inhumanely treat any animal as set forth herein. For the purpose of this section, the term "inhumane" means acts which:

(1) Are physically cruel; or

(2) Expose an animal to unusual, unnecessary and otherwise avoidable physical harm.

(d) Inhumane treatment includes, but is not limited to, any of the following acts or omissions by an animal’s owner or caregiver:

(1) An animal is allowed to become overheated, or is not supplied with adequate food, water, shade or protection from elements;

(2) An animal which is improperly or inhumanely contained or denied proper exercise or rest, for the purposes of this section, United States Department of Agriculture and Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission regulations pertaining to containment, exercise and rest shall be the standard for proper containment, exercise and rest, as revised from time to time;

(3) In the case of a stunt or entertainment act:

(a) No allowance is made for an animal’s reasonable limits of endurance;

(b) The owner or operator has failed to determine whether equipment operated in conjunction with the working animal is in safe operating condition;

(c) An animal is killed or injured during the stunt or act;

(d) An equine animal, including a horse, mule or donkey, is allowed to fall or drop into water from a platform or structure more than ten (10) feet above the water; or

(e) An equine animal is not properly trained for such a fall or drop.

Sec. 14-59. Defecating, urinating on public or private property.

No animal shall be permitted or allowed to defecate or urinate upon any public property, or any private property, without permission of the property owner.

It shall be the responsibility of the owner or person in control of the animal to dispose of or remove any excretions caused by the animal. It is a violation of this article for the owner of an animal to permit or allow an animal to defecate or urinate upon any public property, or any private property, without permission of the property owner.

An animal under physical control, is an animal under mental control. The law states all animals must be leashed at all times when off the property of the animal owner.

In Brevard County, at large is defined as off the premises of the owner, and not under the physical control of a leash, cord or chain of sufficient strength to control the animal not to exceed six (6) feet in length. If you love your pet, leash your pet!

Sec. 14-57. Creation of nuisance.

(a) No animal shall be permitted or allowed to create a nuisance. It is a violation of this article for the owner of an animal to permit or allow the animal to create a nuisance.

(b) For the purpose of this section, noise from farm animals, including exotic birds, shall not constitute a nuisance within an AU zoning classification; provided, however, that the following setback requirement shall apply only to exotic birds kept on AU property which abuts non-AU property of a residential character: A minimum set back of 100 feet between the noise source and the abutting non-AU residential property.

(c) Any nuisance complaint may be investigated by Animal Services and Enforcement. However, before a citation may be issued, the animal enforcement officer must have personal knowledge of the nuisance or at least two (2) affidavits from different parties residing in close proximity to the alleged nuisance must be received. One affidavit may be sufficient to warrant investigation where there is only one party in close proximity to the alleged nuisance.

(d) It shall be an unlawful nuisance for an animal owner to either be found guilty of or effectively admit guilt to more than four (4) violations of this article within a twelvemonth period of time. The failure to contest or pay a citation shall be considered an effective admission of guilt for the purpose of this section. A violation of this section is a civil infraction punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 dollars.

Sec. 14-60. Public parks and beaches.

(a) No animal shall be permitted or allowed into or on any public park or beach; provided, however, that an area in public parks may be designated for animals by resolution of the Board, or by the governing body of any applicable municipality. In that event, the area provided for animals must be properly identified and posted by the county or the appropriate municipality.

(b) It is a violation of this article for the owner of an animal to permit or allow the animal into, or on, any public beach, or any public park not designated for animals and not properly identified and posted. However, a disabled person, as defined under the Americans With Disabilities Act, shall have the right to be accompanied into or on any public park or beach by a service animal without violating this section.

Sec. 14-55. Responsibility for animals.

(a) The owner of any animal shall exercise reasonable care to protect humans, or other animals, or property from injury or damage caused by the behavior of such animal.

(b) The owner of an animal shall exercise reasonable care to prevent such animal, while unattended, from leaving the premises of such owner by:

(1) Confinement in a secure enclosure, fence or pen from which the animal cannot dig, climb, jump, or escape and which is locked when the animal remains unattended; or

(2) Restraint by chain, cable, and trolley, or other tether of sufficient strength to prevent escape; or

(3) Leash and physical control of a person capable of preventing such animal from escaping.

(c) The owner of an animal shall exercise reasonable care to maintain such animal off the premises of such owner by:

(1) Confinement in a vehicle from which the animal cannot climb, jump or escape; or

(2) Leash and physical control of a person capable of preventing such animal from escaping.

(d) It is a violation of this article for an owner or caregiver not to exercise reasonable care in restraining animals as specified in this section.

Sec. 14-56. Animals at large.

No animal shall be permitted or allowed to be at large. It is a violation of this article for the owner of an animal to permit or allow the animal to be at large.

Sec. 14-54. Rabies vaccination certificates and animal license tags.

(a) The owner of a ferret, dog or cat in the county that is vaccinated against rabies shall obtain a rabies vaccination certificate. The owner shall obtain an animal license tag for each dog or cat annually.

(b) It is a violation of this article for the owner of a ferret, dog or cat to refuse or fail to obtain a rabies vaccination certificate and animal license tag for the animal as provided by this section.

(c) All veterinarians in the county shall provide the Animal Services and Enforcement Department a copy of each and every rabies vaccination certificate issued. Veterinarians shall display, in a conspicuous place that can be seen and easily read by all customers, a sign indicating that Brevard County License Tags are required and indicate where they can be purchased.

(d) A rabies vaccination certificate or animal license tag are not required if the owner of the ferret, dog or cat has not resided in the county for more than 28 days in the previous 12 month period.

(e) The Animal Services and Enforcement Director shall approve the form, content and design of the rabies vaccination certificate and animal license tag. No other animal license tag shall be valid in the county.

(f) By resolution, the Board shall establish and may change fees to be charged for issuance of license certificates and license tags.

(g) Any resident of the county who owns or keeps a service animal especially trained for such purpose, and which is being used to assist disabled person, as defined under the Americans Disabilities Act, may obtain an animal license tag, when applicable, at no charge.

(h) A rabies vaccination certificate and animal license tag shall be issued by: (1) The Animal Services and Enforcement Director or designee; or (2) Any licensed veterinarian who administers the rabies vaccination and who has been authorized by the County to collect the fee for such animal license tag.

(i) The rabies vaccination certificate shall be signed by the licensed veterinarian administering the rabies vaccination, and shall list the date of the rabies vaccination, the type of vaccine, information identifying the owner’s name, address, and telephone number, and describing the ferret, dog or cat. An identification number shall be printed on the rabies vaccination certificate and shall correspond to the same number on the animal license tag, if required.

(j) If an animal license tag is lost or destroyed, the animal owner shall obtain a replacement animal license tag. The replacement animal license tag may be issued to the owner upon presentation of the corresponding license certificate and payment of the applicable fee.

(k) The license tag shall be attached to the collar or harness of the dog or cat and shall be worn at all times, except when such animal is confined for treatment in a veterinary hospital or clinic operated by a licensed veterinarian, or while competing in organized animal show, trial or training therefore.

(l) It is a violation of this article for the owner of a dog or cat to permit or allow the dog or ca to be without a physically attached animal license tag as required by this section.

(m) An animal license tag shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance.

(n) It is a violation of this article for the owner of a dog or cat to permit or allow the dog or cat to wear an animal license tag that has expired.

(o) A rabies vaccination certificate or animal license tag issued for one dog or cat is not valid for any other animal, and it is a violation of this article for the owner to intentionally allow the animal to wear an animal license tag which has not been issued for such dog or cat.

(p) A police dog shall be exempt from wearing an animal license tag while being used by a law enforcement agency.

Brevard Animal Services

	Email Director Karla Torpy
	Brevard Animal Services Event Calendar
	Volunteer for Brevard Animal Services