Pasco County, Florida

April 23, 2013

This ordinance bans unattended tethering.

Sec. 14-104. – Tethering.

(a) As used in this section, tethering means to restrain a dog to any object or structure, including, without limitation, a house, tree, fence, post, garage or shed, by any means, including, without limitation, chain, rope, cord, leash or running line. Tethering shall not include using a leash to walk a dog.

(b) It shall be unlawful for a person with physical control, custody, or care of a dog, or a person responsible for a dog’s care, to tether a dog outdoors, except when all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The dog is in visual range of the person described in subsection 14-104(b) above; and

(2) That person is outside with the dog while the dog is tethered.

(c) No operator of a motor vehicle shall transport or keep an animal in or on any motor vehicle, unless the animal is safely enclosed within the vehicle, or protected by a container, cage, or is secured by at least two points of restraint on opposite sides of the vehicle, or by another method or device that will prevent the animal from falling, being thrown, or jumping from the vehicle.

(d) 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) It is intended that the provisions of this section are in addition to, and not intended to replace, the provisions in section 14-37 concerning cruelty.