Sarasota County, Florida

September 15, 2010

Sec. 14-44. – Cruelty to Animals prohibited.

(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.