Deerfield Beach, Florida

Sec. 10-16. – Supervision and confinement; tethering.

(c) Any person who owns or any person who is in charge of any dog, cat or animal kept as a pet who confines that animal outdoors on private property must provide the dog, cat or animal with:

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(6) A tether under the following circumstances:

a. Any person who owns or any person who is in charge or in control of any dog, cat, or animal that is under the age of six months shall not tie, chain, or otherwise tether a dog, cat or animal kept as a pet that is under the age of six months outdoors.

b. Any person who owns or any person who is in charge or in control of any animal that is over the age of six months shall not tie, chain, or otherwise tether a dog, cat or animal kept as a pet outdoors between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. except that an animal kept as a pet of any age may be temporarily tethered, tied, or chained outdoors for a total time period not exceeding 15 minutes. At other times, it is permitted to tie, chain, or otherwise tether an animal kept as a pet that is over the age of six months outdoors if the pet is collared by a properly fitting, non-choke type collar or a body harness that is fastened to either:

i. A tether that is at least three times the body length of the dog, cat, or animal measured from the dog, cat, or animal’s nose to back of the hindquarters, and that is free from entanglement; or

ii. An overhead run, which is a leash or chain attached to an overhead wire at least ten feet long, that allows the dog, cat, or animal to move unheeded, when total weight of the collar together with the chain, rope, or tether does not exceed one-sixteenth ( 1/16 ) the body weight of the animal.

(d) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit an owner or keeper from controlling a dog, cat or animal kept as a pet by the handheld use of a rope, leash, or chain, when total weight of the collar together with the chain, rope, or tether does not exceed one-sixteenth ( 1/16 ) of the body weight of the animal.