Miramar, Florida

Sec. 6-3.5. – Tethering of dogs.

“Dog tethering” is defined as the restraining of a dog outside of a house or other habitable structure by tying the dog to any object or structure, including, without limitation, a house, tree, fence, post, garage or shed, by any means, including, without limitation, a chain, rope, cord, leash or running line, but shall not include the use of a leash used to walk the dog or to forms of restraint used in the transportation of a dog. It shall be unlawful for a dog’s owner, as defined in section 6-1 above, to tether a dog except when all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The dog is in visual range of the owner, and the owner is located outside with the dog.

(2) The tether is connected to the dog by a buckle-type collar or a body harness made of nylon or leather, not less than one (1) inch in width.

(3) The tether terminates at both ends with a swivel, is at least ten (10) feet long and is free of tangles.

(4) Pulley, running line or trolley systems are at least fifteen (15) feet in length and are less than seven (7) feet above the ground.

(5) The dog is tethered in such a manner as to prevent injury, strangulation or entanglement.

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

(7) The dog has access to clean drinking water and dry ground.

(8) The dog is not sick or injured.

(9) If there are multiple dogs, each dog is tethered separately.

This section shall be enforced utilizing the city’s code enforcement process found at City Code, Chapter 2, “Administration”, Article XI, “Community Standards and Code Enforcement”, or by any other applicable enforcement procedure available by City Ordinance or state law. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the arrest and criminal prosecution of an owner for acts of animal cruelty within the scope of and punishable by the provisions of F.S. Ch. 828.