Ordinance No. 16-015 amending City Ordinance Chapter 4 - Animals to establish requirements regarding the care and treatment of animals, specifically regulating the tethering and keeping dogs outdoors.  SECOND READING

There has been a lot of attention drawn to issue of the tethering of dogs and other local jurisdictions, including Palm Beach County, Martin County and St. Lucie County, have recently adopted ordinances establishing a set of parameters that restrict both tethering and the keeping of dogs outdoors.

Due to multiple incidents within the City of Fort Pierce involving the injury and death to a dog due to it being tethered or kept in unsafe conditions outdoors, the City Commission expressed interest in amending our code of ordinances, similar to those adopted by our neighboring jurisdictions.

The proposed ordinance mirrors the tethering restrictions already adopted by St. Lucie County, which will provide county residents a uniform set of rules to follow.

Adopt the proposed ordinance as presented.

Deny the proposed ordinane in full.
Amend the proposed ordinance.

Margaret M. Arraiz, Code Compliance Manager

St. Lucie County Animal Control
Martin County Animal Control
Animal Control Officer BJ Gasparre