Responsible Pet Ownership

PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOG

Your courtesy will be appreciated. Please be considerate when walking your pets within our neighborhood. Getting dog poop on your shoe, or having your dog sniff it up close (or eat it!) is nasty but many people are unaware that all dogs harbor coliform bacteria in their gut; e.g. E. Coli, salmonella and guardia (please read USA Today), all which pose a threat to pets as well as humans. Water runoff containing coliform bacteria from dog feces can pump unhealthy bacteria into our water system when pet owners don’t pick up.

Many pet owners are not being responsible and we need everyone’s cooperation and support to help our community and our pets stay healthy. Practice responsible pet ownership and clean up any messes your precious pooch may leave behind. A simple action like this shows respect for the community, and gives a positive impression of pet owners, and pets. It shows goodwill, and is a good practice. It’s also the law!

Sec. 462.301. General. (b) Whenever an animal defecates upon any property not owned, leased, rented, or otherwise in the care, custody, or control of the animal’s owner, the animal’s owner shall immediately remove and properly dispose of feces. The only exception is by permission of the property owner.

LEASH LAW

Jacksonville also has a leash law. It is unlawful to allow pets of any type (including cats) to run at large in the City of Jacksonville. Animals found at large are considered to be so with the permission of their owner. Violators can be fined up to $250 dollars FOR EACH separate occasion.

Sec. 462.303. Animals at Large prohibited. (b) A violation of this section shall subject the violator to a civil fine of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars. Each separate occasion is considered a separate violation. The animal control officer may cite the owner of such animal(s) for violation of this section when either the animal control officer has received, from at least two unrelated adult witnesses from different residences, a sworn affidavit attesting to the animal’s having committed a nuisance pursuant to this section, or the citing animal control officer has witnessed the commission of such a nuisance.

EXCESSIVE BARKING OR NUISANCE

The Jacksonville Florida Animal Control Code provides ordinances concerning excessive noise and habitual nuisances, such as car chasing, garbage diving or running at large. You can submit a complaint by calling the City of Jacksonville Information and Service hotline at 630-2489. An incidence of excessive noise is described by the ordinance as lasting 30 minutes or more. An habitual nuisance means two separate incidences within one month, or at least three 30-minute incidences within eight hours. In order for a citation to be issued, an animal control officer must witness the offense, or must receive sworn affidavits from two unrelated adult witnesses from different residences. You can download the affidavit and instructions here.

ENFORCEMENT

Call 630-CITY or go online to report violations and other animal-related issues such as:
• Animal at Large
• Animal Nuisance
• Animal Cruelty
• Animal in Distress
• Animal Bite

An Animal Code Enforcement Officer will be dispatched to investigate and address the issue.

Animal Care and Protective Services
2020 Forest St.
Jacksonville, FL 32204
(904) 630-CITY (2489)
E-mail: jaxpets@coj.net