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Animal Control Officers may issue citations to citizens who violate city Animal Control ordinances. The citations are issued for civil, not criminal, infractions. Currently, the citation amounts are as follows:
| First offense | $50 |
| Second offense | $100 |
| Third offense | $200 plus mandatory court appearance |
Animal Control Officers are empowered to enter onto private property and demand animal(s) and or tag(s) be exhibited (this empowerment does not include entry into a dwelling or structure). The officer may enter into a fenced enclosure for the purposes of, but not limited to, apprehending a rabid animal, assisting an animal at large, an animal in need of medical attention, cruelty investigations, or vicious animals not properly controlled. In these situations, the officers are granted immunity from prosecution for a reasonable good faith trespass on private property. Refusal by any property owner to allow the officer to enter shall constitute a violation.
All owned animals must be properly restrained at all times. Animals captured running loose are transported to the Animal Control holding facility for the owner to pick up. An impound fee of $25 is charged for each animal picked up, and $10 for each night the animal remains unclaimed. If the owner fails to pick up the animal, it is transported to the St. Lucie County Humane Society (772) 461-0687 or the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast at (772) 223-8822.
It is unlawful to keep or permit to run at large horses, donkeys, cattle, swine, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, roosters, goats, bees or other animals considered to be a farm animal within the corporate limits of the city.
The permanent housing of captive wildlife, with the appropriate permitting from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in the City of Port St. Lucie is allowed. Some examples of captive wildlife are as follows: Howler Monkey, Lynx, Panther, Bobcat, Cheetah, Leopard, Wolves, Wolf Hybrids, Badger, Hyena, Dwarf Crocodiles, Alligator, and Ostrich.
It is unlawful to permit female domestic pets to be unrestrained or in any public place while they are in heat. They must be securely confined in a building or enclosure so they are inaccessible to males of a like species.
It is unlawful to forcibly interfere with, hinder or molest an Animal Control Officer in the performance of their duties, or to unlawfully seek to release any animal in the custody of an officer. Violations of this ordinance are punishable by issuance of a citation.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, harbor, own, or maintain any animal which causes a noise disturbance by barking, yelping, howling, screeching, squawking, chirping, cawing, crowing or whistling between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Additionally, the animal may not bark, yelp, howl, screech, squawk, chirp, caw, crow, or whistle for continuous periods of five minutes or more at any other time of the day.
Animal neglect cases are typically when one of the following occurs:
Many of our residents especially out of state visitors, do not realize how quickly heat can build up inside their vehicle, even with the windows partially open. For that reason, a citation may be issued to violators who leave their animals inside a vehicle without proper ventilation and water.
A citation may be issued to an owner who does not properly restrain their dog in the unenclosed area of a motor vehicle (truck bed). A restraint limits the animal from reaching the outside perimeter of the vehicle and prevents the animal from being thrown out of the bed of a pick-up.
It is unlawful for any person to allow an animal to defecate upon private property not owned by the person or upon public property, including but not limited to sidewalks and swales, without removing the defecation. This shall not apply to physically challenged persons or if the owner has the consent of the property owner in question.
In the City of Port St. Lucie it is unlawful for any person to intentionally tease any animal. Should an investigation conclude a minor child was the violator, their parent or legal guardian may be held accountable for their actions.
The number of domestic pets allowed per household within the City of Port St. Lucie is a total of five (5). Domestic pets included under this restriction are dogs and cats with a maximum of two (2) Vietnamese Potbellied Pigs in the overall total number of pets residing at the residence.
All domestic pets over the age of 6 months old must have a City of Port St. Lucie animal license displayed on their collar. The cost for a license is $5 for an altered animal (spay or neutered), or $15 for an unaltered animal. Proof of current rabies vaccination from a licensed veterinarian is required, and licenses may be obtained from most Port St Lucie veterinarians, and at the Animal Control Department 1133 S.W. Macedo Blvd., or by mail.
If a domestic animal is either sick or injured the owner is immediately contacted to obtain medical treatment. If the owner is unknown, then the animal is taken to the St Lucie Humane Society for treatment. Sick or injured wildlife that is in need of immediate medical attention is transported to a local veterinarian for treatment. and then remanded to the care of a licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator until the animal can be released back into the wild.
A domestic animal that bites an individual must be quarantined for a 10-day period, and a bite report filed with the Animal Control Division. If the animal’s rabies shot is current then the animal may be quarantined at home. However, if the animal is not current, it is impounded and quarantined at either the St. Lucie County Humane Society or the animal’s veterinarian at the owner’s expense.
Per Florida State Statute 767.14, it is not permitted for a governmental entity to discriminate based upon the breed of any dog. Therefore, the city does not regulate dogs based upon breed.
There is a great misconception that an animal acting aggressively is automatically considered to be a dangerous animal. Where the law is concerned, certain requirements outlined by both FSS 767.12 and City Ordinance 92.02 must be met before Animal Control may even consider declaring an animal dangerous.
The City adopted more stringent guidelines, criteria, and penalties regarding both aggressive and declared dangerous dogs now known as Class I and Class II dangerous dogs. Below is a sample of the criteria required for Animal Control to declare a dog dangerous:
Class I dangerous dog criteria
Class II dangerous dog criteria
Once these criteria are met and Animal Control formally declares a dog dangerous, the owner of that animal has to meet numerous mandated restrictions in order to keep the animal.
All owners of declared dangerous dogs are required to purchase a dangerous dog tag and display it on the dog’s collar. The cost for a FSS Class I tag is $125, a Class II is $75, and both must be annually renewed.
Florida Statute Chapter 767 governs all guidelines and laws that pertain to dangerous dogs. Our ordinances are formed utilizing these laws, allowing us to declare a dog dangerous based on the State’s guidelines and giving local jurisdictions the ability to strengthen, but not weaken, their dangerous dog laws. For any further information or questions on this subject please contact our office.
Animal Control is no longer able to relocate nuisance wildlife. The division can assist a resident with alternatives such as the use of deterrents and repellents. Any healthy wildlife caught in a trap will be released onto the same property in which it was caught. A resident may contact a licensed wildlife trapper to remove nuisance wildlife. Consult your local telephone directory or www.myfwc.com for contact information.
A trap will not be of assistance where an alligator or snake is concerned. Our officers are allowed to capture alligators that are less than four feet in length. If the alligator is more than four feet in length, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is contacted. Our officers also catch and remove all venomous and non-venomous snakes.
To contact Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission directly, please call (888) 404-3922.
Do not touch or handle baby wildlife. The animal’s mother is usually nearby feeding or caring for other young. If you believe the animal has been abandoned, its mother killed or injured, contact a wildlife rehabilitator or dial 911 and request an Animal Control Officer.
Additional information on nuisance wildlife can be found on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Web site.