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It’s estimated that 67% of households own at least one pet. I have a feeling that percentage is even higher in Flagler County. We have a local abundance of pet-friendly beaches, trails, and parks that make this a great place to have a dog! Many families also enjoy the company of cats, birds, and fish, as well as more exotic critters like snakes, pigs, rats, and horses. Overall, the Palm Coast area is a wonderful place to raise a furry family. However, there does seem to be a lot of confusion surrounding local animal regulations. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, fueled by the contradictory rules found in different parts of the county, hard-to-read ordinances full of exemptions and restrictions, and a general lack of local outreach programs and accessible resources to help residents make sense of it all. With that in mind, I wanted to provide the very first (at least to my knowledge) comprehensive guide to the codes of animal ordinances in Flagler County. This article offers a high-level overview of these regulations in Flagler County, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, and Bunnell.
Before we dive in, it’s worth highlighting the differences between Flagler County and the individual cities therein. The ordinances for Palm Coast, for example, don’t apply to any other cities. However, Flagler County ordinances apply to every place in the county. Generally speaking, in cases where city and county ordinances conflict, the more stringent of the two is enforced. So, just because your friend in Bunnell is allowed to have chickens, it doesn’t mean that you can keep them in Palm Coast. Likewise, while Flagler County has no rules about livestock enclosures, Bunnell does, and residents are required to follow them. With that in mind, we’ll look at the Flagler County code of ordinances before exploring the individual codes for Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, and Bunnell*.
Beverley Beach and Marineland have their own ordinances as well but, as of today, this guide does not cover them.
Many times city and county ordinances overlap, essentially setting the same rule in slightly different ways. To keep things short and sweet, I’ll only mention city ordinances that differ significantly from those at the county level. If a certain topic isn’t mentioned in your city’s section, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s no ordinance about it. Instead, it may be that the topic was already covered in the Flagler County section. For that reason, I recommend that you read the Flagler County section before studying up on specific cities.
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Flagler County
Over 115,000 people reside in Flagler County, so it’s easy to see why regulations are necessary. Without any ordinances to govern animal ownership among such a large group of people, things could get downright dangerous for pets and people alike. For example (though it may not be a life-and-death concern), could you imagine what it would be like if nobody in the county picked up their dog’s poop?
Dog Waste
Not everyone is a great neighbor and we’ve all witnessed someone failing to clean up after their dogs. These people aren’t just jerks, they’re actually violating a Flagler County ordinance. It’s a pet owner’s duty to handle doody – at least in public spaces such as sidewalks, beaches, dog parks, and trails. Cleaning up after your dog is not only the law, it’s also the neighborly thing to do to prevent the spread of disease and harmful bacteria.
Leash Laws and Transport
Leash laws for dogs are in full effect for Flagler County. Cats and other pets don’t get a pass either; in fact, all pets should be confined to their owner’s property and otherwise secured when traveling outside of the home. Dogs must be kept on a leash everywhere, with the exception of places like dog parks, which are specifically designated for off-leash activity. Speaking of dog parks, it’s also a violation to knowingly bring a sick or aggressive dog into one, and it’s required that canine visitors be current on their vaccinations. When it comes to transport, dogs don’t need to wear a seatbelt in the car. However, in the bed of a pickup truck, they must be in a kennel or attached to the vehicle by at least two tethers.
General Welfare
State and federal laws are in place to prohibit and punish animal cruelty and neglect. For the purposes of this article, we’ll focus only on the regulations at the county and city levels, though many of these ordinances overlap other laws. According to Flagler County, anyone who owns an animal or knowingly takes on a role as its caregiver is responsible for that animal’s welfare. Owners are required to supply their pets with fresh food and water, opportunities to exercise, sanitary living conditions, and proper veterinary care. It’s also the pet owner’s responsibility to ensure that their furry charges don’t escape. In short, you are legally obligated to take care of your pet’s basic needs. Neglecting or abandoning an animal is not only an awful thing to do, it’s illegal.
Outdoor Tethering
In recent years, tethering has become a controversial topic among locals. While many disagree with the practice and have pushed to have it banned, it is still legal to tether a dog outdoors in Flagler County. However, there are conditions that must be met if you choose to keep a dog tied up on your property. Prong, choke, or weighted collars can’t be used for this purpose. Whichever collar or harness is used, it must be attached to the tether by a swivel hook to prevent injury. While tethered, dogs should have a minimum range of 12 feet in every direction, free from obstructions or hazards. Animals who are housed outside unattended must also have access to shelter from the elements and fresh food and water at all times. Animals can’t be tethered for more than 10 consecutive hours per day, alone on vacated/abandoned property, or while sick/injured.
Vaccinations
Finally (but not at all unimportantly), it’s also the owner’s legal responsibility to keep their dogs and cats current on all inoculations required in the state of Florida. Required vaccinations include rabies, distemper, and parvo, to name a few.
Further Reading
You can view the complete Flagler County animal code online for more information.
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Palm Coast
Anyone from Palm Coast knows that the city regulates everything from construction to lawn care. Animal ownership is no exception. In addition to the Flagler County regulations above, Palm Coast residents must also follow the code of animal ordinances mandated by the city.
License and Registration
Palm Coasters are not just required to keep up with their pets’ immunizations, they must also be prepared to furnish a “health certificate” that lists heir pet’s basic info and vaccination history, signed by a veteranarian
It’s an often-overlooked fact that Palm Coast residents are required to register pets with the city every year. To register a pet, residents must provide the city with a completed registration form, a copy of the pet’s rabies vaccination certificate, and a check to cover the registration fee ($5 for fixed pets and $10 for unfixed pets). Under current guidelines, Palm Coast residents can only keep four animals as pets. Housing five or more pets isn’t flatly prohibited, but it does classify your home as a noncommercial kennel that will be subject to a host of other regulations and requirements.
Livestock
It is prohibited to keep “livestock” animals in residential zoning districts. Since almost all of Palm Coast is zoned residential, there are very few areas where livestock animals are actually permitted. The city considers pigs, chickens, goats, and even bees livestock animals, so you won’t find many suburban beekeepers here.
Nuisance Animals
Nuisance animals, such as constantly-barking dogs or pets who often run away from home, are deemed nuisance animals by the city. Their owners are considered in violation of the ordinance by failing to prevent the nuisance. In addition to violating the ordinance itself, the owners of these troublesome pets are held liable for any damage caused. It’s also the owner’s responsibility to confine an un-fixed female pet while she is in heat, in order to avoid accidental breeding. In short, you’re expected to be a courteous neighbor and keep your pets from causing problems for others.
Further Reading
For more information, you can view the full Palm Coast animal code online, or take a look at Animal Control’s fact sheet and list of the top 10 violations.
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Flagler Beach
For a small community, Flagler Beach has a surprisingly comprehensive code of animal ordinances. They specify the usual things, such as the standards to maintain the general welfare of pets, but they also have their own take on several of the regulations laid out by Flagler County
Outdoor Tethering
When it comes to tethering, Flagler Beach added a few stipulations of their own to the county guidelines. The city is specific about the kind of shelter a tethered dog must have access to, requiring that these structures be in good repair, able to preserve body heat, and impervious to moisture. It is also specified that dogs can’t be housed outside in temperatures higher than 90* or below 40* (with additional bedding required when temperatures dip below 50*) or during thunderstorms/high winds.
Healthcare
Flagler Beach is also clear about how pet owners should maintain their furry friends’ health. They require owners to keep pets flea and parasite free by using preventative medication and to have them examined annually by a veterinarian. Owners must also treat an injured animal immediately or make arrangements to relinquish them if they are unable to do so.
Off-Limits Activities
A few of the noteworthy things prohibited by Flagler Beach include: housing livestock or wild animals (including chickens), owning more than four domesticated animals, or breeding/selling animals for profit. Dogs are also not admitted on the beaches between South 10th Street and North 10th Street, even on a leash.
Further Reading
For more information, you can view the full Flagler County animal code online.
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Bunnell
Bunnell is Flagler County’s most rural locale. Unsurprisingly, the city’s code of animal ordinances reflects the agriculture-centric environment. Regulations in Bunnell are a bit different than they are for its more suburban neighbors.
Livestock
Bunnell is home to significantly more agricultural activity than the rest of Flagler, but it’s not only commercial farms and facilities that house livestock. Many private citizens enjoy having these animals (such as goats, cows, horses, waterfowl, chickens, and pigs) as pets or for other noncommercial purposes – fresh eggs are great to have at breakfast, after all! If your residence happens to be on agriculturally-zoned land, then you are free to own these animals without much city oversight. However, most of Bunnell’s population lives within city limits. Residents may still keep livestock animals within the city’s residential zones, but only if granted a permit by the City Clerk. Bunnell requires enclosures (such as stables or barns) to be available for livestock animals, stipulating that they must be cleaned daily and kept sanitary and safe.
Bunnell lawmakers truly thought of everything; they even mandate exact specifications for the ventilated bins required to hold manure and soiled bedding. Livestock enclosures (with the exception of chicken coops, which will require a special “chicken permit” from the City Clerk) have to be at least 1,000 feet away from any residential structures. Any pens, enclosures, coops, etc. that house animals cannot be unsanitary or “unsightly” (a somewhat subjective term that is up to the discretion of the city). Secure pens or fenced areas should be used to contain animals at all times. The Health Department determines the acreage required for each specific livestock animal, which the city ordinance enforces accordingly.
Outdoor Tethering
Bunnell adheres to the Flagler County guidelines on tethering dogs outdoors and even added a few stipulations of their own. For instance, dogs must be kept on a tether at least five times their body length (with a minimum of 12 feet, according to county standards). The weather restrictions are a bit more stringent here as well, with tethering prohibited when the temperature is higher than 85* or lower than 55*. Multiple dogs must be tethered separately and the practice is prohibited entirely for dogs under six months of age and between dusk and dawn.
Nuisance Animals
Like Flagler Beach, Bunnell’s definition of nuisance animals includes those who escape their owner’s property or make excessive noise. The city goes one step further, also including animals who create unsanitary conditions, cause damage to property, or are kept in such large numbers that they become a detriment to the public. There are agricultural exemptions for these rules, but most Bunnell residents must adhere to these regulations and keep their animals from becoming a nuisance.
Off-Limits Activities
Bunnell has placed a few city-specific restrictions that affect what you can and can’t do with animals. For instance, dogs are prohibited in all city parks except for those specifically designated as dog parks. The county-wide leash laws are waived here in some cases – specifically for working dogs used to manage livestock or for hunting, with all other pets strictly prohibited from roaming outside of their owner’s property. There are also ordinances in place to protect mounts (such as horses and mules) and their riders. When an animal and rider are using a roadway, for instance, approaching motorists are responsible for reducing speed and exercising caution. It is also unlawful (as well as just plain dangerous and rude) to frighten an animal while it is being ridden on a roadway – this includes making a loud noise in close proximity to them, throwing something at them, or otherwise creating an intentional disturbance.
Further Reading
For more information, you can view the full Bunnell animal code online or contact the Bunnell City Clerk to apply for livestock permits.
Please note that I’m not a lawyer, a law-maker, or an animal control official. I’ve provided this article purely for informational/entertainment purposes. My interpretation of the codes above should not be taken as the letter of the law, nor should it be considered legal advice. This is not an exhaustive overview of any codes; I’ve simply included the information I thought would be of most value to local pet parents. I’ve provided links to codes of ordinances at the end of each section so that you can read them in full and make your own determinations. You should consult a legal professional or local official if you have questions about any of these local ordinances.
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