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Uncle Timmy

Beach Fanatic
Nov 15, 2004
1,019
22
Blue Mountain Beach
I'm posting the Walton County Ordinances regarding animals to remind everyone of their responsibilities as pet owners.



Sec. 5-29. Running at large prohibited.
(a) All animals, when not on the owner's premises or on the premises of another who consents thereto, shall be and remain under the direct control of a person competent to control such animal at all times.

(b) The owner or custodian of any animal found running or remaining at large shall be responsible for any violation of this article.

(c) Exceptions. This section shall not apply to:

(1) Any dog actually engaged in the sport of hunting, which includes training two weeks preceding hunting season, in authorized areas and under the supervision of a competent person.

(2) Any animal that is trained to assist or provide personal services for a disabled person, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

(3) Government police dog while on duty.


Sec. 5-32. Nuisance animals.
(a) Prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any owner or custodian of an animal to allow the animal to become a nuisance animal, as defined in this article.

("Nuisance animal" shall mean: (1) Any animal that may pose a threat to a person or passing vehicle; or

(2) Any animal off the owner's premises that attacks other animals; )




(b) Exemption. Animals in commercial kennels, security animals on property designated as "commercial" or "industrial" under the Walton County Comprehensive Plan, service animals, and animals on their owners' property that are provoked by persons other than their owners, including trespassers, shall be exempt from the provisions of this section as it relates to animals that habitually or continuously bark, whine, howl, meow, scream, or cause objectional noises.

(c) Enforcement. An officer, upon receipt of notification of a logged complaint by an individual complainant alleging a violation of this section shall investigate and may issue a citation to any animal owner or custodian whom the officer has probable cause to believe is in violation of this section. The requirement for probable cause shall be satisfied if the violation occurs in the presence of the officer, or if the available evidence at the scene is sufficient for a reasonable person to believe a violation has occurred, or if the owners or occupants of two or more different lots or residences nearby execute verified written statements substantiating a violation


Dogs are NOT allowed to run free without direct control of the owner.

Folks -keep your dogs on a leash unless it is VERY well trained. And do not let your dog wander around the neighborhood!!!!!!!

I am getting tired of my dog (always on a leash) being approached by aggressive unleashed dogs. She has been snapped at by 3 dogs in the past few months and I am going to have to start opening a can of whoop-kibbles-n-bits on her canine aggressors.
 

Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,068
1,973
Thank you Uncle Timmy. Unfortunately the people in my neighborhood who let their dogs run loose won't give a sheet anyway. :bang: God help the dog that comes after one of my kids, and God really help the owner if I can ever find the jerk.
 

Uncle Timmy

Beach Fanatic
Nov 15, 2004
1,019
22
Blue Mountain Beach
Thank you Uncle Timmy. Unfortunately the people in my neighborhood who let their dogs run loose won't give a sheet anyway. :bang: God help the dog that comes after one of my kids, and God really help the owner if I can ever find the jerk.


Another one of my Pet Peeves (double entendre in this case) are dog owners ,whose dogs are on a leash, but when asked if their dog is friendly say "Oh yes" and then their mean little animal tries to bite my dog when it comes over to say hi.

WTF? If your dog has a habit of snapping at other dogs then -"No, it is not friendly" would be appropriate.

Ugh, I feel like venting today.
 

Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,068
1,973
Another one of my Pet Peeves (double entendre in this case) are dog owners ,whose dogs are on a leash, but when asked if their dog is friendly say "Oh yes" and then their mean little animal tries to bite my dog when it comes over to say hi.

WTF? If your dog has a habit of snapping at other dogs then -"No, it is not friendly" would be appropriate.

Ugh, I feel like venting today.

Get it all out honey. I wish I had a picture of the giant dog that was skulking around my street yesterday. We didn't take any chances to see if he was nice- I refuse to use Kate as a "dog tester", so she had to ride her bike in the driveway.
 

scooterbug44

SoWal Expert
May 8, 2007
16,732
3,330
Sowal
I'd like to add those who cannot control their dogs yet still bring them to public places and don't leash them to the sheet list.

Several times we have been quite tempted to just release the Scooterhounds and PERMANENTLY solve that problem when a rat dog is nipping at our ankles and the owner is nowhere to be seen! :angry:
 

30ABandMan

Beach Fanatic
Apr 1, 2007
731
77
SGB
Well, my sister who lives in VaBch, called me crying this morning. She and her 13YO daughter had just witnessed their 10YO JRT "Christmas" killed by their neighbor's pitbull. As they were leaving for school this morning, they heard Christmas yelping, screaming as she put it, in apparent pain. They ran to the back door to and could see Christmas from the front shoulders back trying to pull backward from the fence. They could not see her head. My sis ran out of the house and around to the neighbor's fence. Her plan was to distract the PB long enough for my niece to run and rescue the dog.

The pitbull charged my sis and she ran back inside to get to her dog. The PB beat her back to her stunned dog and grabbed Christmas by the throat, ripping out her airway. The PB then drug her body thru the fence and shredded her until the animal control officer arrived.

The owner of the PB came home as well and surrendered the dog. It was put down before noon today. The sad thing was that the PB was a shelter dog. The ASPCA said that the dog wasn't bad, it had only been a victim of its environment. The owner had the dog approximately 18 months without incident.

You never know what is going to set a dog off and all breeds have their "bad apples". It just makes me uneasy when I can't take my dog out for a walk without all of the "nice" little Cujos running up and being ugly.

Also, I would appreciate someone enforcing the leash laws. Walt has all of his shots, stamps, tags, fees etc.. and I have been checked several times this spring. I see dogs daily that have nothing on them, are out on the beach during the off limits time and whose owners don't clean up after them. WTH?
 
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shellak

Beach Fanatic
Jan 21, 2008
315
161
Another one of my Pet Peeves (double entendre in this case) are dog owners ,whose dogs are on a leash, but when asked if their dog is friendly say "Oh yes" and then their mean little animal tries to bite my dog when it comes over to say hi.

WTF? If your dog has a habit of snapping at other dogs then -"No, it is not friendly" would be appropriate.

Ugh, I feel like venting today.


thanks for your comments, which are spot on. by the way, if someone's loose dog bites you or your pet, florida has strict liability. my neighbor and i had two incidents yesterday of dogs not under control of the owners. even if you think your dog is well trained and will come when called, think again. no one can know for sure what their dog or another's will do. someone i know had her dog at bark park, and another dog owner started petting her dog. when my friend asked the person if his dog would get jealous, he said "oh, no". well, you can guess what happened- his dog bit my friend's dog.

hope you don't get trashed on sowal like i did for speaking out about this issue.
 

Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,068
1,973
thanks for your comments, which are spot on. by the way, if someone's loose dog bites you or your pet, florida has strict liability. my neighbor and i had two incidents yesterday of dogs not under control of the owners. even if you think your dog is well trained and will come when called, think again. no one can know for sure what their dog or another's will do. someone i know had her dog at bark park, and another dog owner started petting her dog. when my friend asked the person if his dog would get jealous, he said "oh, no". well, you can guess what happened- his dog bit my friend's dog.

hope you don't get trashed on sowal like i did for speaking out about this issue.

We all know there are people who are realistic about interacting with animals, and those who are delusional about them. Sadly, too many of the delusional sort have pets and think their pet couldn't possibly behave like the animal that it really is.;-) Imagine, a dog acting like a dog! Shocker!
 
We all know there are people who are realistic about interacting with animals, and those who are delusional about them. Sadly, too many of the delusional sort have pets and think their pet couldn't possibly behave like the animal that it really is.;-) Imagine, a dog acting like a dog! Shocker!

Sadly, I don't think all are delusional. At least those people think they are doing the right thing. There are quite a few who feel entitled to do whatever they wish and could care less about other peoples rights. :sosad:
 
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Uncle Timmy

Beach Fanatic
Nov 15, 2004
1,019
22
Blue Mountain Beach
thanks for your comments, which are spot on.

hope you don't get trashed on sowal like i did for speaking out about this issue.

People gave you heck for suggesting that they need to follow the LAW?

I didn't see that thread, or I would have butted in with my three cents (inflation adjusted) of opinion and defended you. I guess I shouldn't be surprised -it takes an effort sometimes to properly walk your dog on a leash or go to the expense of fencing a yard in and let's face it -most folks are too lazy to bother. It's easier to just let the dog run wild.

I hope I do get some pushback on this issue, I'm happy to take some licks and bring this problem to the attention of people in our community. Bring it on b*tches............and your obnoxious owners too!!!!!(Dog humor)
 
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