I get a lot of questions about dogs. In particular, folks
want to know what the city can do when it comes to stray dogs or those that are
otherwise on the loose in public. Since the answer can be kind of complicated, I
thought it would be best to write it up and publish it as a kind of reference.
First, it is always illegal to allow any dog to be off leash
on any public property or on the property of another person without permission.
This is a violation of the Gulfport City Code. Any time a Gulfport officer
responds to a call about a loose dog, he or she will attempt to identify an
owner who can be held accountable. This can be easy if the dog is properly
tagged, and if the officer can catch the dog. We have some basic training and
equipment for this purpose, but we are not professional animal trappers. However,
if we can’t round up the dog in a reasonable time, we’ll have to move on to
more important matters. Also, unless there is evidence that the dog is being
aggressive towards humans, we won’t use weapons to stop the dog. Catching
strays is something we try to do when we can, but it’s simply not our mission.
Pinellas County government has an animal services unit, but
they will not pursue non-violent strays either. They will respond and collect
any stray dogs that have been caught and restrained, but the bottom line is
that there is no “dog-catcher” in Pinellas County or the City of Gulfport.
When we can identify the owner of a loose dog, officers will
check for prior violations and can issue citations for violations when
appropriate. If the report involves an attack of some kind against a person or
another domestic animal, the officer will document the incident appropriately.
When evidence accumulates to prove that a dog has repeatedly been violent, the
dog may be declared dangerous under Florida law. Once such a declaration has
been imposed, the owner may face criminal charges for future violations, and
the dog may be seized and euthanized.
In the past year, Gulfport officers have responded to 477
calls concerning issues with animals.
