DELTONA, Fla. – The Deltona City Commission decided on Tuesday evening to adopt a new ordinance regarding animal cruelty.
The ordinance requires dogs and “small domestic animals” to be sheltered during storms or when the temperature outside reaches over 90 degrees.
Those shelters — whether in a home or something like a dog house — will be required to have a solid roof, clean bedding material and enough space for the animal to move comfortably around in.
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In addition, the ordinance lays out the following rules for such animal owners:
- Safe enclosures: Animals kept in an outdoor enclosure would need at least 80 square feet of space, along with additional space for any other animal kept in the enclosure. These enclosures would also need to be cleaned regularly, free of dangerous objects and have a shelter to escape into during times of extreme weather.
- Daily exercise: Animals must be given an appropriate amount of exercise each day, depending on factors like age, health and breed.
- Calamities: Animals require clean water, dry ground, shade and shelter from extreme weather and natural calamities.
- Left in a car: Animals may not be kept in unattended vehicles without sufficient ventilation or in conditions that put their well-being at risk, such as lack of water or extreme heat.
- Traveling in a car: Animals may not be transported in any sort of “open-air design” vehicle unless the animals are “safely and humanely restrained.”
- Saving animals: If someone breaks into a locked car to save a domestic animal trapped within, they won’t face civil liabilities for damage if they’ve already notified law enforcement. People who do so will be required to remain with the animal at a safe location near the car until law enforcement or Animal Control arrives.
The ordinance initially listed the minimum space for outdoor enclosures as 25 square feet, though after commissioners and residents voiced concern over that figure being too small, it was bumped up to 80 square feet.
“Your dog is a family member. Treat it like a family member,” Tex Stuart told News 6.
Stuart and his wife Linda bring their dog, Sadie, to Keysville Dog Park in Deltona every day. Although Stuart agreed the proposal should get approved by city leaders, he believes it’s going to be hard to enforce the new rules.
“It’s pretty difficult. I think they are going to have to pretty much rely on neighbors reporting this to the proper authorities to follow up on because you just don’t have enough manpower to be policing all the households in the city,” Stuart said.
The ordinance draft is also known as “Barack’s Law,” which was named after a dog that was allegedly kept in inhumane conditions at a Deltona home despite multiple calls to city leaders.
“Bring it inside when it’s appropriate to bring it inside. Treat it like you would a child because that’s what we consider them. They are our children,” Stuart said.
The city council meeting approved the draft ordinance during its Tuesday night meeting, and the ordinance takes effect immediately.
Deltona said its code enforcement will be required to enforce any violations. Unless the dog is in immediate danger, the ordinance requires a 24-hour notice before a code enforcement officer can remove a dog from a property.
The full draft ordinance has been attached and can be read in the media viewer below.
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