Dog fighting and other animal fighting.
Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 462.205
in effectSec. 462.205. - Dog fighting and other animal fighting.
(a) As used in this Section, the term:
(1) Animal fighting means fighting between roosters or other birds or between dogs, bears, or other animals.
(2) Baiting means to attack with violence, to provoke, or to harass an animal with one or more animals for the purpose of training an animal for, or to cause an animal to engage in, fights with or among other animals. In addition, "baiting" means the use of live animals in the training of racing greyhounds.
(b) Baiting, breeding, training, transporting, selling, owning, possessing and using an animal for the purpose of animal fighting shall be considered acts of animal cruelty.
(c) In addition to penalties prescribed by F.S. § 828.122, any animal baited, bred, trained, transported, sold, owned, possessed or used for animal fighting or baiting shall be subject to seizure pursuant to Section 462.210, Ordinance Code.
(d) Exemptions allowed:
(1) "Baiting" does not include two dogs engaged in conformation trials during the judging of a sanctioned breed exhibition or contest that is properly noticed to ACPS at least two weeks in advance of the event and open to ACPS officers for observation of the event.
(2) "Animal fighting" and "Baiting" do not include traditional and lawful hunting practices, field trials or performance events, or the training for such events.
(e) Possession of the paraphernalia associated with animal fighting, including but not limited to gamecock gloves, spurs, long blades, short blades, break stick, breeding or 'rape stand', spring pole, cat mill, and similar devices known to be associated with animal fighting and conditioning for fighting, shall be considered a violation of this Section. In determining a violation, the context of the scene and items shall be evaluated; however, each individual item shall be considered a separate violation.
(f) A violation of this Section shall subject the violator to a civil fine of no less than the amount designated in Part 18, Chapter 462, Ordinance Code.
(Ord. 2004-259-E, § 1; Ord. 2010-527-E, § 3; Ord. 2025-811-E, § 2)
Source: City of Jacksonville, Ordinance Code and Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/fl/jacksonville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITXIIIHECO_CH462AN_PT2CRNEAN_S462.205DOFIOTANFIFetched: 10/27/2026