Pet owners investigated for or convicted of animal cruelty could lose access to Jacksonville Beach’s Paws Dog Park under an ordinance the City Council approved on first reading Aug. 3.
Ordinance No. 2026-8239 would amend the section of the city code that governs the membership-only dog park in Wingate Park at 468 Penman Road South, allowing city officials to deny, suspend or revoke memberships for people under investigation for or convicted of animal cruelty.
Current rules allow the city to take administrative action only against members whose dogs display aggressive behavior.
City Attorney David Migut drafted the ordinance after an April 13 City Council briefing, where council members discussed an animal cruelty incident at a neighboring city’s dog park.
Nick Chinaris, a legal intern with the Jacksonville Beach City Attorney’s Office, presented the ordinance on first reading. Chinaris, who is entering his second year at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, said the amendment addresses a gap in the city’s existing code.
“The proposed amendment addresses the gap by adding subsection C, which would allow the city to deny, revoke or suspend park membership from anyone convicted of or being investigated for animal cruelty,” Chinaris told the council. “It also establishes a discretionary path for reinstatement that’s contingent on completing an animal cruelty education and prevention course.”
The ordinance defines an animal cruelty offense as any violation of Chapter 828 of the Florida Statutes, which covers cruelty to animals, or a substantially similar offense under the laws of another state or the federal government.
Council member Sandy Golding, one of the founders of Paws Dog Park, said the proposal was prompted by an incident at an Atlantic Beach dog park in which a man was recorded on video striking his dog repeatedly with a plastic dog toy. His membership at that park was revoked and later reinstated after he completed positive training classes.
“You know, 20 years ago when the dog park was first opened, we never contemplated anything like this, because the dog park is a place where people and dogs are having a good time,” Golding said. “When this incident happened at our neighboring dog park, it was actually rather eye-opening. It’s sad that we have to add this to our code, but I’m glad that we’re doing it, and I hope we don’t have to use it.”
The council is scheduled to take up the ordinance on second reading Aug. 17. If approved, it would take effect immediately.
Under the proposed ordinance, people whose memberships are suspended or revoked may apply in writing to the city manager for reinstatement after completing an approved animal cruelty prevention and education course.
“It would be up to the city manager’s discretion,” Chinaris said. “This was written intentionally to allow for investigation, not just conviction. This incident that gave rise to this was, as Council member Golding said, a viral video. So here, if such a horrible thing were to happen at Paws Park, the city manager could take immediate action.”
Anyone who enters or remains at Paws Dog Park after a membership has been denied, suspended or revoked could be removed from the property and face arrest or prosecution for trespassing.
Paws Dog Park is Jacksonville Beach’s only off-leash dog park and requires an annual membership. Owners must submit an application, provide current rabies, distemper, parvovirus and Bordetella vaccination records, and have their dogs spayed or neutered.
Annual membership fees are $85 per dog for the large dog park, $55 per dog for the small dog park and $27 for each additional dog.
The park opened May 1, 2005, through a grassroots effort led by the Beaches Dog Park Project, a coalition of local dog owners that partnered with the city to plan and develop the facility. The group later became Friends of Paws Park, a nonprofit volunteer organization that continues to support park improvements, maintenance, fundraising and community outreach.
Mayor Chris Hoffman proclaimed May 3, 2025, as Paws Park 20th Anniversary Day.
