I recently originated a thread pertaining to a campground operator telling us that Florida law prohibited leaving pets unattended in RVs. I just returned from Florida and while I was there I contacted the Sheriff in Brevard County and asked if there were in fact any such prohibition. I was told that there is no law, either for the state or for Brevard county, generally prohibiting leaving pets unattended in vehicles. Florida has a general animal cruelty law that would prohibit leaving a pet in any vehicle under conditions that subjected the animal to inhumane conditions (such as a vehicle parked in the hot sun) but he never heard of that law being applied to an animal in an RV and couldn't imagine it being applied unless conditions in the RV were intolerable.I didn't do any further research, but since I know many readers travel in Florida with pets, and may have seen the original post, I thought I'd pass along this information for what it's worth.Skip

Thanks for the info....however, you might tell us the name of the cg. Perhaps the owner had a problem with a barking dog one time....and this is his way of stopping his customers from leaving the animal inside, unattended.Listing the name of the cg might save someone problems. (His cg, His rules)

What the Sheriff told you is correct...there is no law against leaving a pet in an RV. Every year many pets die in the Florida sun when their owners leave them unattended in an automobile/suv where the temps can easily reach 120 degrees during any time of year when the sun is out. Doing this is against the law in most states.

Yes that may be the law, but what I have found full timing with my pets is it is the PUBLIC not law enforcement that starts screaming and causing problems with pets in RV's.I had a breakdown with a tire in Texas and the temperature was 112 degrees out and I had pulled into a gas station and was waiting for a ERS tow truck to arrive.I left the MH to go inside the gas station to get a cup of coffee. The dogs started barking in the MH and when I turned around a crowd of people where heading for my MH literally screaming,"OMG there are dogs in the RV let's go get them out before they die". :SYa like they were going to die inside the MH with the gen running and the AC on.

Animal lovers, in general, mean well and will quickly become vigilante when they see an animal in distress. Unfortunately, what they don't realize in the case of RVs is that the animal is just as safe in my RV as it is in my house. The A/C or heat (depending on what season it is) will be running to give climate control and the pups will have food/water available anytime we stop for more than a stoplight. Glad you got clarification from a Florida law enforcement officer. I suspect the campground in question just didn't want the dog barking while you were gone. We have one dog that will NEVER travel with us for that very reason. We have to hire a pet sitter to stay at the house with the remaining non-travelers.

Did a google search and found a site that provided information on state laws to protect animals left in vehicles. Only 16 states have such laws (Florida is not one of them) and the laws are written to state that in order to violate the law the conditions have to endanger the animal.That said, various counties may have laws that the state does not have, so...https://www.animallaw.info/topic/table-state-laws-protect-animals-left-parked-vehiclesI believe that most RVers are like me. The reason they are not bringing a "pet" along with them but another family member, and are going to take care of them as such. Don

Pets in RVs | Good Sam Community

24 Replies

10forty2
Explorer
Feb 16, 2015
Animal lovers, in general, mean well and will quickly become vigilante when they see an animal in distress. Unfortunately, what they don't realize in the case of RVs is that the animal is just as safe in my RV as it is in my house. The A/C or heat (depending on what season it is) will be running to give climate control and the pups will have food/water available anytime we stop for more than a stoplight. Glad you got clarification from a Florida law enforcement officer. I suspect the campground in question just didn't want the dog barking while you were gone. We have one dog that will NEVER travel with us for that very reason. We have to hire a pet sitter to stay at the house with the remaining non-travelers.
rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Feb 16, 2015
Yes that may be the law, but what I have found full timing with my pets is it is the PUBLIC not law enforcement that starts screaming and causing problems with pets in RV's.

I had a breakdown with a tire in Texas and the temperature was 112 degrees out and I had pulled into a gas station and was waiting for a ERS tow truck to arrive.

I left the MH to go inside the gas station to get a cup of coffee. The dogs started barking in the MH and when I turned around a crowd of people where heading for my MH literally screaming,
"OMG there are dogs in the RV let's go get them out before they die". :S

Ya like they were going to die inside the MH with the gen running and the AC on.
rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Feb 16, 2015
What the Sheriff told you is correct...there is no law against leaving a pet in an RV.
Every year many pets die in the Florida sun when their owners leave them unattended in an automobile/suv where the temps can easily reach 120 degrees during any time of year when the sun is out. Doing this is against the law in most states.
jerseyjim
Explorer
Feb 16, 2015
Thanks for the info....however, you might tell us the name of the cg. Perhaps the owner had a problem with a barking dog one time....and this is his way of stopping his customers from leaving the animal inside, unattended.

Listing the name of the cg might save someone problems. (His cg, His rules)

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Pets in RVs

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