Animal lovers know: Basing your home search off of your pets’ needs is completely normal and acceptable. Maybe you’re looking for a place with plenty of room for a catio. Or maybe a sunroom especially for your pet cockatoo (birds get vitamin D deficiencies, after all). And if you’re a pit bull owner in Miami-Dade — well, you’ll probably need to find a home outside of the county altogether.

In 1989, Miami-Dade passed the pit bull ban following an unfortunate incident where an 8-year-old West Kendall girl was violently attacked. In 2012 and again this past year, with a battle cry of “Don’t bully my breed,” local pit bull owners have tried — so far unsuccessfully — to repeal the ban. Of course, many people in Miami still own pit bulls or pit mixes. But with a $500 fine at stake as well as an even bigger risk of court action to force the removal of the dog in question, you and your pit may prefer to take a long walk north to Broward County.

Below, find a few neighborhoods brimming with quiet sidewalks, public parks, and greenspaces. And remember, even though there isn’t a countywide ban, a few select cities in Broward still have rules regarding the ownership of pit bulls: Tamarac requires owners to register their dogs and muzzle them while out, and Sunrise also requires the breed to wear muzzles. 

Rio Vista in Fort Lauderdale

Another Fort Lauderdale dog-friendly ’hood is Rio Vista. It’s also near the Intracoastal Waterway and features shady streets, sidewalks, and lots of speed bumps to keep cars from speeding — good news for dog owners. Hector Park and Virginia Park are more or less in the neighborhood, and again, there’s that new dog park... 

Coconut Creek

Photo courtesy of Butterfly World

Formerly part of Pompano Beach, this small city has plenty to love for dog owners: lots of parks and landscaped roads and other greenspaces (there’s even a massive butterfly garden) but you’ll want to go sans-dog. The city is especially sought-after for families — it’s received recognition from Playful City USA for its commitment to providing play opportunities for kids. If you’ve got any actual babies in addition to your fur-covered one, Coconut Creek might be at the top of your list.

Deerfield Beach

Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach is a whopping 430 acres, so there’s plenty of space for dog-walking. The park is also home to an annual Renaissance Festival, so you can dress up your dog accordingly (inspo here).