Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 12 signed a pair of bills aimed at shielding pets and animals from acts of cruelty.
One bill (HB 559) increases penalties for animal cruelty by creating new third-degree felony offenses for adults who involve minors in animal fighting, baiting or in sexual offenses. It also requires children who commit violations to undergo psychological evaluations and, if recommended, treatment.
Also, penalties for violations of city or county animal control and cruelty ordinances are increased, from $500 in current law to $2,500 for a first offense, $5,000 for a second offense and $7,500 for a third offense in the new law. The law takes effect Oct. 1.
Another measure (SB 1004) puts new rules and the sale of pets, including financing terms. It requires pet dealers to disclose financing terms to consumers and allows buyers to end financing agreements if a pet has an illness or disease.
Dealers must also disclose veterinarian records and medical history and provide written notice of rights to potential buyers.
There is also a requirement for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to keep a public website listing people convicted of animal cruelty, including their aliases, date of birth, race, counties of conviction, charges, case numbers, dispositions and descriptions of any identifying marks and tattoos.
The measure takes effect July 1, but the database isn’t required to be in place until Jan. 1, 2027.
DeSantis signed the bills at Big Dog Ranch Rescue, a dog rescue facility in Loxahatchee, where he held a press conference last year pledging to fight for the animal cruelty policies.
Both bills passed the Legislature unanimously during the regular session. DeSantis said the bills add to the state’s “momentum” of heightened protections for pets and animals.
“Florida has become a leader in protecting animals and holding accountable those who harm them,” DeSantis said in a released statement. “Today, we built on that record with new legislation to strengthen penalties for animal abuse and improve consumer protections for pet owners.”
Another provision in SB 1004 requires breeders and pet dealers to adopt “best management practices” related to minimum standards of care regarding feeding, housing, health, selling and transferring and recordkeeping, which will be developed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
Specifically, DBPR must post on its website “guidance for the public about how to identify the breeders that are following best management practices and provide a checklist to use when purchasing an animal.”
“This is about giving people the tools they need to make informed decisions and take action when something isn’t right,” DBPR Secretary Melanie Griffin said.
2026 The News Service of Florida. All rights reserved.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DeSantis signs new animal cruelty laws in Florida
Reporting by Gray Rohrer, News Service of Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
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