CS/SB 150: Abandoning Restrained Dogs During Natural Disasters, the official text

ENROLLED
       2025 Legislature                    CS for SB 150, 1st Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                              2025150er
    1  
    2         An act relating to abandoning restrained dogs during
    3         natural disasters; providing a short title; amending
    4         s. 828.13, F.S.; defining the terms “natural disaster”
    5         and “restrain”; providing criminal penalties for
    6         restraining a dog outside during a natural disaster
    7         and thereafter abandoning the dog; providing an
    8         effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. This act may be cited as “Trooper’s Law.”
   13         Section 2. Section 828.13, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   14  read:
   15         828.13 Confinement of animals without sufficient food,
   16  water, or exercise; abandonment of animals.—
   17         (1) As used in this section:
   18         (a) “Abandon” means to forsake an animal entirely or to
   19  neglect or refuse to provide or perform the legal obligations
   20  for care and support of an animal by its owner.
   21         (b) “Natural disaster” means a situation in which a
   22  hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado warning has been issued
   23  for a municipality or a county by the National Weather Service,
   24  or the municipality or county is under a mandatory or voluntary
   25  evacuation order.
   26         (c)[(b)] “Owner” includes any owner, custodian, or other
   27  person in charge of an animal.
   28         (d) “Restrain” means to attach a dog to a stationary object
   29  or trolley system by way of a chain, rope, tether, leash, cable,
   30  or other device.
   31         (2) Whoever:
   32         (a) Impounds or confines any animal in any place and fails
   33  to supply the animal during such confinement with a sufficient
   34  quantity of good and wholesome food and water,
   35         (b) Keeps any animals in any enclosure without wholesome
   36  exercise and change of air, or
   37         (c) Abandons to die any animal that is maimed, sick,
   38  infirm, or diseased,
   39  
   40  commits [is guilty of] a misdemeanor of the first degree,
   41  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more
   42  than $5,000, or [by] both [imprisonment and a fine].
   43         (3) Any person who is the owner or possessor, or has charge
   44  or custody, of any animal who abandons such animal to suffer
   45  injury or malnutrition or abandons any animal in a street, road,
   46  or public place without providing for the care, sustenance,
   47  protection, and shelter of such animal commits [is guilty of] a
   48  misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
   49  775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or [by] both
   50  [imprisonment and a fine].
   51         (4) Any person who restrains a dog outside during a natural
   52  disaster and thereafter abandons the dog commits a felony of the
   53  third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine
   54  of not more than $10,000, or both.
   55         Section 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 2025.