TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood on Wednesday joined the family of an 8-year-old boy killed in a DeLand dog attack to speak on behalf of a bill they hope can prevent such a tragedy from happening again.
The “Pam Rock Act” would create a statewide dangerous dog registry and revise punishments for the owners of unsecured dogs which attack people, among other changes.
The legislation was named after Pam Rock, a mail carrier who died after being mauled by five dogs almost three years ago in Putnam County and whose brothers were also at the State Capitol on Wednesday, according to the sheriff’s social media.
Speaking in Tallahassee, Chitwood said that even though 8-year-old Michael Millett “never had a chance” given the extent of his injuries, he is not alone.
“I can tell you in 38 years in law enforcement — and I used to be a homicide detective in Philadelphia — I have never been to an autopsy where I saw such massive, massive sustained damage,” Chitwood said. “(...) I think it’s incumbent upon all of us to do our best to try to protect our children, our mail carriers, the folks who are being brutally attacked by these animals and (by) the same token, respect the rights of legitimate dog owners.”
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“We’re just here to show our support for this bill, because this bill will help make necessary changes to see that nothing like this ever happens again‚” said Michael Millett Jr., the boy’s father. “Absolutely nothing will bring Michael back to us and no one should ever have to go through that.”
Florida Rep. Judson Sapp, R-District 20, is the sponsor of the House version of the bill.
“We have a chance to do something important,” Sapp said. “Sometimes we wish we were better at our jobs, so we could do justice.”
Once a dog is deemed dangerous, the bill introduces new prerequisites for an annual, billed certificate of registration from an animal control authority which will include that the dog is spayed or neutered and that the owner “obtain liability insurance coverage in an amount of at least $100,000.″ Those who violate such provisions of the bill would be committing a noncriminal infraction punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000 per violation, which is twice as much as the statute currently states.
Also among the bill’s provisions is the creation of a statewide dangerous dog registry by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which will require each of the following for inclusion:
- Current certificate of rabies vaccination.
- Evidence of a proper enclosure and the posting of clearly-visible warning signs.
- Evidence of permanent identification, such as a tattoo or a microchip.
- Evidence of the dog being spayed or neutered.
- Evidence that the owner has obtained the liability insurance.
- The dog’s name and a photograph of the dog.
- The county where the dog lives.
- The owner’s name and address.
The Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee voted unanimously Wednesday to advance the bill in the Florida House.
The act would take effect July 1 if approved.
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HB 593 by Brandon Hogan on Scribd