TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A Florida bill under consideration by lawmakers would establish a public animal abuse registry to help keep offenders from owning pets in the future.
The bill (SB 494) would require that the state Department of Law Enforcement post such a registry on its website, including the names of people who were convicted of or pleaded guilty to animal cruelty.
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Under current rules, animal cruelty can apply to the following kinds of situations:
- Overworking or overloading an animal
- Unnecessarily mutilating or killing an animal
- Depriving an animal of necessary shelter or sustenance
- Intentionally tripping or lassoing the legs of a horse for entertainment
In effect, the legislation would give adoption shelters and pet breeders a way to screen prospective pet owners, which could help improve the ability of these groups to find safe homes for these animals.
The bill’s sponsor — state Sen. Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach) — was also responsible for introducing another piece of legislation in 2018 designed to protect pets, dubbed “Ponce’s Law.”
The 2018 law is named after Ponce, a Labrador retriever puppy that was found beaten to death in Ponce Inlet a year prior. Now, the law allows judges to bar animal abusers from owning a pet for a court-ordered period of time.
The law also increases the chances of offenders receiving a sentencing that includes jail time. Ponce’s Law increased the severity ranking of an animal abuse-related crime.
For example: Before Ponce’s Law, an offender would have scored a Level 3 offense, which carries 16 points. After the law took effect, that same offense is a Level 5, with 28 points, meaning if a person is convicted on an animal cruelty charge, they are more likely to get jail time.
Meanwhile, Leek’s proposal this year is set to go before several Senate committees before heading to the full Senate for a vote. If approved and signed into law, the bill will take effect on July 1.
In addition, an identical bill was filed in the House.