Florida bill creating public registry of animal abusers passes unanimously in Senate

People who abuse animals would be put on a public registry under a bill passed unanimously by the Florida Senate on Friday.

The bill (SB 1004) will require the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to include information about people who violate animal cruelty laws on its website.

That includes aliases, date of birth, race, counties of conviction, charges, case numbers, dispositions, descriptions of any identifying marks and tattoos and a photograph of a person.

The list will not only include people who have been found guilty of animal abuse, but also anyone who has pleaded guilty or no contest to the charge.

"I mean, if we can't get together on puppies, what can we get together on?" said Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, the bill sponsor, who currently lives with one dog and three cats.

The bill also aims to rein in puppy mills, Gaetz said.

Florida has the second-highest number of pet retailers in the country, behind only California, according to a University of West Florida study commissioned by the Office of the Attorney General.

The study also found pet retailers cost Florida residents $25.1 million per year in taking care of sick animals after they are purchased. Eight states already prevent the sale of pets sourced from large-scale, commercial breeding operations.

"It's a damning report on puppy mills that helped provoke the interest in this bill and helped it get passed," Gaetz said.

The bill, however, adds consumer protections for people who purchase any animal, not just dogs and cats. It also repeals the limit on the amount of veterinary costs a consumer may seek from the seller if a disease or defect is discovered after purchase. 

Currently in Florida, the limit is whatever the consumer paid for the pet.

There's also a three-day waiting period in the bill if there's a financing agreement in the sale, and requires the seller to fully refund the buyer if a defect or disease is discovered after the purchase of the animal. 

A pet dealer must fully disclose the medical history of the pet to the consumer, when the pet is purchased, as well.

According to a survey in the UWF report, over 40 percent of respondents experienced financial hardship from their pet purchase, whether due to the financial agreement or vet costs.

Both the Senate and the House version of the bill (HB 1521) also establish a dog breeder program within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation that recognizes breeders who have implemented best practices. 

However, breeders do not have to enroll in the program to sell animals in Florida.

The Florida House version has passed through two committee hearings in that chamber and has one more hurdle in the House Commerce Committee before coming to the floor.