Source: https://www.animallaw.info/statutes/us/florida
Timestamp: 2016-08-28 07:01:25
Document Index: 348135448

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 585', '§ 413', '§ 316', '§ 760', '§ 828', '§ 768', '§ 828', '§ 585', '§ 570', '§ 252', '§ 767', '§ 705', '§ 823', '§ 823', '§ 741', '§ 828', '§ 379', '§ 379', '§ 773', '§ 877', '§ 92', '§ 92', '§ 379', '§ 379', '§ 379', '§ 713', '§ 705', '§ 823', '§ 474', '§ 713', '§ 379']

Statute by category Citation Summary FL - Agriculture & Consumer Services - Department Duties and Enforcement West's F. S. A. § 585.001 - 585.008 This set of laws explains the powers and duties of the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services in enforcing the Animal Industry laws (Chapter 585). Any person or officer that is charged with a duty under the Animal Industry laws may be compelled to perform the same by mandamus, injunction, or other court-ordered remedy. Department employees are authorized to enter any premises in the state for the purposes of carrying out their duties under the Animal Industry laws and it is illegal for any person to interfere with the discharge of those duties.
FL - Assistance Animal - Florida's Assistance Animal/Guide Dog Laws West's F. S. A. § 413.08 - 081; West's F. S. A. § 316.1301, 1303; West's F. S. A. § 760.08 The following statutes comprise the state's relevant assistance animal and guide dog laws.
FL - Cruelty, Humane Slaughter - Consolidated Cruelty Statutes/Humane Slaughter Laws West's F. S. A. § 828.01 - 828.43; West's F. S. A. § 768.139 This section comprises the Florida anti-cruelty laws. Under this section, the word "animal" includes every living dumb creature. The misdemeanor violation of animal cruelty (section 828.12) occurs when a person unnecessarily overloads, overdrives, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance or shelter, or unnecessarily mutilates, or kills any animal, or carries in or upon any vehicle, any animal in a cruel or inhumane manner. A person who intentionally commits an act to any animal, or a person who owns or has the custody or control of any animal and fails to act, which results in the cruel death, or excessive or repeated infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering is guilty of a felony of the third degree. Psychiatric or psychological counseling are also mandatory for convicted offenders. The section also criminalizes animal abandonment and neglect as well as animal fighting.
FL - Definitions - Animal Definitions West's F. S. A. § 828.02 The word "animal" shall be held to include every living dumb creature.
FL - Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services - Animal Disease Control West's F. S. A. § 585.01 - 585.69 This set of laws addresses the role of the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry in the prevention, control, or eradication of any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease among domestic or wild animals. The Department is authorized to regulate the importation, transportation, transfer of ownership, and maintenance of animals; establish quarantine areas; and inspect, test, treat, condemn, and destroy animals and animal housing facilities as necessary for the eradication of communicable diseases or the detection of harmful biological and chemical residues in food animals. The laws also direct the Department to develop a list of dangerous transmissible diseases. All veterinarians and animal owners are required to report suspected and confirmed cases of dangerous transmissible diseases to the State Veterinarian; failure to do so is a felony of the second degree.
FL - Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services - Enforcement West's F. S. A. § 570.065; 570.15; 570.051 This set of laws authorizes the establishment of the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement within the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services for the enforcement of laws relating to wild or domesticated animals or animal products. Law enforcement officers employed by the Department have statewide jurisdiction and have full law enforcement powers granted to other peace officers of the state, including the authority to make arrests, carry firearms, serve court process, and seize contraband and the proceeds of illegal activities. It is a misdemeanor of the second degree to threaten, interfere with, or impersonate an enforcement officer or other employee of the Department.
FL - Disaster - 252.3568. Emergency sheltering of persons with pets West's F. S. A. § 252.3568 In Florida, there must be strategies for the evacuation of persons with pets in the state and local comprehensive emergency management plans.
FL - Dogs - Florida Dog /Dangerous Dog Laws West's F. S. A. § 767.01 - 16; § 705.19; § 823.041; § 823.15 These Florida statutes outline the state's dog provisions, which mainly cover dangerous dog/dog bite laws. The owner of any dog that bites any person while such person is on or in a public place, or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, is liable for damages suffered by persons bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owners' knowledge of such viciousness. However, any negligence on the part of the person bitten that is a proximate cause of the biting incident reduces the liability of the owner of the dog by the percentage that the bitten person's negligence contributed to the biting incident. If a dog that has previously been declared dangerous attacks or bites a person or a domestic animal without provocation, the owner is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. The dog will be impounded for a period of ten days during which time the owner of the dog may request a hearing.
FL - Domestic Violence - 741.30. Domestic violence; injunction West's F. S. A. § 741.30 This Florida law allows petitioners to file injunctions for protection against domestic violence. Among the described incidents of domestic violence from which the petitioner may obtain protection is where the respondent has "intentionally injured or killed a family pet." The court also considers this as a factor when determining whether there is reasonable cause to believe the petitioner is in imminent danger of becoming a victim of domestic violence. In 2012, an amendment was added to provide exemptions from public records requirements for personal identifying and location information of victims of domestic violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, and dating violence held by the clerks and law enforcement agencies.
FL - Ecoterrorism - Florida Animal Enterprise Protection Act West's F. S. A. § 828.40 - 43 This set of laws comprises the Florida Animal Enterprise Protection Act. Under the Act, a person who intentionally causes physical disruption to the property, personnel, or operations of an animal enterprise by intentionally stealing, damaging, or causing the loss of, any property, including animals or records, used by the animal enterprise, and thereby causes economic damage, commits a felony of the third degree.
FL - Endangered - Endangered and Threatened Species Act West's F. S. A. § 379.2291 - 231 These Florida statutes define endangered and threatened species and provide the State's intent to protect these species. Under statute, the intentional killing or wounding of a listed species incurs a third degree felony. Interestingly, the state has a reward program for the arrest and conviction of those who violate state endangered species laws.
FL - Endangered Species - Chapter 379. Fish and Wildlife Conservation. West's F. S. A. § 379.411 This statute prohibits the intentional killing or wounding of any animal, or the eggs or nest of any animal, listed as threatened, endangered, or of special concern, making it a third-degree felony. The bald eagle has been designated under this provision. FL - Equine Activity Liability Statute- Chapter 773. Equine Activities. West's F. S. A. § 773.01 - 773.06 This Florida statute provides that an equine activity sponsor, an equine professional, or any other person shall not be liable for an injury to or the death of a participant resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities. Liability will not be limited by statute, however, where the equine professional or sponsor knew the tack or equipment was faulty, failed to make reasonable and prudent efforts to determine the ability of the participant to engage safely in the equine activity, owns or is otherwise in lawful possession of the land or facilities where the injury is attributable to a known dangerous latent condition, commits an act or omission that constitutes willful or wanton disregard for the safety of the participant, or intentionally injures the participant. Posting of warning signs alerting participants to the limitation of liability by law is also required.
FL - Exhibition - Deformed Animals - Chapter 877. Miscellaneous Crimes. West's F. S. A. § 877.16 This law makes it illegal to exhibit any deformed, mutilated or disfigured animal for compensation.
FL - Facility dog - § 92.55. Judicial victim or witness under the age of 18 West's F.S.A. § 92.55 This statute allows any party at a judicial proceeding to protect a victim or witness under the age of 18 from severe emotional or mental harm due to the presence of the defendant. With respect to facility dogs, the law states that the court may set any other conditions it finds just and appropriate, including the use of a service or therapy animal that has been evaluated and registered according to national standards, in any proceeding involving a sexual offense. When deciding whether to permit a child victim or witness or sexual offense victim or witness to testify with the assistance of a registered service or therapy animal, the court must consider the following factors: (1) the age of the child victim or witness; (2) the age of the sexual offense victim or witness at the time the sexual offense occurred; (3) the interests of the child victim or witness or sexual offense victim or witness; (4) the rights of the parties to the litigation; and (5) any other relevant factor that would facilitate the testimony by the child victim or witness or sexual offense victim or witness. FL - Fish and Wildlife Conservation - Part V. Law Enforcement West's F. S. A. § 379.33 - 379.343 This set of laws describes the scope and methods of enforcement of the state's fish and wildlife laws.
FL - Hunting - Chapter 379. Fish and Wildlife Conservation West's F. S. A. § 379.302 This Florida statute provides that any person owning land in this state may establish, maintain, and operate within the boundaries thereof, a private preserve and farm, not exceeding an area of 640 acres, for the protection, preservation, propagation, rearing, and production of game birds and animals for private and commercial purposes. All private game preserves or farms established under the provisions of this section shall be fenced in such manner that domestic game thereon may not escape and wild game on surrounding lands may not enter. Violation of this section results in a misdemeanor and forfeiture of the violator's license to operate for one year.
FL - Hunting - Chapter 379. Fish and Wildlife Conservation. West's F. S. A. § 379.105 This law represents the state's hunter harassment provision. Under the law, a person may not intentionally, within a publicly or privately owned wildlife management or fish management area or on any state-owned water body, interfere with or attempt to prevent the lawful taking of fish, game, or nongame animals by another or attempt to disturb wildlife or fish to prevent their lawful taking. Any person who violates this section commits a Level Two violation.
FL - Initiatives - Florida Amendment Article X Section 19 (pregnant pigs) Florida Amendment Article X Section 19 (2002) (note: adopted as Section 21) This ballot proposal addresses the inhumane treatment of animals, specifically, pregnant pigs. To prevent cruelty to animals and as recommended by The Humane Society of the United States, no person shall confine a pig during pregnancy in a cage, crate or other enclosure, or tether a pregnant pig, on a farm so that the pig is prevented from turning around freely, except for veterinary purposes and during the prebirthing period; provides definitions, penalties, and an effective date. This measure passed in the November 2002 election with 54% of the vote. FL - Liens - 713.65. Liens for care and maintenance of animals West's F.S.A. § 713.50, 65 These Florida laws concern liens for the care and maintenance of animals. The first section declares that the liens mentioned in the chapter include the described personal property under the circumstances mentioned in each section. Section 713.65 then describes that a lien exists in favor of all persons for the "feeding or caring for the horse or other animal of another, including all keepers of livery, sale or feed or feed stables, for feeding or taking care of any horse or other animal put in their charge; upon such horse or other animal." Based on the broad language of "other animal," a lien exists for the care and feeding of all owned animals. FL - Lost Property - Lost or Abandoned Property West's F. S. A. § 705.101 - 19 These Florida statutes comprise the state's lost property statutes.
FL - Sterilization - Chapter 823. Public Nuisances West's F. S. A. § 823.15 This Florida law declares that it is the public policy of the state that every feasible means be used to reduce the incidence of birth of unneeded and unwanted puppies and kittens. In furtherance of this policy, provision shall be made for the sterilization of all dogs and cats sold or released for adoption from any public or private animal shelter or animal control agency by either providing sterilization by a licensed veterinarian before relinquishing custody of the animal or entering into a written agreement with the adopter or purchaser guaranteeing that sterilization will be performed within 30 days or prior to sexual maturity. All costs of sterilization pursuant to this section shall be paid by the prospective adopter unless otherwise provided for by ordinance of the local governing body or provided for by the humane society governing body.
FL - Veterinary - Veterinary Medical Practice. West's F. S. A. § 474.201 - 221 These are the state's veterinary practice laws. Among the provisions include licensing requirements, laws concerning the state veterinary board, veterinary records laws, and the laws governing disciplinary actions for impaired or incompetent practitioners.
FL - Veterinary Liens - 713.655. Liens for professional services of veterinarians West's F. S. A. § 713.655 This section comprises Florida's veterinary lien law. A lien exists in favor of any veterinarian who renders professional services to an animal at the request of the owner of the animal, the owner's agent, or a bailee, lessee, or custodian of the animal, for the unpaid portion of the fees for such professional services. The lien remains valid and enforceable for a period of 1 year from the date the professional services were rendered, and such lien is to be enforced in the manner provided for the enforcement of other liens on personal property in this state. FL - Wildlife - Chapter 379. Fish and Wildlife Conservation. West's F. S. A. § 379.231 - 504 These Florida laws concern the keeping and taking of captive wildlife. Places where wildlife is held in captivity are subject to inspection by the officers of the state commission at any time. The commission shall promulgate rules defining Class I, Class II, and Class III types of wildlife. A companion statutory section provides that, in order to assure humane treatment of captive wildlife, no person, firm, corporation or association shall be in possession of captive wildlife for public display unless a permit has been obtained. The cost of the permit depends on whether the species fall into Class I, II, or III).