CS/HB 205 2025
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hb205-01-c1
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to abandoning restrained dogs during 2
natural disasters; providing a short title; amending 3
s. 828.13, F.S.; providing definitions; prohibiting 4
restraining a dog outside during a natural disaster 5
and thereafter abandoning the dog; providing criminal 6
penalties; providing an effective date. 7
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 9
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Section 1. This act may be cited as "Troop er's Law." 11
Section 2. Section 828.13, Florida Statutes, is amended to 12
read: 13
828.13 Confinement of animals without sufficient food, 14
water, or exercise; abandonment of animals. — 15
(1) As used in this section: 16
(a) "Abandon" means to forsake an animal entirely or to 17
neglect or refuse to provide or perform the legal obligations 18
for care and support of an animal by its owner. 19
(b) "Natural disaster" means a situation in which a 20
hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado warning has been issued 21
for a municipality or a county by the National Weather Service, 22
or the municipality or county is under a mandatory or voluntary 23
evacuation order. 24
(c)(b) "Owner" includes any owner, custodian, or other 25
CS/HB 205 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
person in charge of an animal. 26
(d) "Restrain" means to attach a do g to a stationary 27
object or trolley system by way of a chain, rope, tether, leash, 28
cable, or other device. 29
(2) Whoever: 30
(a) Impounds or confines any animal in any place and fails 31
to supply the animal during such confinement with a sufficient 32
quantity of good and wholesome food and water, 33
(b) Keeps any animals in any enclosure without wholesome 34
exercise and change of air, or 35
(c) Abandons to die any animal that is maimed, sick, 36
infirm, or diseased, 37
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commits is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, 39
punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more 40
than $5,000, or by both imprisonment and a fine . 41
(3) Any person who is the owner or possessor, or has 42
charge or custody, of any animal who abandons such ani mal to 43
suffer injury or malnutrition or abandons any animal in a 44
street, road, or public place without providing for the care, 45
sustenance, protection, and shelter of such animal commits is 46
guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as 47
provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or 48
by both imprisonment and a fine . 49
(4) Any person who restrains a dog outside during a 50
CS/HB 205 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb205-01-c1
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
natural disaster, and thereafter abandons the dog, commits a 51
felony of the third degree, punishable as provided i n s. 775.082 52
or by a fine of not more than $10,000, or both. 53
Section 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 2025. 54