HB 263 2025
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hb263-00
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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 animal cruelty; amending s. 828.12, 2
F.S.; prohibiting a person from confining an animal in 3
an unattended motor vehicle under certain 4
circumstances; providing a criminal penalty; making 5
technical changes; providing an effective date. 6
7
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
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Section 1. Section 828.12, Florida Statutes, is reordered 10
and amended to read: 11
828.12 Cruelty to animals.— 12
(1) ANIMAL CRUELTY.—A person who does any of the following 13
commits animal cruelty, a misdemeanor of the first degree, 14
punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more 15
than $5,000, or both: 16
(a) Unnecessarily overloads, overdrives, torments, 17
deprives of necessary sustenance or shelter, or unnecessarily 18
mutilates, or kills any animal, or causes the same to be done, 19
or carries in or upon any vehicle , or otherwise, any animal in a 20
cruel or inhumane manner . 21
(b) Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly confines an 22
animal in an unattended motor vehicle under conditions that 23
endanger the health or well -being of the animal due to the 24
animal being exposed to temperatures so high or so low that a 25
HB 263 2025
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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 could reasonably expect the animal to experience 26
suffering, disability, or death , commits animal cruelty, a 27
misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 28
775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or both . 29
(2) AGGRAVATED ANIMAL CRUELTY. —A person who intentionally 30
commits an act to any animal, or a person who owns or has the 31
custody or control of any animal and fails to act, which results 32
in the cruel death, or excessive or repeated infliction of 33
unnecessary pain or suffering, or causes the same to be done, 34
commits aggravated animal cruelty, a felony of the third degree, 35
punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more 36
than $10,000, or both. 37
(a) A person convicted of a violation of this subsection, 38
where the finder of fact determines that the violatio n includes 39
the knowing and intentional torture or torment of an animal 40
which that injures, mutilates, or kills the animal, must shall 41
be ordered to pay a minimum mandatory fine of $2,500 and undergo 42
psychological counseling or complete an anger management 43
treatment program. 44
(b) A person convicted of a second or subsequent violation 45
of this subsection must shall be required to pay a minimum 46
mandatory fine of $5,000 and serve a minimum mandatory period of 47
incarceration of 6 months. In addition, the person s hall be 48
released only upon expiration of sentence, is not eligible for 49
parole, control release, or any form of early release, and must 50
HB 263 2025
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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
serve 100 percent of the court -imposed sentence. Any plea of 51
nolo contendere is shall be considered a conviction for purp oses 52
of this subsection. 53
(5)(3) SEPARATE OFFENSES.—A person who commits multiple 54
acts of animal cruelty or aggravated animal cruelty against an 55
animal may be charged with a separate offense for each such act. 56
A person who commits animal cruelty or aggrav ated animal cruelty 57
against more than one animal may be charged with a separate 58
offense for each animal such cruelty was committed upon. 59
(4) VETERINARIANS.—A veterinarian licensed to practice in 60
the state shall be held harmless from either criminal or ci vil 61
liability for any decisions made or services rendered under the 62
provisions of this section. Such a veterinarian is, therefore, 63
under this subsection , immune from a lawsuit for his or her part 64
in an investigation of cruelty to animals. 65
(3)(5) AGGRAVATED ANIMAL CRUELTY OF A HORSE. —A person who 66
intentionally trips, fells, ropes, or lassos the legs of a horse 67
by any means for the purpose of entertainment or sport commits 68
aggravated animal cruelty, a felony of the third degree, 69
punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 70
As used in this subsection, the term "trip" means any act that 71
consists of the use of any wire, pole, stick, rope, or other 72
apparatus to cause a horse to fall or lose its balance, and the 73
term "horse" means any animal o f any registered breed of the 74
genus Equus, or any recognized hybrid thereof. This subsection 75
HB 263 2025
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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
does not apply when tripping is used: 76
(a) To control a horse that is posing an immediate threat 77
to other livestock or human beings; 78
(b) For the purpose of identifying ownership of the horse 79
when its ownership is unknown; or 80
(c) For the purpose of administering veterinary care to 81
the horse. 82
(6) ADDITIONAL PENALTIES. —In addition to other penalties 83
prescribed by law, a person who is convicted of violating a 84
violation of this section may be prohibited by the court from 85
owning, possessing, keeping, harboring, or having custody or 86
control over any animal for a period of time determined by the 87
court. 88
Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2025. 89