CS for SB 150 First Engrossed 2025150e1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to abandoning restrained dogs during 3 natural disasters; providing a short title; amending 4 s. 828.13, F.S.; defining the terms natural disaster 5 and restrain; providing criminal penalties for 6 restraining a dog outside during a natural disaster 7 and thereafter abandoning the dog; providing an 8 effective date. 9 10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11 12 Section 1.This act may be cited as Troopers Law. 13 Section 2.Section 828.13, Florida Statutes, is amended to 14 read: 15 828.13Confinement of animals without sufficient food, 16 water, or exercise; abandonment of animals. 17 (1)As used in this section: 18 (a)Abandon means to forsake an animal entirely or to 19 neglect or refuse to provide or perform the legal obligations 20 for care and support of an animal by its owner. 21 (b)Natural disaster means a situation in which a 22 hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado warning has been issued 23 for a municipality or a county by the National Weather Service, 24 or the municipality or county is under a mandatory or voluntary 25 evacuation order. 26 (c)(b)Owner includes any owner, custodian, or other 27 person in charge of an animal. 28 (d)Restrain means to attach a dog to a stationary object 29 or trolley system by way of a chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, 30 or other device. 31 (2)Whoever: 32 (a)Impounds or confines any animal in any place and fails 33 to supply the animal during such confinement with a sufficient 34 quantity of good and wholesome food and water, 35 (b)Keeps any animals in any enclosure without wholesome 36 exercise and change of air, or 37 (c)Abandons to die any animal that is maimed, sick, 38 infirm, or diseased, 39 40 commits is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, 41 punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more 42 than $5,000, or by both imprisonment and a fine. 43 (3)Any person who is the owner or possessor, or has charge 44 or custody, of any animal who abandons such animal to suffer 45 injury or malnutrition or abandons any animal in a street, road, 46 or public place without providing for the care, sustenance, 47 protection, and shelter of such animal commits is guilty of a 48 misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 49 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both 50 imprisonment and a fine. 51 (4)Any person who restrains a dog outside during a natural 52 disaster and thereafter abandons the dog commits a felony of the 53 third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine 54 of not more than $10,000, or both. 55 Section 3.This act shall take effect October 1, 2025.