Florida lawmakers have approved a new bill targeting the owners of so-called dangerous dogs, paving the way for stricter fines and insurance restrictions in cases of serious attacks.
Why It Matters
The bill represents a significant tightening of oversight on “dangerous dogs” and their owners in Florida.
It came after a 62-year-old Putnam County mail carrier, Pamela Rock, was mauled to death by five dogs when her truck broke down in the Interlachen Lake Estates area in 2022, SpectrumNews13 reported.
The bill “can’t stop every attack, but it will save lives, protect good dogs and hold negligent owners accountable,” state Representative Judson Sapp, who helped introduce the bill, told the House State Affairs Committee in April.
A Beware of the Dog sign at a house purchased by Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani on May 22, 2024, in La Canada Flintridge, California.
AP
What To Know
Lawmakers passed CS/HB 593, the Dangerous Dogs Bill, in a unanimous vote in the House and the Senate on Monday.It requires owners of dogs declared dangerous to register them, to keep them penned and carry liability insurance of at least $100,000.
The bill establishes a clear protocol for identifying, registering and regulating dogs deemed dangerous under state law. It expands local governments’ authority to enforce containment rules and strengthens the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ role in maintaining a centralized registry of dangerous dogs.
Under the new legislation, if an owner fails to follow containment or signage regulations, and the dog attacks someone, the incident would be treated as a third-degree felony. Previously, such attacks were typically prosecuted as misdemeanors unless they resulted in death.
Republican state Representative Judson Sapp and Republican state Senator Jay Collins introduced the bill.
What People Are Saying
Representative Judson Sapp, in a statement: “This bill was brought to me by the Rock family after the tragic death of Pamela Rock—a constituent of mine and a rural mail carrier. Pamela was brutally attacked and killed by a pack of dogs with a known history of aggression. Her loss is a stark reminder of the need for stronger protections.
“We have to remember that they are animals, and just like a human animal, there are inherently bad and inherently good, but I do think bad behavior of owners definitely can turn a good dog bad.”
What Happens Next
Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming weeks. Once enacted, the new rules would take effect on July 1, giving local governments time to update registries and inform residents of the new requirements.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
