Florida Senate - 2013                                     SB 674
       
       
       
       By Senator Montford
       
       
       
       
       3-00598B-13                                            2013674__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to animal shelters and animal control
    3         agencies; amending s. 823.15, F.S.; declaring
    4         legislative priorities relating to the importation and
    5         uncontrolled breeding of dogs and cats; requiring that
    6         each public or private animal shelter, humane
    7         organization, or animal control agency operated by a
    8         humane society or by a county, municipality, or other
    9         incorporated political subdivision prepare and
   10         maintain specified records; specifying the information
   11         that must be included in the records; providing a
   12         maximum fee for copies of such records; providing an
   13         effective date.
   14  
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 823.15, Florida
   18  Statutes, is amended, present subsections (2) and (3) are
   19  redesignated as subsections (3) and (4), respectively, and a new
   20  subsection (2) is added to that section, to read:
   21         823.15 Dogs and cats released from animal shelters or
   22  animal control agencies; sterilization requirement.—
   23         (1) The Legislature has determined that the importation of
   24  dogs and cats into, and the uncontrolled breeding of dogs and
   25  cats in, this state pose risks to the well-being of dogs and
   26  cats, the health of humans and animals, and the agricultural
   27  interests in this state. Importation of dogs and cats from
   28  outside the United States could result in the transmission of
   29  diseases that have been eradicated in the United States to dogs
   30  and cats, other animals, and humans living in this state.
   31  Uncontrolled breeding The Legislature has determined that
   32  uncontrolled breeding of dogs and cats in the state results in
   33  the birth production of many more puppies and kittens than are
   34  needed to provide pet animals to new owners or to replace pet
   35  animals that which have died or become lost or to provide pet
   36  animals for new owners. This leads to many dogs, cats, puppies,
   37  and kittens being unwanted, becoming strays and suffering
   38  privation and death, being impounded and destroyed at great
   39  expense to the community, and constituting a public nuisance and
   40  public health hazard. It is therefore declared to be the public
   41  policy of the state that every feasible means be used to reduce
   42  the incidence of birth of reducing the production of unneeded
   43  and unwanted puppies and kittens be encouraged. Determining
   44  which programs result in improved adoption rates and in reduced
   45  euthanasia rates for animals in shelters and animal control
   46  agencies is crucial to this effort.
   47         (2)(a) Each public or private animal shelter, humane
   48  organization, or animal control agency operated by a humane
   49  organization that accepts taxpayer dollars, or by a county,
   50  municipality, or other incorporated political subdivision, shall
   51  prepare and maintain the following records and make them
   52  available for public inspection and dissemination for the 3
   53  preceding years:
   54         1. The total number of dogs and cats taken in by the animal
   55  shelter, humane organization, or animal control agency, divided
   56  into species, in the following categories:
   57         a. Surrendered by owner;
   58         b. Stray;
   59         c. Impounded;
   60         d. Confiscated; and
   61         e. Imported into the state.
   62  
   63  Feral cats shall be recorded as a separate category from other
   64  cats. Species other than domestic cats and domestic dogs should
   65  be recorded as “other.”
   66         2. The disposition of all animals taken in by a public or
   67  private animal shelter, humane organization, or animal control
   68  agency operated by a humane society that accepts taxpayer
   69  dollars, or by a county, municipality, or other incorporated
   70  political subdivision, divided into species. These data must
   71  include dispositions by:
   72         a. Adoption;
   73         b. Reclamation by owner;
   74         c. Death in kennel;
   75         d. Destruction at the owner’s request;
   76         e. Transfer to another public or private animal shelter,
   77  humane organization, or animal control agency operated by a
   78  humane society that accepts taxpayer dollars or by a county,
   79  municipality, or other incorporated political subdivision; and
   80         f. Euthanasia.
   81         3. A public or private animal shelter, humane organization,
   82  or animal control agency operated by a humane society that
   83  accepts taxpayer dollars, or by a county, municipality, or other
   84  incorporated political subdivision which routinely euthanizes
   85  dogs based on size or breed alone must provide a written
   86  statement of such policy. Dogs euthanized due to breed,
   87  temperament, or size must be recorded and included in the
   88  calculation of the total euthanasia percentage.
   89         (b) Records of a public animal shelter, humane
   90  organization, or animal control agency operated by a humane
   91  society that accepts taxpayer dollars must be made available to
   92  the public for a cost that does not exceed $1 per one-sided
   93  copy.
   94         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.