CS for CS for SB 674 First Engrossed
2013674e1
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; amending s.
13 828.27, F.S.; providing that proceeds, carryover, and
14 fund balances may be used to fund animal shelter
15 operating expenses; providing an effective date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 823.15, Florida
20 Statutes, is amended, present subsections (2) and (3) are
21 redesignated as subsections (3) and (4), respectively, and a new
22 subsection (2) is added to that section, to read:
23 823.15 Dogs and cats released from animal shelters or
24 animal control agencies; sterilization requirement.—
25 (1) The Legislature has determined that the importation of
26 dogs and cats into, and the uncontrolled breeding of dogs and
27 cats in, this state pose risks to the well-being of dogs and
28 cats, the health of humans and animals, and the agricultural
29 interests in this state. Importation of dogs and cats from
30 outside the United States could result in the transmission of
31 diseases that have been eradicated in the United States to dogs
32 and cats, other animals, and humans living in this state.
33 Uncontrolled breeding The Legislature has determined that
34 uncontrolled breeding of dogs and cats in the state results in
35 the birth production of many more puppies and kittens than are
36 needed to provide pet animals to new owners or to replace pet
37 animals that which have died or become lost or to provide pet
38 animals for new owners. This leads to many dogs, cats, puppies,
39 and kittens being unwanted, becoming strays and suffering
40 privation and death, being impounded and destroyed at great
41 expense to the community, and constituting a public nuisance and
42 public health hazard. It is therefore declared to be the public
43 policy of the state that every feasible means be used to reduce
44 the incidence of birth of reducing the production of unneeded
45 and unwanted puppies and kittens be encouraged. Determining
46 which programs result in improved adoption rates and in reduced
47 euthanasia rates for animals in shelters and animal control
48 agencies is crucial to this effort.
49 (2)(a) Each public or private animal shelter, humane
50 organization, or animal control agency operated by a humane
51 organization or by a county, municipality, or other incorporated
52 political subdivision, shall prepare and maintain the following
53 records and make them available for public inspection and
54 dissemination for the 3 preceding years. The following data will
55 be available on a monthly basis commencing July 31, 2013:
56 1. The total number of dogs and cats taken in by the animal
57 shelter, humane organization, or animal control agency, divided
58 into species, in the following categories:
59 a. Surrendered by owner;
60 b. Stray;
61 c. Impounded;
62 d. Confiscated;
63 e. Transferred from within Florida;
64 f. Transferred into or imported from out of the state; and
65 g. Born in shelter.
66
67 Species other than domestic cats and domestic dogs should be
68 recorded as “other.”
69 2. The disposition of all animals taken in by a public or
70 private animal shelter, humane organization, or animal control
71 agency operated by a humane society or by a county,
72 municipality, or other incorporated political subdivision,
73 divided into species. These data must include dispositions by:
74 a. Adoption;
75 b. Reclamation by owner;
76 c. Death in kennel;
77 d. Euthanasia at the owner’s request;
78 e. Transfer to another public or private animal shelter,
79 humane organization, or animal control agency operated by a
80 humane society or by a county, municipality, or other
81 incorporated political subdivision;
82 f. Euthanasia;
83 g. Released in field/Trapped, Neutered, Released (TNR);
84 h. Lost in care/missing animals or records; and
85 i. Ending inventory/shelter count at end of the last day of
86 the month.
87 3. A public or private animal shelter, humane organization,
88 or animal control agency operated by a humane society, or by a
89 county, municipality, or other incorporated political
90 subdivision which routinely euthanizes dogs based on size or
91 breed alone must provide a written statement of such policy.
92 Dogs euthanized due to breed, temperament, or size must be
93 recorded and included in the calculation of the total euthanasia
94 percentage.
95 (b) Records of a public animal shelter, humane
96 organization, or animal control agency operated by a humane
97 society must be made available to the public pursuant to
98 provisions in chapter 119.
99 Section 2. Subsection (4) of section 828.27, Florida
100 Statutes, is amended to read:
101 828.27 Local animal control or cruelty ordinances;
102 penalty.—
103 (4)(a)1. County-employed animal control officers shall, and
104 municipally employed animal control officers may, successfully
105 complete a 40-hour minimum standards training course. Such
106 course shall include, but is not limited to, training for:
107 animal cruelty investigations, search and seizure, animal
108 handling, courtroom demeanor, and civil citations. The course
109 curriculum must be approved by the Florida Animal Control
110 Association. An animal control officer who successfully
111 completes such course shall be issued a certificate indicating
112 that he or she has received a passing grade.
113 2. Any animal control officer who is authorized prior to
114 January 1, 1990, by a county or municipality to issue citations
115 is not required to complete the minimum standards training
116 course.
117 3. In order to maintain valid certification, every 2 years
118 each certified county-employed animal control officer shall
119 complete 4 hours of postcertification continuing education
120 training. Such training may include, but is not limited to,
121 training for: animal cruelty investigations, search and seizure,
122 animal handling, courtroom demeanor, and civil citations.
123 (b) The governing body of a county or municipality may
124 impose and collect a surcharge of up to $5 upon each civil
125 penalty imposed for violation of an ordinance relating to animal
126 control or cruelty. The proceeds from such surcharges shall be
127 used to pay the costs of training for animal control officers.
128 (c) In addition to the uses set forth in paragraph (b), a
129 county as defined in s. 125.011 may use the proceeds specified
130 in that paragraph and any carryover or fund balance from such
131 proceeds for animal shelter operating expenses. This paragraph
132 shall expire July 1, 2014.
133 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.