Florida Senate - 2012                          SENATOR AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for HB 479
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 511220                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
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                  Floor: WD            .                                
             03/07/2012 10:33 AM       .                                
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       Senator Bennett moved the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Between lines 185 and 186
    4  insert:
    5         Section 4. (1)(a) An animal control agency or animal
    6  shelter as defined in chapter 828, Florida Statutes, shall make
    7  every reasonable effort before killing an animal to release the
    8  animal to a qualified nonprofit organization organized under s.
    9  501(c)(c) of the Internal Revenue Code as an animal rescue or
   10  animal adoption agency or an agency for the prevention of
   11  cruelty to animals, if requested to do so by the organization
   12  before the scheduled killing of the animal in order to maximize
   13  the increase in the live outcomes for shelter pets.
   14         (b)1. An animal control agency or animal shelter may refuse
   15  to transfer an animal to a rescue group if a current director,
   16  officer, staff member, or volunteer of the rescue group has been
   17  convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction of a crime of
   18  cruelty to animals or neglect of animals; if such charges are
   19  pending against a current director, officer, staff member, or
   20  volunteer; or if the rescue group is constrained by a court
   21  order that prevents the rescue group from taking in or keeping
   22  animals.
   23         2. An animal control agency or animal shelter may require
   24  the rescue group to disclose any convictions, charges, or legal
   25  impediments described in this subsection. An animal control
   26  agency or animal shelter may require additional information
   27  other than that described in this section as a perquisite to
   28  releasing an animal to a rescue group. Such a request for
   29  information must be reasonable and with the intent of maximizing
   30  the live outcomes of shelter pets.
   31         (c) This subsection does not apply to an irremediably
   32  suffering animal under s. 828.05, Florida Statutes, or a
   33  dangerous dog under s. 767.13, Florida Statutes.
   34         (2) An animal control agency or animal shelter shall
   35  provide for public inspection a monthly and annual summary that
   36  includes the number of animals, by species type, during the
   37  previous month and year which were taken in by the animal
   38  control agency or animal shelter and which were:
   39         (a) Surrendered by the owner;
   40         (b) Impounded as a stray;
   41         (c) Confiscated by the animal control agency or animal
   42  shelter;
   43         (d) Imported into the state;
   44         (e) Returned to the animal’s owners;
   45         (f) Adopted;
   46         (g) Transferred to other organizations or rescue groups;
   47         (h) Euthanized by the animal control agency or animal
   48  shelter;
   49         (i) Lost or that died or were stolen while in the direct or
   50  constructive care of the animal control agency or animal
   51  shelter; and
   52         (j) Continuing in the custody of the animal control agency
   53  or animal shelter.
   54  
   55  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   56  And the title is amended as follows:
   57  
   58         Delete line 19
   59  and insert:
   60         to food; authorizing an animal control agency or
   61         animal shelter to make every reasonable effort before
   62         killing an animal to release the animal to a qualified
   63         animal rescue or animal adoption agency or an agency
   64         for the prevention of cruelty to animals, if requested
   65         to do so by the animal rescue or animal adoption
   66         organization; authorizing an animal control agency or
   67         animal shelter to refuse to transfer an animal to a
   68         rescue group if a current director, officer, staff
   69         member, or volunteer of the rescue group has been
   70         convicted of a crime of cruelty to animals or neglect
   71         of animals; authorizing the animal control agency or
   72         animal shelter to demand that the animal rescue
   73         organization provide certain information to the animal
   74         control agency or animal shelter as a perquisite to
   75         releasing an animal to a rescue group; providing an
   76         exception for an irremediably suffering animal or a
   77         dangerous dog; requiring an animal control agency or
   78         animal shelter to provide for public inspection a
   79         monthly and annual summary that includes certain
   80         specified information; providing an effective date.