ENROLLED
2013 Legislature CS for CS for SB 674, 2nd Engrossed
2013674er
1
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 or by a county, municipality, or other incorporated
50 political subdivision, shall prepare and maintain the following
51 records and make them available for public inspection and
52 dissemination for the 3 preceding years. The following data will
53 be available on a monthly basis commencing July 31, 2013:
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;
61 e. Transferred from within Florida;
62 f. Transferred into or imported from out of the state; and
63 g. Born in shelter.
64
65 Species other than domestic cats and domestic dogs should be
66 recorded as “other.”
67 2. The disposition of all animals taken in by a public or
68 private animal shelter, humane organization, or animal control
69 agency operated by a humane society or by a county,
70 municipality, or other incorporated political subdivision,
71 divided into species. These data must include dispositions by:
72 a. Adoption;
73 b. Reclamation by owner;
74 c. Death in kennel;
75 d. Euthanasia 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 or by a county, municipality, or other
79 incorporated political subdivision;
80 f. Euthanasia;
81 g. Released in field/Trapped, Neutered, Released (TNR);
82 h. Lost in care/missing animals or records; and
83 i. Ending inventory/shelter count at end of the last day of
84 the month.
85 3. A public or private animal shelter, humane organization,
86 or animal control agency operated by a humane society, or by a
87 county, municipality, or other incorporated political
88 subdivision which routinely euthanizes dogs based on size or
89 breed alone must provide a written statement of such policy.
90 Dogs euthanized due to breed, temperament, or size must be
91 recorded and included in the calculation of the total euthanasia
92 percentage.
93 (b) Records of a public animal shelter, humane
94 organization, or animal control agency operated by a humane
95 society must be made available to the public pursuant to
96 provisions in chapter 119.
97 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.