Abandoning Restrained Dogs During Natural Disasters
Summary
S0150, known as Troopers Law, amends Florida’s animal cruelty and abandonment statute to address dogs left restrained outdoors during natural disasters. The bill defines “natural disaster” to include hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado warnings issued by the National Weather Service, as well as mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders, and defines “restrain” to mean attaching a dog to a stationary object or trolley system with a chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, or similar device.
Under the bill, a person who restrains a dog outside during a natural disaster and then abandons the dog commits a third-degree felony. The bill leaves in place existing misdemeanor penalties for general animal neglect and abandonment under s. 828.13, Florida Statutes, but adds this specific aggravated offense for abandoning a restrained dog in dangerous weather conditions. The act takes effect October 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill amends section 828.13, Florida Statutes, by adding statutory definitions and creating a new felony offense tied to disaster-related dog abandonment. It expands the scope of Florida’s animal cruelty laws to cover conduct occurring during declared or warned natural disaster conditions, and it increases potential criminal exposure from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony for the specified conduct. The law primarily affects dog owners, custodians, and anyone in charge of an animal, as well as prosecutors and animal welfare enforcement officials.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition. It passed Senate committees and floor votes unanimously or near-unanimously, and it also passed the House by a wide margin. The voting record suggests strong agreement that abandoning restrained dogs during hurricanes or other disasters is a serious animal welfare issue warranting enhanced penalties.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record, as no committee transcripts were provided and all recorded votes were overwhelmingly favorable. Any potential point of debate would likely center on the new felony penalty and the breadth of the “natural disaster” definition, including whether it should apply to voluntary evacuation orders as well as formal warnings. However, the available materials do not show organized opposition or recorded disagreement on those issues.