TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Florida House representative Thursday introduced a new bill to help monitor dangerous dogs and prevent dog attacks.
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House Bill 593, introduced by republican Judson Sapp, would place new requirements on animal control authorities and owners of dogs that have previously attacked, bitten, or “menacingly” chased a person unprovoked in public.
According to the bill, the “legislature finds that dangerous dogs are an increasingly serious and widespread threat to the safety and welfare of the people of this state.”
Read: Action News Jax Investigates finds an increase in aggressive dog attacks
An identical version of the bill was introduced in the Senate Monday by Senator Jay Collins (R). He filed a similar bill for the 2024 legislative session.
The bill, also known as the “Pam Rock Act,” is named after a USPS mail carrier, 61-year-old Pamela Rock. She was killed by a pack of 5 dogs while working in Putnam County in August of 2022.
Read: PCSO: No charges in case of mail carrier mauled by 5 dogs
The dogs escaped and attacked people several times in the past, and the owner had repeatedly tried to surrender them to Animal Control, without success. No charges were ever filed.
If the bill becomes law, owners of certain dogs will be required to securely confine them in proper enclosures and obtain “dangerous dog liability insurance” in case they attack and injure a person, another pet, or livestock.
The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services would also be required to create and maintain a registry of dangerous dogs.
The bill also revises current laws, requiring instead of authorizing animal control to take certain actions during investigations:
- Certain dogs being investigated as dangerous to humans must be immediately confiscated and held pending the investigation’s outcome.
- Dogs classified as dangerous due to having severely injured a human must be humanely euthanized.
The bill has gained renewed interest after an 8-year-old boy was killed by two dogs in Volusia County last month.
Read: Dogs that mauled 8-year-old Florida boy to death euthanized, officials say
Michael Millett, was riding his bike with a friend near DeLand on Jan. 13 when he was brutally attacked and killed, investigators said.
Our Orlando station, WFTV, reported this week that Amanda Franco and Brandy Hodil are under investigation for manslaughter by culpable negligence and owning a dangerous dog.
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