Handling of Animals

Florida Senate
-
2026

CS for SB 1356

By
the Committee on Commerce and Tourism; and Senator Garcia

577-02493-26 20261356c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the handling of animals; creating
3 s. 585.701, F.S.; providing legislative findings and
4 intent; defining terms; requiring the Department of
5 Agriculture and Consumer Services to develop and adopt
6 rules, best management practices, and other measures
7 for dog breeding in this state; requiring the
8 department to consider certain criteria in developing
9 the rules; requiring the Board of Veterinary Medicine
10 to verify that the proposed rules meet certain goals;
11 providing construction; amending s. 828.29, F.S.;
12 requiring that a pet sale financing agreement be
13 terminated without penalty under certain
14 circumstances; deleting a limit on veterinary costs
15 under certain provisions; requiring that all financing
16 terms be disclosed to the consumer before the sale of
17 an animal; requiring a specified mandatory waiting
18 period between the purchase and receipt of an animal
19 if the transaction is financed by the consumer;
20 prohibiting the signing of a financing agreement
21 before the conclusion of such waiting period; deleting
22 certain provisions relating to a consumer’s waiver
23 relinquishing his or her rights to return an animal;
24 requiring a pet dealer to provide copies of specified
25 medical records to a consumer; revising requirements
26 for a required notice to a consumer; revising the text
27 of the required notice; requiring a pet dealer to
28 retain a copy of the signed notice; requiring that the
29 consumer be given a copy of the signed notice;
30 requiring a pet dealer to retain certain records for a
31 specified timeframe; specifying requirements for
32 retail stores that offer animals for sale; requiring
33 retail stores to ensure that dog breeders and dog
34 breeding facilities from which the store acquires dogs
35 meet certain best management practices; providing that
36 violations constitute an unfair method of competition
37 or an unfair or deceptive act or practice in violation
38 of specified provisions and are subject to penalties;
39 providing a private cause of action; providing
40 construction; creating s. 828.291, F.S.; defining
41 terms; requiring dog breeders to apply to the
42 Department of Business and Professional Regulation for
43 a certificate of registration and to renew the
44 certificate at specified intervals; authorizing the
45 department to investigate certain claims; authorizing
46 the department to establish a whistleblower program
47 for a specified purpose; specifying requirements for
48 such program; providing penalties for specified
49 practices and conditions; requiring certain
50 individuals, dog breeders, and dog breeding facilities
51 to be placed on a public animal abuser database;
52 requiring the department to provide certain
53 information to law enforcement for the purpose of
54 pursuing criminal charges; providing an effective
55 date.
56
57 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
58
59 Section 1. Section 585.701, Florida Statutes, is created to
60 read:
61
585.701
Dog breeders; best management practices
.—

62
(1)

The Legislature finds that the safe and ethical

63
breeding of dogs in this state is a matter of great public

64
importance, and that breeding dogs for profit without regard for

65
the condition in which the dogs live or how they are cared for

66
is an act of animal cruelty. Therefore, the Legislature

intends

67
to ensure that dog breeding is done in an ethical manner by

68
establishing best management practices to ensure the humane

69
treatment of animals.

70
(2)

As used in this section, the term:

71
(a)

“Board” means the Board of Veterinary Medicine.

72
(b)

“Breeding female dog” means a dog that has not been

73
spayed and is more than 6 months old and capable of

74
reproduction.

75
(
c)

“Department” means the Department of Agriculture and

76
Consumer Services.

77
(
d
)

“Dog breeder” means a person
who
owns or possesses

78
breeding female dogs and offers for sale more than two litters

79
of dogs per calendar year.

80
(
e
)

“Dog breeding facility” means a location
that
is the

81
site of a dog breeder
which
houses five or more breeding female

82
dogs.

83
(
f
)

“Litter” means the collection of dogs birthed, whether

84
naturally or from cesarean section, from a breeding female dog

85
from the same pregnancy.

86
(3)

The department shall:

87
(a)

Develop and adopt rules, best management practices, and

88
other measures necessary to improve the practices of dog

89
breeders and dog breeding facilities in a way that protects this

90
state’s domestic animal resources and preserves a viable and

91
ethical dog breeding industry. In developing the rules, the

92
department shall consider, at a minimum, the spacing of and

93
sanitation guidelines for cages and pens, requiring adequate

94
access to clean water, limiting the number of times a breeding

95
female dog may be bred per year, and
providing
breeding female

96
dogs and their litters
with
appropriate shelter.

97
(b)

Before adopting any rules, best management practices,

98
and other measures required by paragraph (a), submit the

99
proposed rules to the board. The board shall verify that the

100
proposed rules, best management practices, and other measures

101
developed by the department will be reasonably effective in

102
achieving the goals of this section. The board shall notify the

103
department of its initial verification.

104
(4)

This section may not be construed to prohibit a local

105
jurisdiction from implementing requirements for dog breeders or

106
dog breeding facilities which are stricter than those in this

107
section or any rule adopted by the department.

108 Section 2. Subsections (5) through (8), (10), (12), (13),
109 and (17) of section 828.29, Florida Statutes, are amended, and
110 subsections (18) through (21) are added to that section, to
111 read:
112 828.29 Dogs and cats transported or offered for sale;
113 health requirements; consumer guarantee
; disclosures
.—
114 (5) If, within 14 days
after

following
the sale by a pet
115 dealer of an animal subject to this section, a licensed
116 veterinarian of the consumer’s choosing certifies that, at the
117 time of the sale, the animal was unfit for purchase due to
118 illness or disease, the presence of symptoms of a contagious or
119 infectious disease, or the presence of internal or external
120 parasites, excluding fleas and ticks; or if, within 1 year
after

121
following
the sale of an animal subject to this section, a
122 licensed veterinarian of the consumer’s choosing certifies such
123 animal to be unfit for purchase due to a congenital or
124 hereditary disorder which adversely affects the health of the
125 animal; or if, within 1 year
after

following
the sale of an
126 animal subject to this section, the breed, sex, or health of
127 such animal is found to have been misrepresented to the
128 consumer, the pet dealer shall afford the consumer the right to
129 choose one of the following options:
130 (a) The right to return the animal and receive a refund of
131 the purchase price, including the sales tax, and reimbursement
132 for reasonable veterinary costs directly related to the
133 veterinarian’s examination and certification that the dog or cat
134 is unfit for purchase pursuant to this section and directly
135 related to necessary emergency services and treatment undertaken
136 to relieve suffering
. If the consumer financed the animal, the

137
pet dealer must ensure that the financing arrangement is

138
terminated without penalty to the consumer
;
139 (b) The right to return the animal and receive an exchange
140 dog or cat of the consumer’s choice of equivalent value, and
141 reimbursement for reasonable veterinary costs directly related
142 to the veterinarian’s examination and certification that the dog
143 or cat is unfit for purchase pursuant to this section and
144 directly related to necessary emergency services and treatment
145 undertaken to relieve suffering; or
146 (c) The right to retain the animal and receive
147 reimbursement for reasonable veterinary costs for necessary
148 services and treatment related to the attempt to cure or curing
149 of the dog or cat.
150
151
Reimbursement for veterinary costs may not exceed the purchase

152
price of the animal.
The cost of veterinary services is
153 reasonable if comparable to the cost of similar services
154 rendered by other licensed veterinarians in proximity to the
155 treating veterinarian and the services rendered are appropriate
156 for the certification by the veterinarian.
157 (6)
All financing terms must be disclosed to the consumer

158
before the sale of the animal. A mandatory waiting period of at

159
least 3 calendar days must be imposed between the date of an

160
agreement to purchase an animal and the date on which the

161
consumer takes possession of the animal, if the consumer is

162
financing the animal. A financing agreement may not be signed by

163
the consumer until the conclusion of the 3-day waiting period

A

164
consumer may sign a waiver relinquishing his or her right to

165
return the dog or cat for congenital or hereditary disorders. In

166
the case of such waiver, the consumer has 48 normal business

167
hours, excluding weekends and holidays, in which to have the

168
animal examined by a licensed veterinarian of the consumer’s

169
choosing. If the veterinarian certifies that, at the time of

170
sale, the dog or cat was unfit for purchase due to a congenital

171
or hereditary disorder, the pet dealer must afford the consumer

172
the right to choose one of the following options:

173
(a) The right to return the animal and receive a refund of

174
the purchase price, including sales tax, but excluding the

175
veterinary costs related to the certification that the dog or

176
cat is unfit; or

177
(b) The right to return the animal and receive an exchange

178
dog or cat of the consumer’s choice of equivalent value, but not

179
a refund of the veterinary costs related to the certification

180
that the dog or cat is unfit
.
181 (7)
Before the sale of an animal, a pet dealer must provide

182
to the consumer copies of records of all medical examinations or

183
tests that were conducted on the animal or any medication given

184
before the purchase of the animal.
A pet dealer may specifically
185 state at the time of sale, in writing to the consumer, the
186 presence of specific congenital or hereditary disorders, in
187 which case the consumer has no right to any refund or exchange
188 for those disorders.
189 (8) The refund or exchange required by subsection (5)
must

190
or subsection (6)
shall
be made by the pet dealer not later than
191 10 business days
after

following
receipt of a signed veterinary
192 certification as required in subsection (5)
or subsection (6)
.
193 The consumer must notify the pet dealer within 2 business days
194 after the veterinarian’s determination that the animal is unfit.
195 The written certification of unfitness must be presented to the
196 pet dealer not later than 3 business days
after

following

197 receipt thereof by the consumer.
198 (10) If a pet dealer wishes to contest a demand for
199 veterinary expenses, refund, or exchange made by a consumer
200 under this section, the dealer may require the consumer to
201 produce the animal for examination by a licensed veterinarian
202 designated by the dealer. Upon such examination, if the consumer
203 and the dealer are unable to reach an agreement that constitutes
204 one of the options set forth in subsection (5)
or subsection (6)

205 within 10 business days
after

following
receipt of the animal
206 for such examination, the consumer may initiate an action in a
207 court of competent jurisdiction to recover or obtain
208 reimbursement of veterinary expenses, refund, or exchange.
209 (12) Every pet dealer who sells an animal to a consumer
210
shall

must
provide the consumer at the time of sale with a
211
printed,
written notice
. T
he pet dealer shall retain a copy of

212
the signed notice, and the consumer must be given a copy of the

213
signed notice. The notice
, printed or typed
, which
is
separate

214
from the contract
, shal
l read

reads
as follows:
215
216
RIGHT TO CANCEL

217
Florida consumers have certain rights under s. 828.29,

218
Florida Statutes. You have the right to return or

219
exchange a dog or cat purchased from a pet dealer and

220
receive reimbursement for certain veterinary expenses.

221
A copy of this law is attached to this notice.

222
223
...(Signature of Owner, or Owner’s Authorized

224
Agent)...

225
226
Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me this

227
....
day of
....
,
....
, by ...(name of person making

228
statement)....

229
230
It is the consumer’s right, pursuant to section

231
828.29, Florida Statutes, to receive a certificate of

232
veterinary inspection with each dog or cat purchased

233
from a pet dealer. Such certificate shall list all

234
vaccines and deworming medications administered to the

235
animal and shall state that the animal has been

236
examined by a Florida-licensed veterinarian who

237
certifies that, to the best of the veterinarian’s

238
knowledge, the animal was found to have been healthy

239
at the time of the veterinary examination. In the

240
event that the consumer purchases the animal and finds

241
it to have been unfit for purchase as provided in

242
section 828.29(5), Florida Statutes, the consumer must

243
notify the pet dealer within 2 business days of the

244
veterinarian’s determination that the animal was

245
unfit. The consumer has the right to retain, return,

246
or exchange the animal and receive reimbursement for

247
certain related veterinary services rendered to the

248
animal, subject to the right of the dealer to have the

249
animal examined by another veterinarian.

250
251 (13) For the purposes of subsections (5)-(12)
,

and
(16),
252
(18), and (20),
the term “pet dealer” means any person, firm,
253 partnership, corporation, or other association which, in the
254 ordinary course of business, engages in the sale of more than
255 two litters, or 20 dogs or cats, per year, whichever is greater,
256 to the public. This definition includes breeders of animals who
257 sell such animals directly to a consumer.
258 (17) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person
259 who violates
any provision of
this section commits a misdemeanor
260 of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.
261 775.083.
262
(18)

A pet dealer shall retain any record provided to a

263
consumer pursuant to the sale of an animal under this section

264
for at least 7 years after the sale.

265
(19)

A retail store that offers animals for sale shall do

266
both of the following:

267
(a)

Provide the city or county animal rescue or animal

268
shelter the opportunity to inventory the animals the rescue or

269
shelter, respectively, has available for adoption before

270
offering retail space to a dog breeder or dog breeding facility.

271
(b)

Ensure the dog breeder or dog breeding facility from

272
which the store has acquired a dog meets the best management

273
practices adopted by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer

274
Services pursuant to s. 585.701.

275
(20)

A pet dealer who violates this section commits an

276
unfair method of competition or an unfair or deceptive act or

277
practice in violation of part II of chapter 501 and is subject

278
to the penalties and remedies provided for such violations.

279
(21)

In addition to any other penalties or remedies

280
provided by law, a consumer injured by a violation of this

281
section may bring a civil action to recover damages or punitive

282
damages, including court costs, attorney fees, and related

283
expenses. This section does not limit any right or remedy

284
provided under law.

285 Section 3. Section 828.291, Florida Statutes, is created to
286 read:
287
828.291
Dog breeder certificate of registration
.—

288
(1)

As used in this section, the term:

289
(a)

“Breeding female dog” means a dog that has not been

290
spayed and is more than 6 months old and capable of

291
reproduction.

292
(b)

“Department” means the Department of Business and

293
Professional Regulation.

294
(c)

“Dog breeder” means a person
who
owns or possesses

295
breeding female dogs and offers for sale more than two litters

296
of dogs per calendar year.

297
(d)

“Dog breeding facility” means a location
that
is the

298
site of a dog breeder
which
houses five or more breeding female

299
dogs.

300
(e)

“Litter” means the collection of dogs birthed, whether

301
naturally or from cesarean section, from a breeding female dog

302
from the same pregnancy.

303
(2)

Each dog breeder in this state must apply to the

304
department, on forms supplied by the department, for a

305
certificate of registr
ation. The certificate of registration

306
must be renewed every
2
years thereafter
. To be eligible to

307
receive a certificate of registration, a dog breeder must submit

308
documentation to the department that the breeder meets the best

309
management practices adopted by the Department of Agriculture

310
and Consumer Services pursuant to s. 585.701.

311
(3)

If the department is notified that a certified dog

312
breed
er is not in compliance with the best management practices

313
adopted by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

314
pursuant to s. 585.701, the department
may
investigate such

315
claim. The
department may establish a whistleblower program

316
through which any individual may alert the department or its

317
contracted authority about a violation of s. 585.701. The

318
department may contract with a private entity to administer the

319
whistleblower program. If a private entity is contracted to

320
receive calls, the private entity must provide monthly reports

321
to the department detailing the number of calls received, the

322
number of calls referred to law enforcement, and the status of

323
each case referred to law enforcement.

324
(4)

Any individual, dog breeder, or dog breeding facility

325
that is found to employ any of the following practices or

326
conditions is subject to penalties under s. 828.073 or s.

327
828.12; the individual, dog breeder, or dog breeding facility

328
must be placed on the Department of Law Enforcement’s website

329
pursuant to s. 828.12(7); and the department shall provide all

330
applicable information to law enforcement to pursue criminal

331
charges:

332
(a)

Overcrowding of dogs crammed into cages or pens with no

333
space to move.

334
(b)

Enclosures with significant build-up of feces, urine,

335
and waste.

336
(c)

Dogs exhibiting untreated infections or parasites due

337
to unsanitary conditions.

338
(d)

Limited or no access to clean water.

339
(e)

Breeding a female dog more than two times per year.

340
(f)

Exposing breeding female dogs and their litters to

341
extreme temperatures without appropriate shelter.

342 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.