There has been a long history of pets being valued as property. When a pet was lost through negligence or an intentional act of violence the owner could only recover the "market value" of the animal. The laws are finally evolving to acknowledge that pets hold an important place in our hearts and in our families. They cannot be held to the same standard as a chair or other type of personal property. I hope no one ever has to experience the anguish of a lost pet, but if they do, the law is now starting to provide better compensation for that loss.
Court Ruling Allows Pet Owners To Sue for Sentimental Value: How Will This Affect You? | MyEVT
The Center for Animal Advocacy is Florida's resource for need to know information about animal law. The attorneys listed on this site represent pet owners with legal issues related to their pets. Everyone at the Center for Animal Advocacy is passionate about pets and has your pet's best interests at heart.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Is there Chicken in Chicken Pet Foods?
It is important to educate yourself about the quality of the pet foods your animals are consuming. Read the labels, get the facts and buy the best brand you can afford. It may make all the difference in the quality of your pet's life and could actually save you money in the long run. Healthier pets, lower vet bills. Happy New Year!
Is there Chicken in Chicken Pet Foods?
Is there Chicken in Chicken Pet Foods?
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
2011 Victories for Animals
Here's a celebration of the 2011 Victories for Animals sponsored by The Humane Society of the United States. It is efforts like these that will stop the suffering of animals everywhere.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Time to Improve Laws for Service Dogs
For more information, please review the press release below. Encourage your legislators to improve laws not just for guide dogs but for all service dogs.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2011
CONTACT: Kevin King
(727) 552‐1380
REP. KRISEMAN: IT'S TIME TO IMPROVE OUR GUIDE DOG LAWS
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Bipartisan legislation has been filed to revise the law related to service animals, providing more rights to Floridians with disabilities and to individuals who train guide dogs.
State Rep. Rick Kriseman (D‐St. Petersburg) has filed House Bill 1077, which prohibits discrimination of guide dog owners as it relates to housing accommodations, allows for the use of guide dogs in public and private schools, and provides a punishment to those who knowingly and fraudulently represent themselves as the owner or trainer of a guide dog.
“Our current laws related to service animals and guide dogs are woefully inadequate and out of step with recently revised federal regulations. Passage of House Bill 1077 will give needed protections to our most vulnerable citizens and their beloved guide dogs," said Representative Kriseman, who is the Florida House Democratic Policy Chair.
"The more exposure to real‐world experiences the dogs get during their training, the better prepared they will be when given the responsibility of serving as someone’s eyes. By ensuring full access rights for the tireless trainers, these dogs will no doubt go on to become unflappable guides, leading their handlers to an independent life," said Titus Herman, the CEO of Southeastern Guide Dogs, whose mission is to create and nurture a partnership between a visually impaired individual and a guide dog, facilitating life's journey with mobility, independence and dignity.
The companion to HB 1077 will be filed by State Senator Mike Bennett (R‐Bradenton).
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2011
CONTACT: Kevin King
(727) 552‐1380
REP. KRISEMAN: IT'S TIME TO IMPROVE OUR GUIDE DOG LAWS
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Bipartisan legislation has been filed to revise the law related to service animals, providing more rights to Floridians with disabilities and to individuals who train guide dogs.
State Rep. Rick Kriseman (D‐St. Petersburg) has filed House Bill 1077, which prohibits discrimination of guide dog owners as it relates to housing accommodations, allows for the use of guide dogs in public and private schools, and provides a punishment to those who knowingly and fraudulently represent themselves as the owner or trainer of a guide dog.
“Our current laws related to service animals and guide dogs are woefully inadequate and out of step with recently revised federal regulations. Passage of House Bill 1077 will give needed protections to our most vulnerable citizens and their beloved guide dogs," said Representative Kriseman, who is the Florida House Democratic Policy Chair.
"The more exposure to real‐world experiences the dogs get during their training, the better prepared they will be when given the responsibility of serving as someone’s eyes. By ensuring full access rights for the tireless trainers, these dogs will no doubt go on to become unflappable guides, leading their handlers to an independent life," said Titus Herman, the CEO of Southeastern Guide Dogs, whose mission is to create and nurture a partnership between a visually impaired individual and a guide dog, facilitating life's journey with mobility, independence and dignity.
The companion to HB 1077 will be filed by State Senator Mike Bennett (R‐Bradenton).
###
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Update on Pending Florida Legislation for 2012 Session
Subject: Bill Status Report on Animal Welfare Bills for 2012 Session
Num | Title | Sponsor | | ||||||
Relating to Domestic Violence Against Family Pets | 10/04/11 | | |||||||
Domestic Violence Against Family Pets; Providing that a court may issue an injunction for protection against domestic violence granting the petitioner the exclusive care, custody, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, the respondent, or a minor child residing in the residence or household of the petitioner or respondent; providing that it is a first-degree misdemeanor for a person to willfully violate an injunction for protection against domestic violence by knowingly and intentionally injuring or threatening to injure any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, the respondent, or a minor child of the petitioner or respondent; providing criminal penalties, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2012 | |||||||||
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Relating to Animal Control | 11/29/11 | | |||||||
(I: 0654 ) | Animal Control: Requires Board of Pharmacy to adopt rules relating to issuance of permits for certain controlled substances & legend drugs necessary for euthanasia & chemical immobilization of animals; authorizes Board of Pharmacy, at request of Board of Veterinary Medicine, to adopt rule to increase number of controlled substances & legend drugs available to euthanize injured, sick, or abandoned domestic animals or to chemically immobilize such animals; provides that only certain persons are authorized to possess & use such drugs; restricts use of intracardial injection to an unconscious animal; prohibits delivery of lethal solution or powder by adding it to food; requires that an animal control officer, wildlife officer, & an animal disease diagnostic laboratory report knowledge of any animal bite, any diagnosis or suspicion of grouping or clustering of animals having similar disease, or any symptom or syndrome that may indicate presence of threat to humans. Effective Date: July 1, 2012 | ||||||||
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Relating to Animal Control or Cruelty Ordinances | 11/22/11 | | |||||||
(S: 0527 ) | Animal Control or Cruelty Ordinances; Requiring a county or municipality enacting an ordinance relating to animal control or cruelty to impose a specified surcharge on the civil penalty for violations of the ordinance; specifying use of the proceeds of the surcharge; prohibiting the governing body of a county or municipality from charging owners of animals more than a certain amount for the spaying or neutering of their animals in specified circumstances; authorizing the animal control authority to allocate certain excess funds to the program to spay and neuter cats and dogs; providing for construction, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2012 | ||||||||
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Relating to Animal Control or Cruelty Ordinances | 11/04/11 | | |||||||
(S: 0488 ) | Animal Control or Cruelty Ordinances: Requires county or municipality enacting ordinance relating to animal control or cruelty to impose specified surcharge on civil penalty for violations of ordinance; specifies use of proceeds of surcharge to subsidize costs of spaying or neutering of dogs and cats whose owners voluntarily submit their animals for sterilization. Effective Date: July 1, 2012 | ||||||||
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Relating to Animal Shelters and Animal Control Agencies | 11/15/11 | | |||||||
(I: 0818 ) | Animal Shelters and Animal Control Agencies: Creates "Animal Rescue Act"; requires animal control agency or animal shelter that euthanizes animals to maintain registry of animal rescue groups that are willing to accept animals that would otherwise be euthanized; provides eligibility criteria; provides criteria under which animal control agency or shelter may reject applicant for registry or remove participant from registry; provides application requirements; authorizes animal control agency or shelter to require rescue group or person to provide certain data each month; prohibits animal control agency or shelter from euthanizing animal until animal agency or shelter has notified appropriate animal rescue group or person listed on registry; provides exceptions; authorizes animal control agency or shelter to assess fee for each animal released to rescue group; requires that each animal control agency or animal shelter provide for public information on regular basis. Effective Date: July 1, 2012 | ||||||||
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Relating to Animal Abuse Registry | 11/02/11 | | |||||||
Animal Abuse Registry; Cites this act as "Dexter's Law"; creating an animal abuse registry within the Department of Law Enforcement; requiring the clerk of court in the judicial circuit in which a person’s conviction for an animal abuse offense occurred to forward a copy of the judgment document of the conviction and other specified information to the department within a specified timeframe after the date of judgment; requiring that each person registered with the animal abuse registry update his or her registration information each time he or she moves from one residential address to another or, if his or her residential address does not change, annually following the date of his or her first registration; requiring that each person on the registry pay an annual administrative fee to the department; providing that a person who fails to register with the department, fails to update critical information, or fails to pay the annual administrative fee, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2012 | |||||||||
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Relating to Euthanasia of Domestic Animals | 11/16/11 | | |||||||
(I: 0479 ) | Euthanasia of Domestic Animals; Requiring that the Board of Pharmacy adopt rules relating to the issuance of permits authorizing the purchase, possession, and use of certain controlled substances and legend drugs necessary for the euthanasia and chemical immobilization of animals; authorizing the Board of Pharmacy, at the request of the Board of Veterinary Medicine, to adopt a rule to increase the number of controlled substances and legend drugs available to euthanize injured, sick, or abandoned domestic animals or to chemically immobilize such animals; prohibiting the delivery of a lethal solution or powder by adding it to food; requiring that an animal control officer, a wildlife officer, and an animal disease diagnostic laboratory report knowledge of any animal bite, any diagnosis or suspicion of a grouping or clustering of animals having similar disease, or any symptom or syndrome that may indicate the presence of a threat to humans, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2012 | ||||||||
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Relating to Animal Welfare | 11/29/11 | | |||||||
Animal Welfare: Provides legislative findings concerning importation of dogs & cats & importance of determining what programs result in improved adoption rates & reduction in euthanasia rates for animals in shelters & animal control agencies; provides additional records requirements for any public or private animal shelter or animal control agency operated by humane society or government; provides that such records are public records; specifies maximum copying charge; provides vaccination & other health requirements for dogs transported into state for adoption; provides that animal control agencies & registered nonprofit humane organizations are subject to such provisions. Effective Date: July 1, 2012 | |||||||||
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Relating to Animal Shelters and Animal Control Agencies | 11/03/11 | | |||||||
(I: 0597 ) | Animal Shelters and Animal Control Agencies; Creating the "Animal Rescue Act"; requiring any animal control agency or animal shelter that euthanizes animals to maintain a registry of animal rescue groups that are willing to accept animals that would otherwise be subject to euthanization; providing eligibility criteria for rescue groups and persons desiring to be on the euthanization registry; providing criteria under which an animal control agency or animal shelter may reject an applicant for the euthanization registry or remove a participant from the registry; requiring that certain specified information concerning an animal rescue group be included in the group’s application for inclusion on the euthanasia registry, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2012 | ||||||||
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Relating to Animal Fighting or Baiting | 11/29/11 | | |||||||
Animal Fighting or Baiting; Specifying examples of animal fighting or baiting paraphernalia prohibited by law; requiring the court to consider certain specified factors when determining whether an object is animal fighting paraphernalia; providing for humane disposition of an animal by a veterinarian licensed in this state under certain circumstances, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2012 | |||||||||
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Thursday, December 1, 2011
Horse Slaughter in the US
The slaughter of horses was banned in the U.S. As a result, many horses were shipped to Mexico and Canada for slaughter, often under horrendous conditions. There is a movement to re-open U.S. slaughter houses. Read more here...
Horse Slaughter May Soon Be Legal in US
Horse Slaughter May Soon Be Legal in US
Sunday, November 27, 2011
More on Pet Custody Battles
Check out a recent CBS video on the pet custody issue. It continues to be increasingly important - as important to people who care as much about their pets as they care about their children. For help, contact us.
CBS Pet Custody Video
CBS Pet Custody Video
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
This Could Change Everything
This landmark case could change the face of the way damages are awarded when pets are injured or die. Until now, pets were mostly considered to be personal property, only worth their "replacement value." As a pet owner, that's like saying your child is only worth it's replacement value. It was only a matter of time before the courts started recognizing the true value of our pets.
Read more here...
This Could Change Everything
Read more here...
This Could Change Everything
Friday, November 4, 2011
Animal Rescue Act filed to Save Lives and Taxpayer Dollars
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | November 3, 2011
Contact: Cheryl Ennis | (850) 487-5078 | ennis.cheryl.s21@flsenate.gov
Bennett Files Animal Rescue Act to Save Lives, Taxpayer Dollars
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Combining compassion and business sense, Senator Mike Bennett, RBradenton,filed a bill today aimed at saving taxpayer dollars along with the lives of Florida’s fourlegged friends. Filing the Florida Animal Rescue Act, Senate Bill 818, Bennett explained that by sending animals to non-profit animal rescue organizations instead of killing them, costs are transferred from taxpayers to private organizations, and the burden on publicly funded shelters is reduced. Costs previously used for killing animals can then be focused on revenue-boosting adoptions.
“Florida has an opportunity to join other states setting a nationwide example by passing a bill that could
save thousands of animals and help direct dollars toward other important initiatives,” said Bennett.
“When we are not using dollars to care for, kill and dispose of animals, there is an immediate cost
savings to local governments.”
Calling it both a compassionate and smart decision, Bennett added that killing animals takes an
incredible toll on shelter staff members who often experience emotional trauma and exhaustion. This measure would spare them such a burden when animals have lifesaving options available.
The Florida Animal Rescue Act also offers protections for the safety of both the public and animals, excluding dangerous dogs, irremediably suffering animals, and it would also exclude organizations affiliated with a volunteer, staff member, director or officer convicted of animal neglect, cruelty or dog fighting, suspending the organization while charges are pending.
For more details on this bill and other legislation moving through the process, visit www.flsenate.gov.
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