828.13 Confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise; abandonment of animals.

(1) As used in this section: (a) “Abandon” means to forsake an animal entirely or to neglect or refuse to provide or perform the legal obligations for care and support of an animal by its owner. (b) “Natural disaster” means a situation in which a hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado warning has been issued for a municipality or a county by the National Weather Service, or the municipality or county is under a mandatory or voluntary evacuation order. (c) “Owner” includes any owner, custodian, or other person in charge of an animal. (d) “Restrain” means to attach a dog to a stationary object or trolley system by way of a chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, or other device.

(2) Whoever: (a) Impounds or confines any animal in any place and fails to supply the animal during such confinement with a sufficient quantity of good and wholesome food and water, (b) Keeps any animals in any enclosure without wholesome exercise and change of air, or (c) Abandons to die any animal that is maimed, sick, infirm, or diseased, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.

(3) Any person who is the owner or possessor, or has charge or custody, of any animal who abandons such animal to suffer injury or malnutrition or abandons any animal in a street, road, or public place without providing for the care, sustenance, protection, and shelter of such animal commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.

(4) Any person who restrains a dog outside during a natural disaster and thereafter abandons the dog commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.

History: ss. 2, 4, ch. 3921, 1889; RS 2510; GS 3396; RGS 5245; CGL 7364; s. 950, ch. 71-136; s. 1, ch. 81-17; s. 3, ch. 82-116; s. 203, ch. 91-224; s. 2, ch. 2025-101.