Florida law requires cruelty records and sets pet sale protections

The Department of Law Enforcement must post searchable records about people convicted of animal cruelty, and court clerks and county detention facilities must provide the required information and images. The records include names and aliases, birth dates, race, conviction counties, charges, case numbers, outcomes, identifying marks and tattoos, and booking photos. The records cover people convicted of, or who pleaded guilty or no contest to, an offense under the animal cruelty law, regardless of adjudication. Posting must begin January 1, 2026.

Pet dealers must disclose financing terms and provide buyers with the animal’s medical records before a sale. When the animal meets listed health or misrepresentation conditions, the dealer must offer the buyer a refund, an exchange, or eligible veterinary cost reimbursement. These rules apply to pet dealers covered by the law and sales of animals subject to it. A veterinarian must certify listed illness, disease, or parasite problems within 30 days after sale; congenital or hereditary disorders that harm the animal’s health must be certified within 1 year. The same 1-year period applies to misrepresentation of breed, sex, or health. A buyer who signs a notice acknowledging a specific diagnosed disorder has no refund or exchange right for that disorder. Veterinary cost reimbursement is subject to limits, including a cap at the animal’s purchase price; a dealer may request an examination by its veterinarian. A buyer must notify the dealer within 7 business days after the veterinarian determines the animal is unfit and provide the written certification within 3 business days after receiving it. If the dealer contests a demand and the parties cannot agree within 10 business days after the dealer receives the animal for examination, the buyer may bring a court action; a court may award punitive damages of at least $2,500. The health certification periods run from the sale: 30 days for listed illnesses, diseases, or parasites, and 1 year for congenital or hereditary disorders. The 1-year period also applies to misrepresentation.

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation must develop voluntary dog-breeding practices and post guidance for the public, including animal cruelty information and reporting instructions. The practices cover breeding, care and housing, health, sales, and recordkeeping. Public guidance must explain how to identify breeders following the practices and include a checklist for buying an animal; cruelty information must explain reporting and give contact information for at least one appropriate authority in each county. Breeders may choose whether to follow the practices. Local governments may still set requirements for dog breeders. The act took effect July 1, 2026.