Tallahassee, FL – The Florida Senate passed the “Pam Rock Act” (CS for HB 593) on April 28, 2025, amending state laws to impose stricter regulations on dangerous dogs.
The bill was introduced by Representative Sapp and co-sponsored by Representatives Barnaby, Driskell, López, Partington, and Valdés.
The act revises Florida Statutes to enhance public safety by addressing dangerous dogs, defined as those that have bitten or attacked humans, severely injured or killed domestic animals off the owner’s property, or menaced people in public spaces.
If Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs the bill into law, it would take effect July 1, 2025.
Major changes include:
- Mandatory Confinement: Dogs that have killed or caused severe human injury (e.g., bites scoring 5 or higher on the Dunbar bite scale) must be immediately confiscated, quarantined, or impounded until investigations and appeals conclude. Other dangerous dogs must be confined in a secure enclosure by their owners.
- Owner Requirements: Within 14 days of a dangerous dog classification, owners must obtain a certificate of registration, renewable annually, and provide:
- Proof of rabies vaccination
- A secure enclosure with warning signs
- Permanent identification (e.g., microchip or tattoo)
- Spaying or neutering
- Liability insurance of at least $100,000
- Euthanasia and Adoption: Dogs that have killed or severely injured humans must be euthanized if surrendered. Other dangerous dogs may be euthanized or adopted, with adopters informed of the dog’s history and required to sign a compliance contract.
- Penalties: Violations carry fines up to $1,000 per infraction. Resisting animal control enforcement is a first-degree misdemeanor. Owners of previously declared dangerous dogs that cause severe injury or death face felony charges, escalated to a second-degree felony for human fatalities.
- Exemptions: Hunting dogs and those in legal training or exhibitions are exempt during such activities but are otherwise subject to the law.
The bill cites the increasing threat of dangerous dogs due to owners’ failure to confine or control them, necessitating uniform regulations. It includes safeguards, such as exemptions for dogs protecting owners or reacting to unlawful acts, and requires animal control to investigate incidents, notify owners, and offer hearings within 21 days. Owners may appeal to the circuit court.
Named after Pamela Rock, a USPS rural mail carrier killed by dogs with a known history of aggression, the act aims to prevent similar incidents.
“This bill was brought to me by the Rock family after the tragic death of Pamela Rock, a constituent of mine and a rural mail carrier. Pamela was brutally attacked and killed by a pack of dogs with a known history of aggression,” said Sapp.
“Her loss is a stark reminder of the need for stronger protections.”
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