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Florida statute

Fla. Stat. § 828.13 — Confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise; abandonment of animals

Current through 2025 Florida Statutes

Part of Chapter 828: Animals: Cruelty; Sales; Animal Enterprise Protection, Florida Statutes.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of Fla. Stat. § 828.13

Statutory text current through the 2025 Florida Statutes. This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of Florida.

Fla. Stat. § 828.13Primary source, current through the 2025 Florida Statutes
(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.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise; abandonment of animals a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?

It depends on the circumstances: confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise; abandonment of animals ranges from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree to a Felony of the Third Degree in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 828.13.

Failure to provide sufficient food/water/exercise or abandoning dying animal: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 828.13(2)) · Abandonment causing suffering or malnutrition, or abandonment in public place: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 828.13(3)) · Abandonment of restrained dog during natural disaster: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 828.13(4))

Which Florida statute covers confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise; abandonment of animals?

Confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise; abandonment of animals is governed by Fla. Stat. § 828.13 (Confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise; abandonment of animals).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.