This bill amends Florida Statutes related to animal cruelty offenses by revising definitions and establishing new criminal punishment scoring. Specifically, it introduces the definition of "domestic animal" and clarifies the meaning of "cruelty" in the context of animal treatment. The bill also updates the definition of "animal" to encompass every living dumb creature and expands the definition of "owner" to include corporations and their agents.

Additionally, the bill modifies the Criminal Punishment Code to include a new scoring category for "animal cruelty towards a domestic animal," which will result in a 1.25 multiplier on the subtotal sentence points for offenders convicted of such crimes. This scoring adjustment aims to enhance penalties for animal cruelty offenses involving domestic animals, while also clarifying that the provisions do not apply to animals used for agricultural purposes or captive wildlife. The act is set to take effect upon becoming law.

Statutes affected:
S 502 Filed: 828.02, 921.0024