Courtroom Animal Advocate
The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) files high- impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm, pro- vides free legal assistance and training to prosecutors in their fight against animal cruelty, supports animal protection legislation, and provides resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the field of animal law.
Florida Bar Animal Law
ALDF.org During the 2020 Florida Legislative Session, the
ALDF supports SB 1048, championed by Senator Jason Pizzo (D) District 38 (Miami-Dade). If passed, a Courtroom Animal Advocate Program (CAAP) would be created to ensure that animal victims have a voice in legal proceedings. Volunteer lawyers would represent the interests of animals in criminal cases or civil proceedings concerning an animal’s well-being. Advocates would monitor the case, conduct research, gather information from veterinarians and law enforcement officials, and assist the judge by presenting recommendations on behalf of the animals. To learn more about SB 1048 visit
act.aldf.org/page/15319/action/1
Animal advocates and Florida state legislatures want to outlaw the practice known as pet leasing. In addition to their puppies being
sourced by puppy mills (large commercial breeding facilities with little to no regard for the well-being of puppies and the breeder dogs) pet retail stores are leasing puppies to the consumer. Pet owners are pay- ing more than double the price of the puppy from the retailer. Then, they face a hefty charge at the end of the lease if they want to “own” their dog out- right. The consumer is often duped into signing the contracts, thinking it is a sales agreement. “It preys on people’s emo-
tions,” said Jennifer Hobgood, senior director of state legislation for the ASPCA, Southeast region. “It takes advantage of a legal loophole that needs to be closed forever in Florida.” A Hollywood (Florida) pet owner
www.TheNewBarker.com
store for $2,538. The copy of her contract, however, showed that she agreed to $5,838 in lease payments, with a final payment of $380 if she wanted to own the dog at the end of her lease. If she defaulted on the lease, her Maltipoo
Kipper, an adoptable dog at Hillsborough County Animal Services,
during Reeves Subaru Make A Dog’s Day event in October 2019.
Predatory and Deceptive Pet Leasing
filed a complaint in November 2018 with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The woman purchased a Maltipoo at the pet
could be repossessed. State Sen. Annette Taddeo, D-Miami,
and state Rep. Sam Killebrew, R-Winter Haven, sponsored a similar bill to ban pet leases in 2019, but it didn’t get a hearing in the Legislature. Hobgood believes the bill will have a better chance when the Legislature convenes for its next session on January 14, 2020 as more attention is put on the practice of pet leasing.
The dogs shown in these two photos (yes, there is a dog under that pile of mats in the photo on the right) came from a North Florida (Walton County) puppy mill bust in 2013. We were contacted by VIP Rescue of Florida, who partnered
with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay to take in some of the dogs. These are breeder dogs, used to breed the adorable puppies found at the pet retail stores. This is not
‘responsible breeding.’ Photographs by Anna Cooke.
THE NEW BARKER 67
Many lawyers are not aware that the field of Animal Law includes virtually every substantive area of law. Membership is open to all members of the Florida Bar as well as non-lawyers (affili- ate members). Membership is affordable and supports the Animal Law Section (ALS) with legislative and educa- tional efforts. ALS is permit- ted to support legislative efforts related to their mis- sion which is to promote the study and understanding of laws, regulations, and court decisions involving animals. Interested in becoming a member? Contact Ricky Libbert at
RLibbert@FloridaBar.org. Visit
FlaBarAnimals.org
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