Legislative activity
Florida Statute § 828.073 — Animals found in distress
Florida's animals-in-distress statute explains how neglected or cruelly treated animals can be removed, made subject to care orders, and routed through county-court review.
Status snapshot
Jurisdiction
Florida
Item type
statute reference
Latest action
The statute authorizes law-enforcement, certified animal-control, and appointed humane agents to seek county-court relief for neglected or cruelly treated animals.
Latest action date
Not published
Law summary
Section 828.073 provides the procedural path for seizing animals or ordering care when an animal is found neglected or cruelly treated. It covers petitions, hearings, return or transfer of custody, cost recovery, and factors a court may consider when deciding whether an owner is fit to keep the animal.
Why it matters
Cruelty accountability does not stop at the charging statute. This provision matters because it governs how animals can be removed from danger and how courts evaluate continued custody, which shapes the real enforcement picture behind cruelty headlines.
Source trail
Key dates
Introduced: Not published
Effective: Not published
Comment deadline: Not published
Election date: Not published
Source last checked: Jun 16, 2026
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