DeSantis asks Legislature to punish inhumane dog breeders

Credit: Ron DeSantis/Facebook

Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed new penalties against certain dog breeders and animal abusers on Tuesday, hoping to pass more anti-animal cruelty legislation before his term is through.

He spoke at Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee early Tuesday, the same site where he signed two other anti-animal cruelty measures into law earlier this year. For the 2026 session, DeSantis wants the Legislature to impose a statewide dog breeder license, target unethical dog breeding, and tighten penalties for Floridians who abuse animals in front of children.

According to its website, Big Dog Ranch Rescue is the largest cage-free, no-kill animal rescue organization in the nation.

“There are some bad actors who keep these animals in inhumane conditions and we want to put an end to that type of practice in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said, joined by Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and a host of Republican lawmakers eager to sponsor the proposed legislation.

“It’s been a long-time coming,” he added.

According to the governor, the measure would require the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to issue statewide dog breeder licenses to better “hold them accountable” for abusive conditions. This could include overbreeding female dogs, overcrowding breeding areas, a lack of veterinary care, or exposure to harsh environments.

The proposal asks pet stores to offer local shelters spaces to put dogs up for adoption before the space is used to sell dogs from “puppy mills,” which are large, for-profit centers designed for quick breeding under poor conditions. In 2023, the Humane Society of the U.S. ranked Miami-Dade County as the highest area in the country for pet stores peddling puppy-mill dogs.

Other suggestions include establishing a hotline to crack down on unethical breeding practices, ensuring veterinarians give consumers accurate information about dogs, and increased penalties for those who abuse animals in front of a minor.

Not the first animal legislation…

Republican Rep. Meg Weinberger, a leading animal-rights activist representing Palm Beach, sponsored similar legislation in the 2025 session. Republican Sen. Jonathan Martin filed the companion bill in the Senate. Their bills required breeders to register with the state, undergo inspections, and be listed in a public database.

Violators would face hefty fines. However, neither bill was ever voted in either a House nor a Senate committee.

This isn’t DeSantis’ first venture to Big Dog Ranch Rescue. At the end of the 2025 legislative session, he signed “Trooper’s Law” and “Dexter’s Law” at the South Florida venue. On Tuesday, he vowed to do so with his new proposals if the Legislature agrees.

“The mission is, you legislators, churn this out and then we’ll set a date to come back here and … then we’ll do an even bigger celebration,” he said.

Trooper’s Law, named after a Bull Terrier nicknamed “Trooper” by Florida Highway Patrol, makes it a third-degree felony to restrain and abandon a dog outside during a natural disaster. Trooper was found tied to a Tampa fence ahead of Hurricane Milton as floods rushed in. Animal cruelty charges were dropped against his former owner for lack of evidence of intent.

Dexter’s Law lengthens prison sentences for Floridians who torture, mutilate, or kill pets. This came after Dexter, a bulldog mix, was found decapitated and dumped in St. Petersburg.

The 2026 legislative session begins Jan. 13.