Florida’s new animal-welfare law has expanded public accountability for people found guilty of animal cruelty. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 559 on May 12, 2026, and the measure took effect on October 1, 2026.
The law does more than create a list of names. It specifies the information that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement must publish in a searchable format, establishes how long records remain available, increases the seriousness of certain animal-fighting offenses, and adds protections involving minors.
What the expanded database must include
Under the current version of section 828.12 of the Florida Statutes, FDLE must post the expanded information by January 1, 2027. The required details include a person’s name and aliases, date of birth, race, county of conviction, charges, case numbers, dispositions, identifying marks or tattoos, and a booking photograph connected to the animal-cruelty offense.
The requirement covers people convicted of violating the state’s animal-cruelty statute, as well as people who entered guilty or no-contest pleas, regardless of adjudication. Clerks of court and county detention facilities must provide FDLE with the required records and images.
Records do not remain online forever
HB 559 created different posting periods based on the offense history. Information stays available for three years after a first misdemeanor conviction, five years after a first felony conviction, and ten years after a later misdemeanor or felony conviction.
The law also requires a procedure for removing information when a conviction is overturned or the relevant criminal-history record is sealed. That detail matters because the database is intended to document qualifying legal outcomes, not permanently label someone whose conviction is no longer valid or publicly available.
Stronger rules involving minors and animal fighting
The measure creates a third-degree felony for an adult who causes or entices a minor to commit aggravated animal cruelty, or who commits that offense in a minor’s presence. Juvenile courts must order minors who commit specified animal-cruelty acts to undergo a psychological evaluation and, when recommended, counseling or treatment.
Similar provisions apply when an adult causes or encourages a minor to participate in animal fighting or baiting, or commits such conduct in the minor’s presence. The law also raises the ranking of certain animal-fighting and baiting crimes under Florida’s Criminal Punishment Code.
A 2026 expansion, not the original creation of the list
The timing needs careful explanation. Florida approved “Dexter’s Law” in 2025, which established the state-level animal-abuser list and strengthened sentencing for aggravated cruelty. HB 559 is a separate 2026 law that expands the information and procedures connected to that database while adding new criminal and juvenile provisions.
For communities and animal-welfare organizations, the expanded system may make documented cruelty histories easier to identify. At the same time, its value will depend on accurate court reporting, timely updates and compliance with the law’s removal safeguards.
Official sources
- Florida Legislature — CS/HB 559, Animal Welfare
- Executive Office of the Governor — May 12, 2026 announcement
- Florida Statutes section 828.12 — Cruelty to animals
- Florida Statutes section 828.122 — Fighting or baiting animals
