Florida Bill Targets Hunting Dogs
Florida Sen. Joe Gruters has introduced legislation that would unfairly penalize hunting dog owners. Senate Bill 522 would make it a first-degree misdemeanor to leave a dog outside and unattended in temperatures below 32 degrees, even if the animal is in a kennel or has access to other outdoor shelters. Violators could serve up to one year in jail or face a $5,000 fine or both. SB 522 is scheduled to have a hearing in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 10 a.m. in the Mallory Home Committee Room, 37 Senate Building.
Take Action Today! Florida sportsmen should call their state senator and ask them to vote NO on SB 522. Sportsmen can contact their legislators by using the Sportsmen’s Alliance Legislative Action Center Directory.
Hunting dogs often perform in temperatures below 32 degrees. The provisions in Senate Bill 522 are actually harmful to hunting dogs because they will prevent them from becoming acclimated to colder temperatures that occur during hunting seasons.
“The animal-rights lobby has been convincing many well-meaning legislators to carry this same language in other states,” said Bruce Tague vice president of government affairs for Sportsmen’s Alliance. “Unfortunately, the anti’s don’t tell legislators like Sen. Gruters that this legislation could actually endanger the health of the very dogs he is trying to protect. We call on Sen. Gruters to withdraw SB 522, and to work with Florida sportsmen and women to discuss any needed changes to the dog law.”
Jeremy Mallette is co-founder of International Sportsman. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he has spent more than a decade in the outdoor industry, from hiking and camping to silencers and hunting. His father taught him to shoot at age six, and he received his first firearm at age eight — a 1942 Colt Commando .38 special revolver. He enjoys yearly trips to Kansas for pheasant hunting, spending time with his children at the deer lease, and collecting unique firearms.
The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing, and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense, and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible.
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