A.G. Gancarski
A law potentially fixing a canine conundrum could become law soon, but the Senate and House must reconcile minor linguistic differences between their legislative products.
On Monday, the Senate unanimously passed the House version of the “Pam Rock Act,” which institutes some potential guardrails against overly aggressive canines.
But not before amending it.
The changes to HB 593 are relatively minor in some places, changing “owners of dogs” to “dog owner” and other changes of plurals to singular nouns.
“If a dog owner has knowledge of the dog’s dangerous propensities, the owner must securely confine the dog in a proper enclosure as defined in s. 767.11,” the Senate version adds.
The Senate also changed the condition that a pen or enclosure “shall” be secure to “must” be secure.
But the big change appears to be how to handle a dangerous dog.
“An animal that is the subject of any other a dangerous dog investigation may be immediately confiscated by an animal control authority; placed in quarantine, if necessary, for the proper length of time; impounded; and held,” the Senate product stipulates.
Furthermore, the Senate version says an “animal that is the subject of a dangerous dog investigation and that has killed a human being or has bitten a human being and left a bite mark that scores 5 or higher on the Dunbar bite scale must because of severe injury to a human being may be immediately confiscated by an animal control authority; placed in quarantine, if necessary, for the proper length of time;, or impounded; and held.”
That tightens House language that stipulates the more vague “severe injury to a human being.”
The Senate bill also sets up parameters for potential adoption of dangerous dogs, saying “the animal control authority … must post signage on the dog’s enclosure to inform potential adopters that the dog has been declared dangerous and inform any adopter of the dog owner’s requirements under this section. The animal control authority must provide a person who adopts a dangerous dog with a copy of the declaration and must require them to sign a contract with the authority agreeing to abide by the requirements of the declaration.”
The Senate version also increases penalties for obstruction from the House companion.
“A person who violates any provision of this section commits a noncriminal infraction, punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000 per violation. In addition, any person who resists or obstructs an animal control authority in enforcing this section commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.”
Republican Sen. Jay Collins, the bill’s sponsor, explained some of the changes.
“This bill changed the definition of owner in the House version and is amended to include a parent or guardian of an owner,” Collins said.
”It makes sure that it complies with the Senate language. The definition of proper enclosure is now brought into existing state language, as our bill had as well. After that, it just makes sure that all of the ands and ors and everything else are lined up and very technical in approach.”
A 61-year-old mail carrier who lived in Putnam County, Pam Rock was fatally attacked by a pack of dogs in August 2022. Assuming the House and Senate can agree on final language, this legislation will do real good, Collins said.
“It makes sure that these dogs that attack somebody are held if they cause severe enough damage. It makes sure that we use a specific bite index to grade these bites in a realistic and methodical manner. It says that if the bite is bad enough and the investigation shows that it’s true, then that dog can be put down if it’s a severe enough injury. And lastly, it provides closure and it makes sure that when this happens, people are held accountable when their dogs cause harm to another person.”
