Florida – Florida has officially launched its first statewide animal abuser database, marking a major step forward in protecting animals and holding offenders accountable. The searchable database, now live on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) website, is part of Dexter’s Law, legislation named after Dexter, a shelter dog who was brutally killed in Pinellas County just days after being adopted.
Animal activist and author Debbie Darino, who helped draft the law, said Dexter’s case deeply affected her. “I was made aware of what happened to Dexter, and it made me cry thinking about it for days,” she said. Darino previously authored Ponce’s Law in 2018, which strengthened penalties for animal cruelty and allowed courts to ban convicted abusers from owning or having contact with animals.
Dexter’s Law builds on those protections. A portion of the law took effect July 1, increasing penalties for repeat animal abusers through a sentencing multiplier that raises the likelihood of prison time. “They’re a danger to our community,” Darino said. “It’s time that they sat in prison and thought about what they’ve been doing.”
The second portion establishes the public database, which lists individuals charged or convicted of animal cruelty. Darino says the tool will help shelters, rescues, law enforcement, and the public avoid placing animals in dangerous situations. While the database is still being refined, Darino says her work isn’t done, and she hopes to see similar protections enacted nationwide.
“We want to save their lives,” she said. “We want to protect them.”
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