Latest news with #PamRockAct
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Pam Rock Act signed into law, makes changes to the Florida's dangerous dog statute
Florida has passed a bill in honor of a Putnam County mail carrier who was killed by a pack of wild dogs in 2022. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Pam Rock Act into law on Wednesday. The Pam Rock Act makes several changes to the state's dangerous dog statute, which requires proper fencing and microchipping for deemed dangerous. It would also require animal control agencies to hold dogs during investigations where a person was bitten or chased unprovoked. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Rock's brothers, Tom and Dan, spoke to Action News Jax about the push to get the law passed. 'We got the opportunity to see the whole process ... and see him sign the Pam Rock Act,' Tom Rock said. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] 'Report the incidents, no matter how minuscule an aggressive dog seems to be,' Dan Rock said. Owners of dangerous dogs would have to obtain $100,000 of liability insurance and could face fines of up to $1,000 for violations. The law goes into effect July 1. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Owners of ‘dangerous' dogs will need $100,000 liability insurance under newly signed law
Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the "Pam Rock Act" on May 21, 2025. (Photo via Rep. Judson Sapp's X account) Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law Wednesday bringing harsher penalties and restrictions for owners of dogs that severely injure or kill people. The bill, known as the 'Pam Rock Act,' honors a mail carrier who was mauled to death by five dogs in Putnam County in 2022. Starting July 1, owners of dogs that have attacked humans, severely injured or killed pets, or menacingly chased people will have to carry liability insurance of at least $100,000. 'This legislation is not just a policy change; it's a proclamation to every Floridian that their safety matters,' Green Cove Springs Republican Rep. Judson Sapp, who introduced HB 593, said in a press release. 'Pamela's tragic death was a preventable loss, and with this act, we aim to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. Additionally, owners of such dogs must present current certificates of rabies vaccinations, have an enclosure with warning signs, microchip, and spay or neuter the dog. Animal control gains authority to confiscate dogs pending investigations of incidents and humanely euthanize dogs deemed dangerous that are surrendered. Owners who don't comply could face fines of up to $1,000 per violation. If a dog that has already been classified as dangerous severely injures or kills a person, the owner commits a felony of the second degree. However, for dogs that haven't been officially deemed dangerous, owners would still face first-degree misdemeanors if they showed disregard for their dogs' behavior. Rock's family and the family of Michael Millett, an eight-year-old boy from Volusia County who was killed by a dog in January, attended the bill signing ceremony, according to the press release from Sapp's office. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Dangerous dogs bill signed into Florida law
On Wednesday morning, Gov. Ron DeSantis put his signature on a new law to add more oversight and accountability to dangerous dog owners. The bill, known as the 'Pam Rock Act,' contains the following provision: An animal must be confiscated and impounded when it is being investigated as a dangerous dog and has killed a person or has bitten and left a mark that scores 5 or higher on the Dunbar bite scale. An animal that is subject to any other dangerous dog investigations must be confiscated and impounded. An animal control authority must notify the owner of the final order classifying their dangerous dog by registered mail or certified hand delivery. The owner of a dog classified as dangerous must obtain liability insurance of at least $100,000 and implant a microchip in the dog. The bill creates a third-degree felony for the removal of the microchip. An animal control authority must humanely destroy a dangerous dog that has killed a person or has bitten them seriously and has been surrendered to an animal control authority. The new law has a special meaning for the parents of 8-year-old Michael Millett, who was killed by a pair of dogs in his Volusia County neighborhood in January. Michel's family has spoken to lawmakers about what happened was in Tallahassee for Wednesday's signing. Michael's mother called this a step toward justice for victims of dog attacks. The law got its name from a mail carrier who was killed by a pack of dogs in Putnam County in August 2022. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Dangerous dog' owners in Florida may have to buy insurance. What penalties they could face
Owners of "dangerous dogs" will be required to register them, keep them penned, and carry liability insurance of at least $100,000 under a bill sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The bill also requires animal control to quarantine dogs that are being investigated as menaces and mandates a posted notice for any dogs available for adoption that have previously been declared dangerous. The bill was sent to DeSantis May 16 and is dubbed the "Pam Rock Act" in honor of a 62-year-old Putnam County mail carrier who was mauled to death by five dogs when her truck broke down in a rural area in 2022. It was introduced by Rep. Judson Sapp, R-Green Cove Springs, and Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa. The bill 'can't stop every attack, but it will save lives, protect good dogs and hold negligent owners accountable,' Sapp told the House State Affairs Committee in April. The bill passed unanimously in the House and Senate. Anyone violating the Pam Rock Act would be subject to fines up to $1,000 per violation, and anyone obstructing animal control from enforcing the act could get fined up to $1,000 and/or get jail time up to a year. This is separate from HB 255, also known as "Dexter's Law," which creates a statewide animal cruelty database. That bill also passed unanimously but has not yet been sent to DeSantis' desk. Here's what to know. Sapp called the Pam Rock Act "breed neutral." No dog breeds are mentioned in the text, which places more restrictions and penalties on the owners. 'We have to remember that they are animals, and just like a human animal, there are inherently bad and inherently good, but I do think bad behavior of owners definitely can turn a good dog bad,' Sapp said. Instead, it defines a dangerous dog as one that has: "Aggressively bitten, attacked, or inflicted severe injury on a human being" Has chased or approached a person in a menacing fashion in a public area (if sworn to and investigated) The bill also clarifies that dogs subject to a dangerous dog investigation that have killed a human being or bitten one and left a bite mark that "scores 5 or higher on the Dunbar bite scale" must be confiscated and quarantined until the outcome of the investigation and any hearings or appeals. Dogs being investigated for any other reason may be impounded and held. If not, the owner must confine them in a "proper enclosure." The bill includes the legislative finding that "such attacks are in part attributable to the failure of owners to confine and properly train and control their dogs" and requires that the owner of a dog classified as dangerous must do all of the following: Register the dog and renew the registration annually Have a microchip implanted Spay or neuter the dog Obtain liability insurance of at least $100,000 to cover damages resulting from an attack If a dog has killed a human being or left a bite mark scoring 5 or higher on the Dunbar bite scale, animal control must humanely euthanize the dog under the bill. The animal control authority may also euthanize any other dangerous dog that has been surrendered. If the animal control authority elects to put a dangerous dog up for adoption, it must post signage on the dog's enclosure to let potential adopters know that the dog is dangerous. New owners will also have to abide by the owner requirements listed above. An owner of a dog they knew was potentially dangerous but demonstrates "a reckless disregard for suchpropensities" commits a first-degree misdemeanor under the bill if the dog attacks and causes severe injury to, or death of, a human. Violations mean a fine up to $1,000 and/or up to one year in jail. Currently, Florida statutes consider this a second-degree misdemeanor. The bill also makes resisting or obstructing an animal control officer from enforcing the law a first-degree misdemeanor. Knowingly and willfully removing a microchip from a dangerous dog is a third-degree felony, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment up to 5 years. The Bite Scale was developed by Dr. Ian Dunbar to objectively assess the severity of dog bites. It breaks down as: Fearful, aggressive, or out-of-control behavior, but no skin contact by teeth Skin contact by teeth, but no skin puncture One to four punctures from a single bite with no puncture deeper than half the length of the dog's canine teeth, which may include slight bruising or lacerations One to four punctures from a single bite, with at least one puncture deeper than half the length of the dog's canine teeth and considerable bruising around the wound or lacerations in both directions from the dog's actions Multiple bites with at least two Level 4 bites or multiple attack incidents with at least one Level 4 bite in each Death of victim Pam Rock, 61, was delivering mail on Aug. 21, 2022, when her vehicle broke down in the Interlachen Lake Estates area, according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. Her brother Tom Rock later said she had called for help and was delivering mail on foot. Witnesses said they heard a woman screaming for help and found Rock on the ground being mauled by five dogs. Several neighbors attempted to pull the dogs off and one shot a rifle into the ground to frighten them away, they said. First responders did what they could, even restarting her heart at one point, and the severely wounded Rock was transported to a hospital and then flown to a trauma center in Gainesville. While attempting to save her, doctors were forced to amputate her right leg, her right arm and her left ear, Tom Rock said. Despite their efforts, Rock died the next day. She had been with the mail service for seven months. In August 2024, the Melrose Post Office was dedicated as the "Pamela Jane Rock Post Office Building." Contributing: James Call, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida 'dangerous dog' owners insurance may soon be required
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Higher insurance required for dangerous dogs in Volusia County
Owners of dangerous dogs in Volusia County will now be required to carry insurance policies five times higher than the state standard. A new law meant to hold dog owners accountable is waiting for the governor's signature right now. Eyewitness News has been following this issue closely since January when a child from DeLand was mauled to death by two dogs that wandered into his neighborhood. County leaders want to send a message. Council member David Santiago said if someone wants to own a dangerous dog in this county, it's going to cost them. However, Santiago said he wants to make it clear that this change isn't meant to be a punishment for all pet owners. For him, the motivation stems from the death of 8-year-old Michael Millett. For months, his family and Sheriff Mike Chitwood have pushed for changes in state law. Eyewitness News traveled with them to Tallahassee twice, and now the bill, known as the 'Pam Rock Act,' just needs the governor's signature to become law. The bill got its name from a mail carrier who was killed by a pack of dogs in Putnam County in 2022. The change in law takes a lot of the waiting out for victims and their families. It forces owners of dangerous dogs to have insurance and microchip their dogs. If a dog kills someone, it will have to be put down. In Volusia County, a similar ordinance was already in place, but Santiago said it needed more weight. If a dog is deemed dangerous, the owners will have to carry a $500,000 policy, which is five times the state requirement. Santiago added that deciding if a dog is dangerous will still take several steps. 'It all depends on the specifics of the scenario of the bite. For instance, if a dog is protecting their owner on their own property, if someone is trespassing, dogs don't get classified as dangerous in those situations. So, every case is very specific. It isn't as simple as you bit someone you are now dangerous,' said Santiago. He said for the ordinance and state law to be successful, people need to report incidents to animal control and the sheriff's office. That is something investigators said didn't happen in Michael's case. The dogs in that case were put down after a 10-day quarantine, but that would have happened immediately had they been deemed dangerous before. The owners of those dogs are currently being investigated for manslaughter by culpable negligence and owning a dangerous dog. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
