Andrew D. Stine, P.A. - Florida Criminal Defence Attorney

Animal cruelty crimes are the most heartbreaking of all because the victims of the crimes are truly defenseless. Puppy mills are often the biggest animal cruelty cases that people encounter. A puppy mill, sometimes called a puppy farm, is a commercial breeding facility where the operators focus solely on profits and give no heed to the animals' welfare. The conditions are almost always deplorable. A puppy mill was discovered and raided recently in Venice, where over 200 dogs were rescued by the Tri-County Humane Society in Boca Raton and are being treated.

Animal Services is an organization given the responsibility to care for animals neglected or abused by their owners. It is often heart breaking to hear stories about animal service centers that are under investigations of animal cruelty. For animal lovers, it can be jarring to hear that an organization that is dedicated to helping defenseless animals is actually causing more harm than good. One man was outraged to hear that a dog had been euthanized way too soon - violating policy - and actually made several threatening phone calls to the Hernando County Animal Services, even making a bomb threat.

Florida animal cruelty laws state very specifically that anyone who deprives necessary sustenance or shelter or treats any animal in a cruel or inhumane manner is guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor. So how does animal hoarding fit into this description? Charging an animal hoarder with animal cruelty can be tricky because people have the right to live the way they want. The issue is proving that the hoarder's living conditions is a direct threat to the health or life of the animal(s) in question. Several cases have been surfacing recently after the show "Confessions: Animal Hoarding" on Animal Planet has gained the attention of the populous.

Animal cruelty laws in Florida are getting stricter. More and more animal sanctuary owner-operators are being charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty throughout Florida as law enforcement attempts to crack down on the crime. Animal cruelty is the deliberate harm or death of an animal cause by the intentional abuse or neglect of its owner or caregiver. Depending on the severity of the crime, animal cruelty can be charged as a felony with penalties including several years in prison.

Governor Rick Scott has proclaimed this week, the week of February 4-12 as the fourth annual "Florida Week for the Animals." The awareness week is dedicated to promoting awareness for animals and to give recognition to the organizations throughout that fight for animal rights. There are events like pet adoption festivals, educational activities, and even a salute to working and search and rescue K-9's. These events are put together to celebrate the animals within our community, and shine the light on people who work to prevent animal cruelty.

Animal cruelty is a charge that umbrellas several different definitions of crimes within the state of Florida. Animal cruelty charges can include animal neglect, felony or misdemeanor animal cruelty, and even animal fighting. Lake Worth man gets prison term for poor treatment of dogs. After a two-hour hearing, judge Miller sentenced Kipp to six months in jail and five years of probation. While he can keep the five dogs a judge returned to him and a bird and a cat he owns, Miller said he can't own any more animals for five years. Before trial, he rejected a plea deal that called for no jail time- reports Jane Musgrave, Palm Beach Post.

Animal law is evolving rapidly and the changes can be seen throughout the nation. The laws in South Florida changed to make the laws that protect animals much stricter, specifically the tethering laws. These new laws have seen a spike in animal cruelty arrests in the area, and the laws are only continuing to change.