PCS for HB 1521 (2026): An Act Relating to Domestic Animals — Florida House of Representatives
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- 2026 3288 Industries Professional Activities Subcommittee Proposed Committee Bills Pcbs Fn
Summary
A proposed committee substitute, PCS for HB 1521, in the Florida House of Representatives for 2026, styled as a bill relating to domestic animals. It creates s. 828.291, Florida Statutes, directing the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to develop and post a list of voluntary best management practices for dog breeding covering breeding, feeding, housing, health, enrichment, selling and recordkeeping. It creates s. 828.2911, F.S., establishing the Dog Awareness and Welfare Guidelines (DAWG) Breeder Program, with voluntary participation, inspection at the applicant's cost and certification valid for 2 years. It also amends s. 828.29, F.S. on pet sales, revising refund and exchange procedures, disclosure of financial terms, medical records and consumer notices, and changing the pet dealer definition. The bill runs 12 pages and takes effect July 1, 2026.
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“PCS for HB 1521 (2026): An Act Relating to Domestic Animals — Florida House of Representatives.”
Original at www.flhouse.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2026-3288-industries-professional-activities-subcommittee-proposed-committee-bills-pcbs-fn-pcs-for-hb-1521/
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
PCS for HB 1521 2026
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to domestic animals; creating s.
3 828.291, F.S.; providing legislative findings and
4 intent; providing applicability; requiring the
5 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to
6 post a list of voluntary best management practices for
7 entities breeding dogs in this state; creating s.
8 828.2911, F.S.; creating the Dog Awareness and Welfare
9 Guidelines (DAWG) Breeding Program; providing for
10 voluntary participation; providing for an inspection
11 and fee; requiring the department to provide a
12 certificate upon completion of an inspecton; providing
13 a process to suspend or revoke a certification;
14 authorizing the department to adopt rules; amending s.
15 828.29, F.S.; requiring that if a pet sale is
16 terminated for certain reasons, the financing
17 agreement must be terminated without certain costs;
18 deleting a limit on veterinary costs under certain
19 provisions; requiring that all financial terms be
20 disclosed to the consumer before the sale of the
21 animal; deleting certain provisions relating to a
22 consumer's waiver relinquishing his or her rights to
23 return an animal; requiring a pet dealer to provide
24 copies of specified medical records to a consumer;
25 revising requirements for a required notice to a
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PCS for HB 1521 2026
26 consumer; revising the text of the required notice;
27 requiring a pet dealer to retain a copy of a specified
28 notice for a specified period; providing construction;
29 providing an effective date.
30
31 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
32
33 Section 1. Section 828.291, Florida Statutes, is created
34 to read:
35 828.291 Best management practices for dog breeding. —
36 (1) The purpose of this section is to allow voluntary
37 participation in best management practices for minimum standards
38 of care, facility operations, and breeding practices for
39 individuals or entities engaged in the breeding of dogs in order
40 to protect animal welfare, promote responsible breeding, and
41 ensure the health and safety of animals and consumers.
42 (2) This section may not be construed to prohibit a local
43 jurisdiction from implementing requirements for individuals or
44 entities engaged in the breeding of dogs.
45 (3) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
46 shall develop a list of best management practices that
47 individuals or entities engaged in the breeding of dogs may
48 voluntarily adopt and implement. Such best management practices
49 must include minimum standards of care, facility operations, and
50 breeding practices for individuals or entities engaged in the
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51 breeding of dogs including, but not limited to, the following:
52 (a) Breeding.
53 (b) Feeding.
54 (c) Housing.
55 (d) Health.
56 (e) Enrichment.
57 (f) Selling and transferring, in accordance with s.
58 828.29.
59 (g) Recordkeeping, in accordance with s. 828.29.
60 (4) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
61 shall post on its website guidance for the public about how to
62 identify the breeders that are following best breeder practices
63 and provide a checklist to use when purchasing a dog.
64 (5) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
65 shall post on its website information regarding animal cruelty,
66 including a description of conduct constituting animal cruelty
67 under s. 828.12 and s. 828.13, the penalties for such conduct,
68 and instructions for reporting suspected animal cruelty or abuse
69 to the appropriate local authorities, including the contact
70 information for at least one appropriate authority for each
71 county in the state.
72 Section 2. Section 828.2911, Florida Statutes, is created
73 to read:
74 828.2911 Dog Awareness and Welfare Guidelines (DAWG)
75 Breeder Program. —
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76 (1) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
77 shall establish the Dog Awareness and Welfare Guidelines (DAWG)
78 Breeder Program to recognize dog breeders who have voluntarily
79 adopted and implemented the best management practices for dog
80 breeding. The department shall certify any individual or entity
81 that the department has determined has voluntarily adopted and
82 implemented the best management practices for dog breeding
83 pursuant to s. 828.291 and who has complied with this section.
84 Such certification is good for 2 years and dog breeders may
85 reapply at the expiration of such certification.
86 (2) Participants in the DAWG Breeder Program must agree to
87 submit to inspection by the Department of Agriculture and
88 Consumer Services, or its designee, and pay the actual cost for
89 such inspection. Subject to appropriations, the department, or
90 its designee, may conduct an inspection of the applicant's dog
91 breeding program including, but not limited to, all animals
92 located on an applicant’s premises, the breeding and housing
93 facility of such animals, and any records of health or sale
94 maintained by the applicant.
95 (a) The department may contract with and designate local
96 law enforcement or animal services, when local staff and
97 resources are available, or any other public or private entity
98 that the department determines regularly conducts animal welfare
99 investigations, to perform inspections or related investigative
100 activities. Private service providers may include Florida
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101 licensed veterinarians currently in good standing that have been
102 licensed for 10 years.
103 (b) Local governments or enforcement authorities may
104 contract with the department to conduct breeder inspections
105 subject to the availability of local funding, staff, and
106 resources. If a local government or enforcement authority
107 determines it lacks the staff or resources to perform the
108 inspections, such inspection may be conducted by a department
109 approved private provider, provided that the breeder bears the
110 cost of inspection.
111 (c) If sufficient resources are not available, the
112 applicant must wait until such resources are available or
113 contract with a private provider designated and approved by the
114 department in order to obtain certification.
115 (3) If the applicant passes inspection, the department
116 must provide the applicant a DAWG Breeder Program certificate.
117 (4) The department may suspend or revoke the certification
118 of any DAWG certified dog breeder at any time if the department
119 discovers that such breeder has failed to maintain the best
120 management practices created pursuant to s. 828.291.
121 (5) A dog breeder who is certified by the program may
122 identify such certification in their professional practice,
123 including in marketing and advertising materials.
124 (6) Recognition by the program is not required for a dog
125 breeder to engage in dog breeding in the state.
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126 (7) The department shall adopt rules to implement this
127 section.
128 Section 3. Subsections (5) through (8), (10), (12), (13)
129 and (17) of section 828.29, Florida Statutes, are amended, and
130 subsections (18) is added to that section, to read:
131 828.29 Dogs and cats transported or offered for sale;
132 health requirements; consumer guarantee; disclosures. —
133 (5) If, within 30 14 days after following the sale by a
134 pet dealer of an animal subject to this section, a licensed
135 veterinarian of the consumer's choosing certifies that, at the
136 time of the sale, the animal was unfit for purchase due to
137 illness or disease, the presence of symptoms of a contagious or
138 infectious disease, or the presence of internal or external
139 parasites, excluding fleas and ticks; or if, within 1 year after
140 following the sale of an animal subject to this section, a
141 licensed veterinarian of the consumer's choosing certifies such
142 animal to be unfit for purchase due to a congenital or
143 hereditary disorder which adversely affects the health of the
144 animal; or if, within 1 year after following the sale of an
145 animal subject to this section, the breed, sex, or health of
146 such animal is found to have been misrepresented to the
147 consumer, the pet dealer shall afford the consumer the right to
148 choose one of the following options:
149 (a) The right to return the animal and receive a refund of
150 the purchase price, including any interest accrued and the sales
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151 tax or fees paid or due from the purchaser, and reimbursement
152 for reasonable veterinary costs directly related to the
153 veterinarian's examination and certification that the animal dog
154 or cat is unfit for purchase pursuant to this section or and
155 directly related to necessary emergency services and treatment
156 undertaken to relieve suffering of such animal. If the consumer
157 financed the animal pursuant to a financing agreement with the
158 pet dealer, the pet dealer must ensure that the financing
159 arrangement is terminated without penalty to the consumer;
160 (b) The right to return the animal and receive an exchange
161 dog or cat of the consumer's choice of equivalent value, and
162 reimbursement for reasonable veterinary costs directly related
163 to the veterinarian's examination and certification that the
164 animal dog or cat is unfit for purchase pursuant to this section
165 or and directly related to necessary emergency services and
166 treatment undertaken to relieve suffering of such animal; or
167 (c) The right to retain the animal and receive
168 reimbursement for reasonable veterinary costs for necessary
169 services and treatment related to the attempt to cure or curing
170 of the animal, dog or cat. or necessary emergency services or
171 treatment undertaken to relieve the suffering of such animal
172 related to such services received within 1 year of purchase.
173
174 Reimbursement for veterinary costs may not exceed the purchase
175 price of the animal. The cost of veterinary services is
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176 reasonable if such costs are comparable to the cost of similar
177 services rendered by other licensed veterinarians in proximity
178 to the treating veterinarian and the services rendered are
179 related to appropriate for the examination and certification of
180 fitness by the veterinarian.
181 (6) All financial terms must be disclosed by the pet
182 dealer to the consumer before the sale of an animal, including
183 the total cost of the animal, any fees, taxes and, if
184 applicable, financing charges or interest over the period
185 financed A consumer may sign a waiver relinquishing his or her
186 right to return the dog or cat for congenital or hereditary
187 disorders. In the case of such waiver, the consumer has 48
188 normal business hours, excluding weekends and holidays, in which
189 to have the animal examined by a licensed veterinarian of the
190 consumer's choosing. If the veterinarian certifies that, at the
191 time of sale, the dog or cat was unfit for purchase due to a
192 congenital or hereditary disorder, the pet dealer must afford
193 the consumer the right to choose one of the following options:
194 (a) The right to return the animal and receive a refund of
195 the purchase price, including sales tax, but excluding the
196 veterinary costs related to the certification that the dog or
197 cat is unfit; or
198 (b) The right to return the animal and receive an exchange
199 dog or cat of the consumer's choice of equivalent value, but not
200 a refund of the veterinary costs related to the certification
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201 that the dog or cat is unfit.
202 (7) Before the sale of an animal, a pet dealer must
203 provide to the consumer copies of records of all medical
204 examinations or tests that were conducted on the animal or any
205 medication given before the purchase of the animal. A pet dealer
206 may specifically state at the time of sale, in writing to the
207 consumer, the presence of specific congenital or hereditary
208 disorders, in which case the consumer has no right to any refund
209 or exchange for those identified disorders, if such consumer
210 signs a notification that indicates that the animal has been
211 examined by a veterinarian and it has been determined that the
212 animal has the identified specific congenital or hereditary
213 disorder.
214 (8) The refund or exchange required by subsection (5) must
215 or subsection (6) shall be made by the pet dealer not later than
216 10 business days after following receipt of a signed veterinary
217 certification as required in subsection (5) or subsection (6).
218 The consumer must provide notice and documentation to notify the
219 pet dealer within 7 2 business days after receipt of the
220 veterinarian's determination that the animal is unfit. The
221 written certification of unfitness must be presented to the pet
222 dealer not later than 3 business days following receipt thereof
223 by the consumer.
224 (10) If a pet dealer wishes to contest a demand for
225 veterinary expenses, refund, or exchange made by a consumer
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226 under this section, the dealer may require the consumer to
227 produce the animal for examination by a licensed veterinarian
228 designated by the dealer. Upon such examination, if the consumer
229 and the dealer are unable to reach an agreement that constitutes
230 one of the options set forth in subsection (5) or subsection (6)
231 within 10 business days after following receipt of the animal
232 for such examination, the consumer may initiate an action in a
233 court of competent jurisdiction, or the county court, small
234 claims court division in the county where the animal owner
235 resides, to recover or obtain reimbursement of veterinary
236 expenses, and a refund, or exchange, as set forth in subsection
237 (5), and may collect punitive damages in an amount not less than
238 $2,500, at the discretion of the court.
239 (12) Every pet dealer who sells an animal to a consumer
240 must provide the consumer at the time of sale with a printed,
241 written notice in 14-point bold font to be signed by the
242 consumer, printed or typed, which is separate from the contract.
243 The pet dealer shall retain a copy of the signed notice, and the
244 consumer must be given a copy of the signed notice. Such notice
245 must read reads as follows:
246
247 RIGHT TO CANCEL
248 Florida consumers have certain rights under s. 828.29, Florida
249 Statutes. You have the right to: 1) return the animal; 2)
250 exchange the animal; and 3) receive reimbursement for certain
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251 veterinary expenses under certain circumstances. Please have
252 your new pet seen by a veterinarian immediately. A copy of this
253 law is attached to this notice.
254
255 It is the consumer's right, pursuant to section
256 828.29, Florida Statutes, to receive a certificate of
257 veterinary inspection with each animal dog or cat
258 purchased from a pet dealer. Such certificate shall
259 list all vaccines and deworming medications
260 administered to the animal and shall state that the
261 animal, and list any medical diagnosis and treatments.
262 has been examined by a Florida-licensed veterinarian
263 who certifies that, to the best of the veterinarian's
264 knowledge, the animal was found to have been healthy
265 at the time of the veterinary examination. In the
266 event that the consumer purchases the animal and finds
267 it to have been unfit for purchase as provided in
268 section 828.29(5), Florida Statutes, the consumer must
269 notify the pet dealer within 7 2 business days of the
270 veterinarian's determination that the animal was
271 unfit. The consumer has the right to retain, return,
272 or exchange the animal and receive reimbursement for
273 certain related veterinary services rendered to the
274 animal, subject to the right of the dealer to have the
275 animal examined by another veterinarian.
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276
277 ...(Signature of Animal Owner or Lessee, Purchaser, or
278 Authorized Person)...
279
280 (13) For the purposes of this section subsections (5)-(12)
281 and (16), the term "pet dealer" means any person, firm,
282 partnership, corporation, or other association which, in the
283 ordinary course of business, engages in the sale of more than
284 three two litters, or 30 20 dogs or cats, per year, whichever is
285 greater, to the public. This definition includes breeders of
286 animals who sell such animals directly to a consumer. This
287 definition does not include not-for-profit entities that offer
288 animals for sale or adoption as long as the total cost of such
289 sale or adoption does not exceed $500, including all taxes and
290 fees, or other costs.
291 (17) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a
292 person who violates any provision of this section commits a
293 misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
294 775.082 or s. 775.083.
295 (18) Any record provided to a consumer related to the sale
296 of an animal under this section must be maintained by the pet
297 dealer for a period of at least 3 years after the date of sale.
298
299 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
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