Florida’s first animal abuser database to launch

It will soon be easier to determine if an individual has hurt an animal in Florida. The state is launching a public animal abuse database Thursday (Jan. 1). 

It is a part of Dexter’s Law, which was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in May. Animal advocate and Ponce Animal Foundation founder Debbie Darino played a key role in getting the legislation passed. 

The bill has two components. In July, the state increased penalties for aggravated animal cruelty and introduced a 1.25 sentencing multiplier. This can lead to more prison terms for severe abuse, she said. 

The second aspect of the law is the database, which will identify convicted animal abusers and those who pleaded guilty or no contest in a cruelty case. It will be available on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s website. 

Individuals do not self-register for the database, Darino explained. It will feature collected court records and be updated every day. Only charges on or after Jan. 1 will be included. 

People will be listed on the database for 10 years, she added. If they commit another animal abuse crime, they will be relisted for another decade. 

“If your name is in the database,” Darino said, “animal shelters can look you up and they will not adopt an animal to you because you’ve been charged with animal cruelty.” 

She added that the initiative can also help individuals who want to rehome their pets. Darino stressed that it’s important to do research about possible owners beforehand. 

“A lot of these people who abuse animals got their animals from Facebook or Craigslist. They got them online where no one is checking them.” 

Dexter’s Law has a tragic Pinellas County tie. The legislation was named after a dog that was adopted in May 2024 by a St. Petersburg resident. However, his mutilated body was discovered in Fort De Soto Park only days later. 

Dexter’s mutilated body was found at Fort De Soto Park days after he was adopted. Photo: Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

Local organizations are preparing for the database to take effect, including St. Petersburg-based Pet Pal Animal Shelter and Friends of Strays Animal Shelter.

Pet Pal executive director Scott Daly said that his team is looking forward to having more help to ensure safe adoptions. 

“We can see what people have done right in front of us. It’s just animal cruelty though,” he explained. “So, we still have to do our part to make sure pets are going into good homes, but we can tell right away that they are not going into a home where they’re going to get hurt by someone who has already committed a crime.”

Daly added that the shelter will “still have to be super careful” as the database grows. 

“A centralized database will have a ripple effect in keeping animals out of harm’s way by tracking animal abusers and making details about them easier and quicker to access,” said Friends of Strays CEO Dara Worthington in a statement prepared for the Catalyst.  

“The database established by Dexter’s Law will be incredibly impactful to animal welfare organizations across the state, and will create an important resource for keeping vulnerable animals safe and out of dangerous hands.”