A legislative proposal aimed at enhancing public safety by mandating that owners of dangerous dogs carry liability insurance and implant microchips in their pets is advancing to the full Florida House. The House State Affairs Committee recently approved the proposal, designated as HB 593, following the tragic incident in 2022 where Pamela Rock, a 61-year-old mail carrier, was fatally attacked by five dogs in Putnam County.
The initiative emerges from the need to improve measures to prevent such incidents. Under the proposed bill, dangerous dogs are categorized based on specific criteria, including their history of attacking humans. Owners of these classified dogs would be required to secure liability insurance coverage of $100,000 and ensure their pets are microchipped. The microchips serve a dual purpose: facilitating the identification and location of dogs. Additionally, tampering with or removing these microchips would constitute a third-degree felony under the bill.
For the proposal to be enacted into law, an identical bill, known as SB 572, must also gain approval from the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee before progressing to the full Senate.