In a win for Florida’s retired law enforcement K-9s, Senate Bill 226/House Bill 25, also known as the “Care for Retired Police Dogs Program Act,” was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis and enacted as Chapter No: 2022-188. It takes effect July 1, 2022
This legislation, supported by the American Kennel Club (AKC), establishes a program within the Department of Law Enforcement to work through a non-profit corporation to disburse funds for the veterinary care of qualified retired police dogs. It also appropriates a recurring annual sum of $300,000 for this purpose.
AKC thanks Senator Bobby Powell and Representative Sam H. Killebrew for sponsoring this legislation, as well as co-sponsors Senators Burgess, Perry, Pizzo, Stewart, Torres, and Wright; and Representatives Arrington, Bartleman, Bell, Casello, Driskell, Duran, Eskamani, Fetterhoff, Geller, Hunschofsky, Massullo, Morales, Rayner, Silvers, Slosberg-King, D. Smith, Tant, Trabulsy, and Woodson.
Constituents are encouraged to contact these legislators and thank them for their advocacy on behalf of working dogs in Florida.
Florida Senate contact information
Florida House of Representatives contact information
AKC Supports the Use of Working, Assistance, and Service Dogs. The AKC strongly supports the training and use of dogs by humans, whose lives are enriched by dogs’ performing essential services. Dogs provide a wide variety of valuable services, including handicapped assistance dogs; drug, bomb, and arson detection dogs; and tracking dogs to locate missing persons and fugitives. AKC opposes those who seek to define the assistance and service that dogs provide to humans as exploitative, and encourages the continuation and further development of the use of dogs for these and similar purposes.
View advocacy resources from AKC Government Relations at www.akcgr.org and www.akc.org/government-relations. You can view, download, and share information about issues that affect dogs and dog owners, how you can support good bills like Florida SB 226, and how to effectively oppose problematic canine legislation.
For additional information, please contact doglaw@akc.org.