§ 8-32. Cruelty to animals.

(a)

It is prohibited and unlawful for any owner or other person to deprive any animal under his or her control or custody of food, water, shelter, and protection; or to abandon, poison, beat, whip or kill any animal under his, her, another's or no one's control or custody or to mutilate, overdrive, overload, overwork, torment, torture or otherwise ill-use any animal. This section shall not apply to wild animals killed in the hunt by customary and nonbrutal methods, nor to wild rats, mice, insects, fish, arthropods or vermin; nor shall this section apply to medical research organizations duly licensed or otherwise recognized or supported by State or Federal law; nor shall this section apply to the implementation of control techniques pertaining to Muscovy Ducks, as recognized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or other authorized organizations.

(b)

The provisions of this section shall be construed as being supplemental to the provisions of F.S. § 828.12, or its successor provision(s).

(c)

Pursuant to F.S. § 828.122, as may be amended, fighting or baiting animals is a criminal offense. The City shall report incidents involving such action to the appropriate law enforcement agency and support investigations when so requested and refer cases where probable cause exists to the state attorney's office for criminal prosecution.

(d)

The following acts or omissions shall constitute improper fighting or baiting under this article:

(1)

Baiting, breeding, training, transporting, selling, owning, possessing, or using any wild or domestic animal for the purpose of animal fighting or baiting;

(2)

Owning, possessing, or selling equipment for use in animal fighting or baiting;

(3)

Owning, leasing, managing, operating, or having control of any property kept or used for animal fighting or baiting;

(4)

Promoting, staging, advertising, or charging any admission fee to a fight or baiting between two or more animals;

(5)

Performing any service or act to facilitate animal fighting or baiting, including, but not limited to, providing security, refereeing, or handling or transporting animals or being a stakeholder of any money wagered on animal fighting or baiting;

(6)

Betting or wagering any money or other valuable consideration on the fighting or baiting of animals;

(7)

Attending the fighting or baiting of animals.

(e)

These provisions shall not apply to any person:

(1)

Simulating a fight for the purpose of using the simulated fight as part of a motion picture that will be used on television or in a motion picture.

(2)

Using animals to pursue or take wildlife or to participate in any hunting regulated or subject to being regulated by the rules and regulations of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

(3)

Using animals to work livestock for agricultural purposes.

(4)

Simulating bloodless bullfighting.

(5)

Using animals to hunt wild hogs or retrieve domestic hogs.

(f)

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit, impede, or otherwise interfere with recognized animal husbandry and training techniques or practices not otherwise specifically prohibited by law.

(Ord. No. 2010-10, § 7, 7-20-10)