Tell DeSantis to Veto the Puppy Mill Law
The Florida Legislature passed a cruel new bill that would give businesses that support the puppy mill industry, like Petland, much more power to operate anywhere in Florida. The bill, SB 620, will now head to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature.
Take one minute and ask Gov. DeSantis to VETO this license for animal cruelty.
The bill is SB 620. The bill is written in a way that would cripple local governments' ability to pass local ordinances that keep businesses like Petland from operating. More than 400 cities, towns, and counties across 31 states have joined the movement to stop the puppy-mill-to-pet-store pipeline. Unfortunately, the puppy mill lobbyists are fighting back.
We partnered with the Humane Society to bring more attention to this horrible legislation. Most major pet retailers have long since stopped selling puppies for profit, except Petland. They currently have around a dozen locations across Florida. If this bill becomes law, Petland could sue a city that tries to ban dog sales — and force the city to pay Petland up to seven years’ worth of lost profits.
The Florida Senate President, Wilton Simpson (Trilby, FL), not only supports SB 620 but campaign finance records show he has raised more than $125,000 from Petland and its franchisees'. Emails obtained through a public records request show that a top DeSantis aide reached out to Senator Simpson’s chief of staff late in the legislative session to express concerns that the bill would become a legal shield for puppy mills. The governor’s office asked Simpson to amend his bill (SB 620) to ensure that local governments wouldn’t face retaliation for laws meant to protect animals. Simpson declined to change his bill. He is now running to be the Florida Commissioner for Agriculture and Consumer Services, one of three elected Cabinet positions in the state.
The Legislature passed SB 620 two weeks later without ANY exemption for animal-welfare ordinances.
