| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the racing of animals; amending s. |
| 3 | 550.2415, F.S.; requiring the Division of Pari-mutuel |
| 4 | Wagering in the Department of Business and Professional |
| 5 | Regulation to maintain certain records regarding injuries |
| 6 | and the disposition of greyhounds that race in this state; |
| 7 | providing guidelines and requirements for injury and |
| 8 | disposition report forms; providing for the adoption of |
| 9 | rules; providing penalties; providing an effective date. |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 550.2415, Florida |
| 14 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 15 | 550.2415 Racing of animals under certain conditions |
| 16 | prohibited; penalties; exceptions.-- |
| 17 | (6)(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that animals |
| 18 | that participate in races in this state on which pari-mutuel |
| 19 | wagering is conducted and animals that are bred and trained in |
| 20 | this state for racing be treated humanely, both on and off |
| 21 | racetracks, throughout the lives of the animals. |
| 22 | (b) The division shall, by rule, establish the procedures |
| 23 | for euthanizing greyhounds. However, a greyhound may not be put |
| 24 | to death by any means other than by lethal injection of the drug |
| 25 | sodium pentobarbital. A greyhound may not be removed from this |
| 26 | state for the purpose of being destroyed. |
| 27 | (c) It is a violation of this chapter for an occupational |
| 28 | licensee to train a greyhound using live or dead animals. A |
| 29 | greyhound may not be taken from this state for the purpose of |
| 30 | being trained through the use of live or dead animals. |
| 31 | (d) A conviction of cruelty to animals pursuant to s. |
| 32 | 828.12 involving a racing animal constitutes a violation of this |
| 33 | chapter. |
| 34 | (e) The division shall maintain accurate records and |
| 35 | statistics regarding injuries incurred by greyhounds while |
| 36 | racing in this state. The division shall adopt rules requiring |
| 37 | the reporting of injuries incurred by greyhounds while racing in |
| 38 | this state, including schooling races. The reports must include: |
| 39 | 1. The greyhound's registered name and right and left ear |
| 40 | tattoo numbers. |
| 41 | 2. The name, business address, and telephone number of the |
| 42 | greyhound owner, trainer, and kennel operator. |
| 43 | 3. The color, weight, and sex of the greyhound. |
| 44 | 4. The specific type of injury, the cause of the injury, |
| 45 | the estimated recovery time, and the location of the injury on |
| 46 | the greyhound. |
| 47 | 5. Where the injury occurred, whether on a racing track or |
| 48 | in another area. |
| 49 | 6. If the injury occurred while the greyhound was racing, |
| 50 | the racetrack where the injury occurred; the distance, grade, |
| 51 | race, and post position when the injury occurred; and the |
| 52 | weather conditions, time, temperature, and track condition at |
| 53 | the time of the injury. |
| 54 | 7. A certification by the racetrack veterinarian that the |
| 55 | form is correct. |
| 56 | (f) The division shall maintain accurate records and |
| 57 | statistics regarding the disposition of greyhounds that |
| 58 | participate in racing in this state. The division shall adopt |
| 59 | rules requiring the reporting of the disposition of greyhounds |
| 60 | that race in this state, including schooling races. As used in |
| 61 | the reporting requirement, the term "disposition" means death, |
| 62 | transfer to another jurisdiction, retirement, adoption, sale, or |
| 63 | donation for medical research or another purpose. The reports |
| 64 | must include: |
| 65 | 1. The greyhound's registered name and right and left ear |
| 66 | tattoo numbers; the name, business address, and telephone number |
| 67 | of the greyhound owner, trainer, and kennel operator; and the |
| 68 | name and address of the race track where the greyhound last |
| 69 | raced prior to disposition. |
| 70 | 2. If the greyhound was transferred to another track, the |
| 71 | name and address of the track that received the greyhound and |
| 72 | the name, business address, telephone number, and driver's |
| 73 | license number and state of issuance of the person who received |
| 74 | the greyhound on behalf of that track. |
| 75 | 3. If the greyhound was retired for breeding, the name and |
| 76 | address of the facility that received the greyhound and the |
| 77 | name, business address, telephone number, and driver's license |
| 78 | number and state of issuance of the person who received the |
| 79 | greyhound on behalf of that facility. |
| 80 | 4. If the greyhound was adopted or placed for adoption, |
| 81 | the name and address of the person who received the greyhound |
| 82 | and, if applicable, the name, business address, telephone |
| 83 | number, and driver's license number and state of issuance of the |
| 84 | person who received the greyhound on behalf of the adoption |
| 85 | facility. |
| 86 | 5. If the greyhound was euthanized, the name, address, |
| 87 | professional title, professional affiliation of the person |
| 88 | performing the euthanasia, method of euthanasia, and reason the |
| 89 | greyhound was euthanized rather than adopted. |
| 90 | 6. If the greyhound was sold or donated, the name of the |
| 91 | person to whom the greyhound was sold or donated and, if |
| 92 | donated, the name, business address, telephone number, and |
| 93 | driver's license number and state of issuance of the person who |
| 94 | received the greyhound on behalf of the donee. |
| 95 | 7. If the disposition of the greyhound does not fit into |
| 96 | any of the categories specified in subparagraphs 1.-6., the name |
| 97 | of the person to whom the greyhound was transferred and the |
| 98 | name, business address, telephone number, and driver's license |
| 99 | number and state of issuance of the person who received the |
| 100 | greyhound. |
| 101 | 8. Certification by the owner, trainer, and kennel |
| 102 | operator that the disposition forms are correct. |
| 103 | (g) The division shall maintain injury and disposition |
| 104 | records for 7 years. |
| 105 | (h) In addition to other penalties imposed by law, a |
| 106 | person who knowingly makes a false statement on an injury or |
| 107 | disposition form commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, |
| 108 | punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. A person who |
| 109 | knowingly makes a false statement on an injury or disposition |
| 110 | form on a second or subsequent occasion commits a felony of the |
| 111 | third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, |
| 112 | or s. 775.084. |
| 113 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. |