Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to take action against puppy mills.
He announced a proposal on Tuesday requiring dog breeders to be licensed, saying it allows the state to "hold them accountable for abusive conditions like cramming multiple dogs in small cages, limiting their access to water, overbreeding, or leaving them out and exposed to extreme elements."
DeSantis is calling for the state to develop ethical dog breeding guidelines, too.
His proposal includes a bad breeder hotline and a requirement for pet stores to provide space for shelter dogs before selling from commercial breeders. Many communities in Florida have already banned stores selling dogs.
"There are some bad actors who keep these animals in inhumane conditions, and we want to put an end to that type of practice in the state of Florida," he said at a press conference at Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Palm Beach County, a large no-kill, no-cage rescue.
DeSantis also wants to end deceptive payment plans for puppy purchases and to guarantee accurate veterinary health certificates so sick dogs are not passed off as healthy. And he's promoting increasing criminal penalties for animal abuse in front of minors.
Lawmakers attending the press conference said they planned to push a bill during the upcoming legislative session, which begins in January.
Earlier this year, lawmakers and DeSantis approved measures leading to greater penalties for abandoning and abusing animals — and entry into a public database of abusers.
If you have any questions about state government or the legislative process, you can ask the Your Florida team by clicking here.
This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
