News for Florida animal advocates

This afternoon, the greyhound bill mentioned below passed the Florida Senate with a 25-14 vote. ARFF would like to thank everyone who contacted their state legislators in support of this important bill. You can find out how your state senator voted at this page. The bill needs to be reconciled with its counterpart in the […]

Yesterday, by a vote of 86-31, the Florida House of Representatives approved a bill that will allow dog tracks in Florida to end live racing (while still offering other forms of gambling)- potentially saving thousands of greyhounds from confinement, injuries and death.
That’s great news, but before the bill can be sent to the governor’s desk, […]

On Wednesday, the Florida House of Representatives adopted HR 9101, a resolution recognizing April 16 as “World Circus Day.” The ceremonial resolution, which was not voted on and does not have the effect of law, urges Floridians to “celebrate, promote, and preserve Florida’s rich circus culture and history.”
We’re fine with recognizing the clowns, tightrope walkers […]

The Miss Florida USA pageant has announced that it has signed a contract with a new broadcasting company, which means that this year’s pageant finals will air on a new group of stations, including WPLG Ch. 10 in Miami.
This year’s pageant will also have new hosts: Will Manso, Ch. 10’s Sports Director, and Kristen Berset, […]

On Monday, the St. Augustine City Commission adopted a new horse-drawn carriage ordinance. Among the many changes in the new ordinance are important protections for horses:

Water must be provided to horses immediately after each tour, and horses must have 15 minutes rest between tours.
Horses must be pulled off the streets if the temperature reaches 95 […]

Sometimes it’s important to focus on the positive. A few highlights from the week:
New animal shelter. On Monday, the Miami-Dade County Commission voted to spend $6 million to purchase a property in Doral to be used for a new animal shelter (constructing the facility will cost an additional $7 million). When it opens late next […]

The Town of Davie has struggled to hold on to its western identity against the ever-expanding South Florida metropolitan area. Residents don’t ride horses through the center of town anymore, but Davie is probably the only place in Florida where you can find western-themed fast-food restaurants. Davie may also be the only place in South […]