⚠ Disclaimer: The information contained in this database and documents is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a legal document. It has been compiled from a variety of sources, including news articles, social media posts, court and public records.
DNA Florida
Do Not Adopt · Animal Welfare Registry
11,152TOTAL RECORDS
Bringing awareness to the community by exposing Florida abusers, flippers and scammers.
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Background Check & Investigation Resources — Tools for researching individuals and organizations in animal welfare investigations: court records, criminal history, nonprofit lookups, reporting channels, microchip tools, and Florida FOIA guidance.
⚖️ Florida Animal Abuser Registry (Dexter's Law)
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement maintains a searchable, statewide list of everyone convicted of, or who pleaded guilty/no-contest to, animal cruelty offenses — covering all 67 counties, not only counties with their own local registry.
Section 6113 of the Internal Revenue Code requires certain tax-exempt organizations that are not eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions to state, in any fundraising solicitation, that contributions are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Applies to organizations described in section 501(c), 501(d), or 527. A fundraising solicitation is any request for contributions or gifts made in written or printed form or by television, radio, or telephone.
Browse millions of annual returns filed by tax-exempt organizations. See executive compensation, revenue, expenses and more. Search for an organization or a person, or search the full text of filings.
All non-profits in Florida that solicit contributions/donations must have a license. Soliciting contributions from persons in Florida, or from a physical location in Florida, without being properly registered is a violation of Chapter 496, Florida Statutes.
The Solicitation of Contributions Act requires anyone who solicits donations from people in Florida to register with FDACS and renew annually. Applies to charitable organizations, sponsors, professional solicitors and professional fundraising consultants. FDACS collects registration fees and can impose penalties for non-compliance.
Or mail a completed form with copies (not originals) of paperwork to: Office of the Attorney General, PL-01 The Capitol, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050 · (850) 414-3990 · Toll free in FL: 1-866-966-7226
Compiled August 2026 — verify current status. This reference helps rescues and the public identify attorneys for pet-related legal issues in Florida (stolen pets, custody, cruelty, contracts, veterinary disputes). It is not legal advice or an endorsement. Always confirm licensing, availability, and fees directly.
Where to Report (first step, not attorneys)
Suspected animal cruelty/neglect: local county animal control/services or police/sheriff non-emergency line.
Stolen pet: file a police report where the theft occurred (pets are property).
Found pet: local animal control/shelter and microchip scan at a vet or shelter.
Animal & dog law; equine law; Florida Bar Animal Law Committee
Howard Marc Hughes — Hughes & Barnard
Jupiter · (561) 296-9400 · handmlaw.net
Animal & dog law; personal injury
David E. Rosenberg — Rosenberg & Rosenberg
Hollywood · (954) 371-2080 · rosenbergandrosenberg.com
Personal injury incl. dog bite matters
Mitchell Stuart Zeiger
Palmetto Bay · (305) 238-9164
Animal & dog law
Steven M. Logan
West Palm Beach · (561) 791-1882 · loganlawyer.com
Pet/animal law generalist; ~$45 consult fee now applies
The Goodwin Firm (April S. Goodwin & Sharon L. Creveling)
South Florida · goodwin-firm.com
Pet ownership/custody, return of stolen pets, dog bite defense, landlord/HOA pet disputes
North/Central Florida (Gainesville / Micanopy)
Steven Frisco
Gainesville · (352) 373-7566
Animal & dog law
Howard Lidsky
Gainesville · (352) 375-8489
Animal & dog law
Elika O. Stimpson
Micanopy · (352) 462-3377
Animal & dog law
Southwest Florida
Jeremy W. Killpack
Fort Myers · Contact via Florida Bar directory
Animal & dog law
Key Organizations & Referral Resources
Animal Law Section of The Florida Bar
Promotes study of animal-related laws; CLEs, networking. flabaranimals.org / floridabar.org · Section Administrator via The Florida Bar (850) 561-5600 · Executive Council Chair Scott Guarcello (Coconut Creek area): 561-394-3399
Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF)
Nonprofit advocacy/education organization (not a law firm; no individual legal representation). (954) 727-2733 · arff@animalrightsflorida.org or arff@arff.org · arff.org · PO Box 39352, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33339. May refer or provide resources on cruelty reporting/advocacy.
Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service
1-800-342-8011 — request attorneys with animal law experience
Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF)
National organization; does not generally represent private individuals in lawsuits but offers resources and may have referral info. aldf.org · (707) 795-2533
Tip: Word requests carefully, e.g. “any and all records for services or any animals associated with [name/org].”
Sample FOIA Request Letter (template)
[Your Name]
[Street Address]
[City, ST ZIP Code]
[Date]
[Name of Custodian of Records], [Title]
[Company Name]
[Street Address]
[City, ST ZIP Code]
Dear [custodian of records]:
Pursuant to Article I, section 24 of the Florida Constitution, and chapter 119, F.S., I am requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of public records that [Describe the records or information sought with enough detail for the public agency to respond. Be as specific as your knowledge of the available records will allow. But it is more important to describe the information you are seeking.]
[Optional — specify what you are willing to pay. Options: (1) If there are any fees for searching or copying these records, please inform me before filling my request. OR (2) I am willing to pay fees for this request up to a maximum of $_________. If you estimate that the fees will exceed this limit, please inform me first. OR (3) I request a waiver of all fees for this request since the disclosure of the information I seek is not primarily in my commercial interest, and is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government, making the disclosure a matter of public interest. You may want to provide more detail explaining how your request would be of benefit to public understanding.]
Should you deny my request, or any part of the request, please state in writing the basis for the denial, including the exact statutory citation authorizing the denial as required by s. 119.07(1)(d), F.S.
I will contact your office within [select a specific period of time: 24 hours, 48 hours, one week, etc.] to discuss when I may expect fulfillment of my request, and payment of any statutorily prescribed fees. If you have any questions in the interim, you may contact me at [fill in a telephone number or email address].
Thank you,
[Your Name]
[Your Phone number]
Florida County Websites — Clerk, court records, property appraiser, and sheriff resources by county. Use the search box to filter by county or city name.