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A Shelter Dog Named Dexter Changed State Law
Florida is about to treat animal cruelty the way it treats sex crimes.
Starting January 1, 2026, the state will post the names of convicted animal abusers on a searchable public database run by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The registry exists because of what happened to one dog at a park in Pinellas County, and the story behind it explains why lawmakers decided a simple conviction wasn’t enough.
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Dexter Survived the Shelter System
Dexter was a 4-year-old bulldog mix living at Pinellas County Animal Services…