FL H1221

Changes the surcharge on civil penalties for animal control or cruelty ordinance violations from optional (up to $5) to mandatory ($15 per violation).

Allocates surcharge proceeds as follows: $1 to the clerk of the court, $5 toward training costs for animal control officers, and the remaining $9 to subsidize spaying or neutering services for dogs and cats.

Requires that owners of animals submitted for sterilization cannot be charged more than the cost of the procedure minus the surcharge subsidy.

Clarifies that counties and municipalities are not required to enact animal control or cruelty ordinances, only that those enacting such ordinances must impose the specified surcharge.

Effective date: July 1, 2010.