FL S1504

Adds state attorneys to entities authorized to file petitions in county court regarding animal custody and care determinations, with same 10-day filing requirement as law enforcement and animal welfare agents.

Establishes mandatory minimum 30-month prison sentence for aggravated animal cruelty convictions and increases mandatory minimum incarceration for second or subsequent animal cruelty violations from 6 months to 5 years.

Prohibits employers from preventing employees or volunteers from reporting suspected animal cruelty; violations constitute a second-degree misdemeanor.

Clarifies that confining animals in enclosures without wholesome exercise or air exchange constitutes a first-degree misdemeanor.

Reclassifies aggravated animal cruelty from a Level 3 to a Level 7 felony in the Criminal Punishment Code offense severity ranking chart.