Florida Agricultural Department & Equine Laws

Both the United States Department of Agriculture and the Florida Department of Agriculture have a number of laws in place regarding the care, transport and use of equines. Florida Department of Agriculture laws for equines are based on laws passed by the state legislature. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is responsible for regulating and enforcing equine-related laws.

  1. Controlled Substances

    • Florida state statutes 555.24055 and 550.26352 are responsible for controlling and limiting the types and amounts of controlled substances that are used on performance and competition horses. These laws prevent individuals from using drugs to affect the performance and winning abilities of race horses. The statutes also allow the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to handle related issues, such as drug testing, fund distribution, penalties, awards and minimum purse requirements.

    Limited Liability

    • Equine activities can be dangerous, but Florida state statutes 773.01 through 773.05 limit the liability of horse owners and participants for the potential harm and injury that can occur while participating in equestrian pursuits. These laws protect the owners of horses and horse facilities from liability for potential damages that can occur while individuals are interacting with horses -- unless the horse or facility owner intentionally created a dangerous situation through negligence.

    Shows and Sales

    • Florida statutes 535.01 to 535.14 require individuals to get proper licenses to hold public horse sales and make it illegal for a person to use prohibited substances on a horse prior to a sale. These statutes also make it legal for Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services representatives to randomly test horses for drugs during horse shows and sales. Individuals who violate these statutes may be charged with a misdemeanor and/or barred from selling or showing horses for a specific amount of time.

    Horse Abuse

    • Statute 828.125 makes it a felony to intentionally kill, abuse, or threaten to kill or abuse, a registered or hybrid breed horse. This statute also makes it illegal to intentionally harm a registered horse so that it can no longer be used for breeding purposes.