On May 29, 2026, Florida Rep. Greg Steube filed a bill that would create a nationwide registry of people convicted of felony animal cruelty. Supporters say a centralized list would make it harder for repeat abusers to move, adopt animals and reoffend.
According to Action News Jax, the Law Enforcement Animal Safety Harm Reporting Act, nicknamed the LEASH Act, would require states to create animal-abuse databases similar to Florida's and would add reporting requirements for felony animal cruelty to federal crime-reporting standards.
What the LEASH Act Would Do
Rep. Steube's office says the bill would add felony animal cruelty to state reporting standards and direct the Department of Justice, using existing Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant processes, to publish offender identities in a centralized, publicly accessible database, according to a Rep. Steube press release. The sponsor's office stresses the legislation "does not create a new federal offense" but instead standardizes data-sharing and incentivizes jurisdictions that voluntarily submit records.
Florida's Dexter's Law Laid the Groundwork
The federal push builds on Florida's own 2025 law known as Dexter's Law, which set tougher penalties for aggravated cruelty and ordered a statewide animal abuser registry that went live January 1, 2026, FOX 13 reported. Advocates in Florida have used the state list to screen adoption applicants and alert shelters about past offenders.
Supporters Say It Will Protect Pets
Backers including the Ponce Animal Foundation and law enforcement groups told Rep. Steube's office the registry would help shelters, rescues and animal-control officers avoid placing animals with people who have a history of felony cruelty. "Animal cruelty is a heinous crime that often signals a pattern of escalating violence," Rep. Steube said in his release.
Questions Remain
Animal-law experts have long debated public abuser registries and raised concerns about accuracy, privacy and due process. The Animal Legal & Historical Center documents the state-by-state debates over such lists. The LEASH Act leaves many implementation details to states, including what convictions must be reported and how long entries remain online, and would require congressional approval and DOJ rulemaking before a national list appears.
For now the measure is at the introduction stage. Backers say it would stitch together state lists and make adoption screening faster, while civil-liberties and privacy groups will likely watch implementation closely if the bill advances through committees.
