Legal Question in Criminal Law in Florida

Every case is different, however animals, the elderly, and children as victims are granted special protection because of their vulnerability. It’s not uncommon for a jail term in some cases.

Animal abuse is a felony and as such would be sentenced using a criminal punishment code scoresheet. Such a scoresheet includes the current offense, criminal history, and any modifiers. The result may require a minimum prison sentence. In any event, the sentence is determined by a multitude of factors such as the facts of the case, the defendant’s history, the prosecutor and judge involved. Considering that animal abuse is seen as especially heinous, it would be expected that jail or prison would be sought by the State.