The official records we draw from.
Everything on ProtectedPets traces back to an official government source. Here are the Florida sources behind the platform today — each one a government-maintained list or public docket.
We don’t re-host these lists or build profiles on top of them. We point to the official record, present what it already makes public in neutral language, and link you back to the source. Approximate sizes below are noted as of mid-2026 and change as the official lists do.
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FDLE — Florida statewide “Dexter’s Law” database
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Statewide aggravated animal-cruelty convictions and guilty / no-contest pleas under Fla. Stat. 828.12. Listings run for ten years and reset on re-offense.
The official record currently shows names only (last, first, middle).
≈ 2,300 names Official source -
Volusia County animal-abuse listing
Volusia County / Clerk of Court
Animal-victim convictions and pets forfeited to the county under Fla. Stat. 828.073. The county publishes this list and updates it nightly; listings are indefinite.
The richest official Florida source — the county itself publishes name, photo, and date of birth.
≈ 200 records Official source -
Hillsborough County animal-abuser registry
Hillsborough County
A convicted-offender registry plus a separate “enjoined list” of people a court has barred from owning animals. Offenders register with the Sheriff for offenses on or after Nov 1, 2016.
The county’s own page warns the registry must be used responsibly and not for harassment.
≈ 34 on the convicted registry Official source -
Miami-Dade County “CrueltyWeb”
Miami-Dade County Department of Animal Services
Felony and misdemeanor animal-abuse and cruelty convictions, published through the county’s CrueltyWeb application.
≈ 130 records Official source -
Lee County animal-abuser registry
Lee County Sheriff’s Office
A convicted-offender registry (established 2023 under Ordinance 23-30) plus a separate enjoined list of civil injunctions. Offenders self-register within ten days of conviction or release.
A small but growing list Official source
Some county sources also expose data we deliberately leave out — home addresses are stripped on ingestion and never shown. Coverage expands state by state; see our Florida coverage for the current scope.