We are asking Florida lawmakers to pass the Pinewood 6 Act to prevent animals from being trapped, sealed, and left to suffer inside abandoned and boarded structures.

Every year, animals are discovered too late inside buildings that have been locked, boarded, or left vacant during redevelopment or abandonment. Cats, raccoons, and other wildlife are unintentionally sealed inside with no food, no water, no escape, and no way for anyone to verify they are there until it is often too late.

They suffer in silence.

And right now, there is no consistent, enforceable system in place to ensure buildings are checked for animals before they are sealed.

Florida Statute 828.13 addresses animal abandonment and cruelty — but it does not consistently prevent these situations in real time, especially when it comes to abandoned or secured structures where oversight breaks down.

That gap is costing lives.

And right now, there is no consistent, enforceable system in place to ensure buildings are checked for animals before they are sealed.

🛑 What the Pinewood 6 Act Would Do

The Pinewood 6 Act is a proposed Florida law that would require:

Mandatory humane inspections before buildings are boarded, sealed, or abandoned

Accountability for property owners, developers, contractors, and responsible agencies

Emergency intervention protocols when animals may be trapped inside

Documented compliance to ensure inspections actually occur

Clear oversight so responsibility cannot be ignored or passed off

💔 Why This Matters

No animal should be sealed inside a structure and left to suffer.

No rescue should arrive too late because no one was required to check.

No community member should have to discover preventable deaths behind walls that were quietly locked up and walked away from.

This is preventable suffering — and it continues because oversight is inconsistent and accountability is unclear.

✍️ What We Are Asking For

We are calling on Florida lawmakers, animal control agencies, humane societies, rescue organizations, and all responsible property stakeholders to:

Support and help pass the Pinewood 6 Act.

We are asking for a system where:

Animals are checked for before buildings are sealed

Responsibility is clearly defined

Emergency response is possible when needed

Oversight is real, not assumed

🐾 Sign This Petition If You Believe:

No animal should be trapped and forgotten inside a building

Prevention is better than reaction

Accountability must exist before tragedy happens

Humane oversight is a responsibility, not an option

Because once you know this is happening…

you can’t ignore it anymore.