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Make It A Felony To Tape Or Bind An Animal’s Mouth Shut

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Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site

A dog was found hyperventilating with his muzzle taped shut. It's time to make this cruelty an explicit felony.

Brown dog gently held under the chin by a person’s hand, appearing calm and comforted.

In Auburndale, Florida, a dog named Cooper was found hiding beneath a wheelchair ramp with duct tape wrapped around his muzzle. The woman who found him said he appeared to be hyperventilating, so she and her son cut the tape away and helped him breathe again.1

Deputies later traced Cooper to his owner. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the owner admitted she taped Cooper’s muzzle shut the night before and showed no sign of remorse.2

Cooper Was Not The Only Animal In Danger

Veterinarians found scarring from the tape, malnourishment, and marks on Cooper’s neck that indicated he had been tied up for an extended period.2

When deputies entered the owner's RV, they found seven cats, three fish, two lovebirds, two finches, and a duck. Authorities reported garbage, roaches, a strong odor of feces and urine, and ammonia levels of 100 parts per million, an extreme level tied to serious respiratory and eye irritation risks.2

The woman now faces aggravated animal cruelty, 15 counts of animal neglect, and other charges. Cooper and the other animals are expected to recover, but their rescue should not be the end of this case.3

Florida Must Pass Cooper’s Law

No animal should have a muzzle, jaw, or airway sealed shut with tape, wire, rope, zip ties, or any binding material. This act can stop normal breathing, cause panic and injury, and leave an animal defenseless.

Florida must make this abuse an explicit felony and permanently ban anyone convicted of it from owning or residing with animals. Clear penalties can help law enforcement act, prevent repeat harm, and send a firm message that cruelty like this has no place in Florida.

Sign the petition urging Florida’s Governor and Legislature to pass Cooper’s Law and protect animals from muzzle-binding abuse.

More on this issue:

  1. Joe Espy, FOX 35 Orlando (23 June 2026), "Facebook Photo of Duct-Taped Dog Leads to Animal Cruelty Arrest, Rescue of Several Animals: PCSO."
  2. Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Polk County Sheriff’s Office (23 June 2026), "Auburndale Woman Facing Numerous Criminal Charges After PCSO Investigates Her for Taping a Dog’s Muzzle Shut."
  3. WKRC Staff, KFOX14 (24 June 2026), "Florida Woman Arrested After Dog’s Mouth Found Taped Shut: Sheriff."
  4. Staff, The National Desk (29 June 2026), "Florida Woman Arrested After Dog’s Mouth Found Taped Shut: Sheriff."

The Petition

Dear Florida Governor and Members of the Florida Legislature,

I am writing to urge you to pass Cooper’s Law, a clear animal protection measure that would make it an explicit felony to use tape, wire, rope, zip ties, or any binding material to restrain an animal’s muzzle, jaw, or airway.

This law should also require a permanent ban on animal ownership or residence with animals for anyone convicted of this offense.

Cooper’s case in Auburndale shows why this action is needed. He was found beneath a wheelchair ramp with duct tape wrapped around his muzzle. He appeared to be hyperventilating before a stranger and her son cut the tape away. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Cooper’s owner admitted she taped his muzzle shut the previous night.

Veterinarians later found scarring from the duct tape, malnourishment, and marks on his neck that indicated he had been tied up for an extended period. When deputies entered the owner’s RV, they found more animals trapped in unsafe conditions, including cats, birds, fish, and a duck. Authorities reported garbage, roaches, urine and feces odors, leaking sewage, and ammonia levels so high that Polk County Fire Rescue measured the air.

Cooper survived, and the other animals are expected to recover. But survival should not be the standard Florida sets for animals after cruelty. The law must clearly recognize that sealing or binding an animal’s mouth or airway is a severe act of abuse. It can restrict breathing, prevent an animal from eating or drinking, cause panic and injury, and leave the animal unable to defend itself or call for help.

Florida already has animal cruelty laws, but Cooper’s case calls for a more specific safeguard. A clear felony statute would help law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and the public treat muzzle-binding abuse with the seriousness it deserves.

It is also essential that people convicted of this offense never again have access to animals. Permanent ownership and residence bans are a practical, humane way to prevent repeat harm.

Please pass Cooper’s Law and make clear that Florida will not tolerate this cruelty. These actions will ensure a better future for all.

Sincerely,

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