Florida Representative Proposes Dog Ownership Protection Bill
Rep. Randy Fine (R-Florida) is currently drafting a bill to safeguard dog ownership nationwide. This initiative comes after he faced backlash, including resignations from committees and calls for his removal, due to a controversial social media post that suggested a preference for dogs over Muslims.
On Thursday evening, he posted: “I am proud to introduce legislation to protect puppies from Sharia law. The Democratic Party is losing its mind because I made a simple statement. If the choice is between our dogs and people who ban dogs, the choice is easy. They can pound sand. The bill would ban federal funding from states and local governments that consider dogs ‘haram.'” He also referenced the criticism he received, attaching an altered Gadsden flag image featuring a puppy with the phrase “Don’t Tread on Me.”
Fine asserted, “In America, no one can tell anyone they can’t own a dog. My bill protects Americans’ right to own a dog and prevents federal funds from going to areas that impose dog bans. The United States will not become one of the 57 Sharia-compliant countries.” He is sponsoring this legislation alongside several colleagues, including Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Keith Self (R-Texas), among others.
As reported, it’s unclear if any state or local government has an outright ban on dog ownership, although some areas do impose breed-specific regulations. The bill includes a non-binding section that states, “Sharia law is a foreign concept that is antithetical to the pursuit of happiness” and affirms every American’s right to own a dog.
This proposal follows Fine’s previous response to criticisms about New York City moving toward Islam, linked to Zoran Mamdani’s mayoral candidacy. An activist, Nadeen Kiswani, emphasized that dogs should not just be viewed as indoor pets. Following his earlier remarks, Fine made a controversial statement about choosing between a dog and a Muslim.
Kiswani later claimed Fine’s post was intended as a joke, referencing dog waste becoming visible as snow melted. However, Fine disagrees, insisting, “No reasonable person would interpret it as satire.” He maintains that Islam’s teachings about dogs should be taken seriously and argues against changing American customs to accommodate newcomers.
Fine’s remarks have drawn strong condemnation from Democratic lawmakers. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) described Fine’s comment as “disgusting bigotry,” while Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) noted the detrimental impact of Fine’s “Islamophobic” comments on those combating anti-Semitism. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) stated that America’s strength lies in its Muslim community, warning against hate speech. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called for Fine’s censure, while others, including Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), labeled him a disgrace and urged accountability within the Republican Party.
