According to the Los Angeles Times, New York City is considering legislation to start a registry for animal abusers. City Council Member Peter F. Vallone, Jr. introduced the bill on September 12.
Similar to a sex offender registry, convicted animal abusers would have their name, photograph, and home address posted on an online registry that could be searched by pet shops and animal shelters.
Convicted abusers would also be prohibited from owning an animal; violators would be subject to a $1,000 fine and a maximum of a year in jail.
But adopting such legislation may be an uphill battle, as similar measures have been defeated in other states such as California, Virginia, and Florida. Three counties in New York — Ablany, Roskland, and Suffolk — have animal abuse registries.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund praised the proposal.
“New York City residents have good reason to be concerned about the activities of animal abusers, who often go on to repeat their crimes” ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells said.
“Council Member Vallone’s proposed do-not-adopt database will provide animal shelters and law enforcement with a critical tool to protect the city’s animals from becoming the next victims of a convicted abuser.”
The call for a registry came after a man threw his pet Chinese Shar-Pei out of a third-floor window. The man was barred from owning an animal for three years and spent one day shy of a year in jail.
Source: The Los Angeles Times
