Good News for Animals - There's a New Registry in Town to STOP animal abuse!

Congratulations to Suffolk County, New York where a new law was passed to help stop the abuse of animals.  There's a new registry in town!  Now, animal abusers in this county will have to supply their names, addresses and a photograph of themselves if they have been convicted of animal abuse.  This is the first animal abuse defender database in the U.S.

The Suffolk County Legislature unanimously passed the bill which establishes an online animal abuser registry that is very similar to those housing information for sex offenders.  Any convicted abuser, ages 18 and older will be listed within 5 days from their release from jail or after conviction.  Any convicted abusers who do not register and pay the annual fee could be subject to up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.  The information for these abusers will remain in the system for a period of 5 years.

The Suffolk County SPCA Director Roy Gross stated "This is a simple solution to help prevent animals and people from being victimized....We're making history here."

Although this database will only house information about Suffolk County, New York offenders, we have to believe that this is a step in the right direction and hope that more states and Canada will follow suit.

According to the Animal Law Coalition website at http://www.animallawcoallition.com/ : animal abuse is defined in Suffolk County as:

"Animal abuse is defined as "animal fighting, as defined in the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law (hereinafter "A.M.L.") §351; overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance, as defined in A.M.L. § 353; aggravated cruelty to animals, as defined in A.M.L. §353-a; abandonment of animals, as defined in A.M.L. § 355; failure to provide proper food and drink to impounded animal, as defined in A.M.L. § 356; interference with or injury to certain domestic animals, as defined in A.M.L. §361; harming a service animal in the first degree, as defined in New York State Penal Code §242.15."


As responsible pet owners and lovers of animals, we know that this is a giant step in the right direction.  Hopefully, with the help of public outcry, this will become a mandatory thing in all states and across Canada.

Great job Suffolk County!