Consider this a win for animals all over the country.
For every abused puppy, abandoned kitten, or medically tested bunny, this is a win. No question.
A new law is growing in popularity across the country, and it’s something everyone can agree on.
A number of United States jurisdictions have implemented an animal offenders registry, which will publicly reveal the names of known animal abusers in the area, similar to how sex offenders are registered.
Currently, Tennessee is the only state to have an animal offenders registry, but other cities like New York and Cook County, Illinois have them at a local level.
So how long will they be on the list? And what information will be in the registry?
The Tennessee registry is monitored by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and can be accessed at the TBI or any local country office. Each abuser will have their name, date of birth, offense, conviction date, and expiration date.
First time animal abusers will be registered for two years. An additional 5 years will be added for every subsequent offense after the two years.
Suffolk County, located on the eastern part of Long Island, was the first in the country to develop an animal offenders registry.
“We know there is a very strong correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence,” said Suffolk County legislator Jon Cooper, the bill’s sponsor. “Almost every serial killer starts out by torturing animals, so in a strange sense we could end up protecting the lives of people.”
Convicted abusers will be made to pay a $50 registration fine. All abusers 18 or older must supply a recent photo as well as any aliases they go by. If you fail to register, you’ll face a year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.
