Monroe County lawmakers voted unanimously on Tuesday to create a countywide registry that will publicly list people convicted of animal abuse, a move meant to stop known abusers from quietly acquiring new pets through shelters and dealers. The 26-0 vote puts Monroe County among a growing, though still uneven, list of New York counties building their own local registries rather than waiting on the state to act.
The measure, known as the Monroe County Animal Abuse Registration Act, passed the Monroe County Legislature on October 13, according to rochesterfirst.com. The outlet reports the registry establishes a centralized database designed to keep individuals convicted of qualifying animal abuse offenses from obtaining animals, eliminating the need for shelters and pet dealers to search through individual court records before placing an animal. County Executive Adam Bello said in a statement that establishing the registry is “a vital step forward in protecting vulnerable animals and strengthening public safety across Monroe County.”
Bello also said the legislation “will hold repeat offenders accountable, equip shelters and law enforcement agencies, and prevent known abusers from acquiring more animals,” pointing to what he described as a troubling connection between animal cruelty and other forms of violent behavior. The bill’s sponsor was Legislator Jackie Smith, representing the county’s second district, according to 13WHAM, which reported the bipartisan legislation was led by Smith.
Who Ends Up on the List, and for How Long
Under the law, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office will maintain an online database listing the names, photographs, addresses and dates of birth of adults convicted of animal abuse, per 13WHAM's reporting. Anyone convicted must register within 10 days of their conviction, according to WHEC, which reported the registry will include the names and addresses of convicts 18 years or older who live in Monroe County.
The station's report also lists the range of offenses that qualify: abandoning, stealing, injuring, poisoning or illegally declawing animals, along with animal fighting, transporting dogs for illegal research and harming a service animal. People convicted a first time will remain listed for 10 years, while a second conviction means permanent placement on the registry, the same outlet reported. Spectrum News, whose report first detailed Tuesday's vote, adds that the law requires registry information to be publicly accessible.
Funding and the Push Behind It
The program will be funded through fines collected from offenders, according to 13WHAM's account of the legislation. Offenders are also required to pay a $50 annual fine. The registry is designed to provide information to law enforcement, animal control, shelters and rescue organizations, giving those groups a way to screen for documented abuse histories before placing an animal in a new home.
This is not Monroe County's first attempt at such a system. A previous effort to establish a registry in the county failed in 2013, largely along party lines, 13WHAM reported. Several surrounding counties have since adopted similar registries, the station noted, and WHEC reported that Ontario County lawmakers have also created legislation for a registry while the Livingston County Board of Supervisors approved one in January.
A Patchwork Across New York
Monroe County's new law arrives amid a broader, uneven rollout of these registries statewide. Saratoga County launched its own animal abuser registry in February, adding Richard Doyle as the first person listed, according to WAMC. That county's registry bars people convicted of animal abuse from owning, purchasing or adopting animals and requires pet stores, breeders and shelters to check the registry before any transfer of ownership; violations there, including failure to register, can bring a $1,000 penalty and up to a year in prison.
Estimates of how many New York counties already have registries vary by source. WAMC reported in February that less than half of the state's 62 counties had abuse registries, while a separate Spectrum News report from the same month put the figure at about half. Rochesterfirst.com, meanwhile, reported that Monroe County's legislative sponsor said more than half of New York's counties had already established similar registries. WAMC also reported that New York has no comprehensive statewide registry for animal abusers.
New York's animal-abuser registries remain a county-by-county system, without a comprehensive statewide registry.
