NYC Council approves city-wide animal abuser registry

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Photo c/o Animal Legal Defense Fund

Most people are already aware of sex offender registries, but New York City now has one for animal abusers. On February 4, 2014 the New York City Council voted unanimously to create a city-wide animal abuser registry across the five boroughs. Legislation for an animal abuser registry was approved late last year; however, it was quickly vetoed by former Mayor Bloomberg. City Council overrode other vetoes that same day with a total of six overrides.

Legislation for this registry came after Astoria bodybuilder, Milan Rysa, threw his Chinese Shar-Pei out of a third-floor window almost hitting two women who were walking by. The dog, named Brooklyn, died and Rysa was sentenced to a year in prison. Two years later Council Member Peter F. Vallone Jr. introduced legislation to help the city keep tabs on animal abusers.

An animal abuser registry will provide electronic information of the offender’s name, aliases, address, and photo. It is required that law enforcement, pet stores, shelters, veterinarians, and animal protection groups consult the registry before adopting or selling an animal to anyone. Additionally, convicted animal abusers would be prohibited from owning, residing with, or engaging with any animal for a minimum of 5 years. Anyone convicted of animal abuse are required to self-register; anyone who fails to do so or violates the terms would face up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.

Council Member Peter F. Vallone Jr. hopes that the New York City registry will serve as a model for other states, saying, “When New York City takes an action like this, everyone else looks to us and copies it.” The law will go into effect in October.

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