After a string of startling animal abuse cases in the Capital Region, the Saratoga County board of supervisors voted this week to establish an abuser registry.
On Tuesday, the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors made the final approval to a proposed animal abuser registry within the county.
The move comes after recent high-profile instances of animal abuse in the region. In August, two individuals were charged in connection to a case in which police say more than 50 dogs, a majority of which were puppies, were found in “deplorable conditions.”
The same month, the owners of a Washington County dog boarding facility were charged after more than 20 animals were found dead at their facility.
Earlier in the summer, a Halfmoon dog groomer was arrested after a dog in her care died after being left out in the heat.
Previously, only 25 of New York’s 62 counties had animal abuser registries.
Board of Supervisors Chair Phil Barrett said there were still some administrative hurdles to get over before the registry would be up and running.
“Since we first announced that we would first move forward with this initiative we’ve experienced a number of very troubling examples of extreme abuse not only here in Saratoga County but in other counties round the Capital Region which I think has only given us more resolve to not only see the animal abuser registry become a reality but we’re also already working on other options and initiative to do everything possible we can to prevent these types of occurrences,” said Barrett.
The registry prevents individuals in the county convicted of animal abuse from owning any animals. It also prohibits them from purchasing or adopting new animals. Violators, including individuals who fail to register, can face a $1,000 penalty and up to a year in prison.
People added to the registry will remain on it for 15 years.
Saratoga County Undersheriff Jeff Brown tells WAMC the registry is a major step forward.
“Yeah, I think it’s great. It’s going significantly help us prevent crime and as police we respond to crime, we investigate crimes. But, if we can prevent that from even happening it’s even better. So, I think this registry will help prevent animal abuse in the future in Saratoga County,” said Brown.
State Senator Jim Tedisco, whose 44th district encompasses Saratoga County, wants to create a state-wide registry.
“We need a state-wide uniform registry that says this—not only animal shelters not law enforcement but for any individual. Let’s say you have a cat that has a litter of kittens. You put it on a website, come adopt one of these beautiful kitties. And an individual comes and you may have a state registry in your county but they come from outside the county and you give that individual who is an abuser of an animal over and over again a little kitty,” said Tedisco.
Tedisco helped establish Buster’s Law in 1999, which classified animal abuse as a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine. He now wants to expand the law, doubling fines and potential jail time and giving judges the ability to permanently bar repeat offenders from ever owning animals.
