The Growing Trend of Animal-Abuser Registries

A woman was hurt at a store and hired a lawyer to help her. The store’s insurance company asked for her medical records, but the lawyer said no. The insurance company took the case to court, but the judge ruled in favor of the woman. The insurance company had to pay for her legal fees.” Animal cruelty is a big problem in the United States, with thousands of animals being abused each year. All 50 states now have laws against the worst animal abuse, but many of these offenses are still considered less serious. Cases of animal abuse have not always been counted by state or federal agencies, so it’s hard to know how common they are. The FBI now tracks animal cruelty as a serious crime, just like arson, rape, and murder. Studies show that people who hurt animals often have a history of being violent, and they may also hurt humans. There is a strong link between animal abuse and domestic violence. Because of this, more states are thinking about keeping a list of people who have hurt animals. These lists would help keep animals and people safe, and let pet stores and employers know if someone on the list is trying to get a new pet or a job working with animals. These lists are like the ones kept for people who have committed serious crimes, and they are a good way to protect animals from being hurt. Suffolk County, New York and Tennessee were the first places to create animal abuse registries to keep track of people convicted of hurting animals. Other places, like parts of New York and Cook County, Illinois, followed their lead. The registries require convicted abusers to sign up and provide their information, and they can face jail time and fines if they don’t. Tennessee is the only state with a statewide registry. The idea is to keep animals away from people who have hurt them before. Some places in Florida have also tried to create a statewide registry, but the bills didn’t pass. In the meantime, local governments can still create their own registries to protect animals in their area. Creating an animal abuser registry is a big job. Here are some things to think about when making the rules for the registry: What animals should be protected? What kinds of abuse should make someone have to register? How long should people have to register, and what information should they have to give? Are there other rules that should be added? What should happen to people who don’t follow the rules? Should there be rules for the public, animal groups, or businesses when it comes to animal abusers? And are there any exceptions to the rules? It’s important for different government agencies to work together to make sure the registry works well. 1. A new law can be made to require people to check a record before selling or giving away an animal. This record will show if the person getting the animal has a history of hurting animals. This can help prevent animal abuse.

2. A list can be kept of people who have been told by a judge not to have animals. This list can help animal services keep track of these cases and enforce the law. It would be helpful to work with the court and other offices to keep this list updated. It’s really important to take animal abuse seriously because people who hurt animals often end up hurting people too. Some places are starting to make a list of animal abusers, like the list of sex offenders, to warn others about them. These lists could help keep animals and people safe, and also give us more information about animal abuse to prevent it from happening. All 50 states now have laws that make animal cruelty a felony, with South Dakota being the last to do so in 2014. The Humane Society reports that most animal cruelty cases involve dogs, followed by cats and other animals. The FBI now tracks animal cruelty cases but not all law enforcement agencies contribute to their database. Some jurisdictions are now registering animal abusers like sex offenders. Animal abuse is a serious issue that can be linked to other forms of violence. Studies have shown that people who abuse animals are more likely to also harm humans. Some reasons for animal abuse include wanting to control the animal, expressing aggression, and satisfying prejudices. In response to this, some states have started creating registries of people convicted of animal abuse. These registries help track and monitor offenders to prevent them from owning animals in the future. It’s important to address animal abuse to protect both animals and people. Several counties and states, including New York, Tennessee, and Florida, have created animal abuse registries to track people convicted of animal cruelty. These registries aim to prevent abusers from owning animals and help shelters and adoption agencies screen potential pet owners. The first registry was established in Suffolk County, NY in 2010, and other places like Tennessee and Cook County, IL, have followed suit. Florida is also considering creating a registry. This is meant to protect animals and hold abusers accountable for their actions. Some counties in Florida have created registries for people who abuse animals, so they can’t own pets. Marion County has “Molly’s Law” to keep animal abusers from owning pets. Hillsborough County also has an Animal Abuser Registry. Florida considered a statewide registry in 2012, but it didn’t pass. Pasco County considered a registry in 2017, but they decided not to create one. This is part of a larger movement to have registries for animal abusers in the US. This information is about two lawyers who work for the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office. They specialize in government and administrative law, and have been involved in creating publicly accessible civil enjoinment lists for animal abusers in the county. One of them, Chip Fletcher, became the county attorney in 2012, and the other, DeBora Cromartie-Mincey, has been with the office since 2001. They both have law degrees and are experts in their field.

Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/the-growing-trend-of-animal-abuser-registries/