In other news: Police Department does not prioritize preventing animal cruelty. Beagle bill signed into law. Raw pet food poisoning pets…. again. Another week, another pet product recall. A “humane” breeder? Do we have to feed animals to our companion animals?
These are some of the stories making headlines in animal protection:
Police Department does not prioritize preventing animal cruelty
The former Suffolk County, NY, legislator who helped establish one of the first animal abuser registries in the nation is criticizing county officials for failing to keep the registry up to date. The registry requires offenders to provide their names, aliases, current addresses, and photographs so animal shelters, rescue organizations, and breeders can identify people with animal abuse convictions before placing animals in their care. However, a local news investigation found that the database had not been updated in over a year and those with recent convictions were not on the list.
According to the legislator, “Suffolk County Police Department needs to immediately review the registry, bring it fully up to date and most importantly put procedures in place to ensure that the registry is updated on a consistent and timely basis in the future.” Officials with the Suffolk County Police Department refused to comment, but updated the registry in response to the criticism.
The registry’s shortcomings raise concerns about its ability to protect animals and prevent convicted abusers from obtaining additional pets. Because shelters, breeders, and rescue organizations rely on accurate information when deciding where to place animals, missing records undermine the system’s intended purpose — to protect animals from abuse.
Beagle bill signed into law
