Paws Up!
May 24, 2019
To Representatives in Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Ohio for supporting bills to create animal abuse registries.
Legislators throughout the United States are joining forces to help combat animal abuse by supporting legislation that would create public registries for convicted offenders. Tennesse pioneered the first statewide animal abuse registry in 2016. Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Ohio are following suit to make it difficult for animal abusers to obtain pets and continue their malicious actions.
In Rhode Island, the House voted in favor of H5113. This registry would be maintained by the attorney general and would require convicted offenders to register within five days of sentencing or release from jail along with a $125 registrant fee. Their names would stay on the registry for 15 years or life if convicted again.
North Carolina’s Senator Danny Earl Britt, Jr. (R-District 13) sponsored Senate Bill 423 that is currently waiting to be voted on. If passed, SB 423 would go into effect on January 1, 2020, and would require abusers to register with North Carolina’s Department of Public Safety. The registrant would then be placed on the registry for two years for a first offense and five years for a second one.
Ohio Representative Thomas Brinkman (D-District 27) introduced House Bill 145 in the wake of the horrific story involving an owner who left his injured, emaciated canine named Lou tied to a porch. His condition was so severe that he sadly passed away. Tragically, similar stories like this happened to Marvin and Pecan who were also starved by their owners but have thankfully made a full recovery.
These registries differ in the length of time an abuser would be listed, but they are a necessary step in helping to keep the public informed when abusers try to obtain animals and to prevent future stories like Lou, Marvin, and Pecan from transpiring.
Take Action: Rhode Islander, North Carolinian, and Ohioan residents contact your representative to show your support to help stop this evil from happening to create a safer more humane world for our companion animals.