Albany County Legislator Bryan Clenehan, D-Albany, has drafted a local law that would create a database similar to a sex offender registry for those who have been convicted of abusing animals. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, Clenehan introduced a new bill that would require any person within Albany County who is 16 years of age or older and has been convicted of an animal abuse crime to register with the Albany County Animal Abuse Registry. The person would have to do so within five days after their release from prison, or from the date of conviction. Clenehan said after he saw an article discussing the effectiveness of Buster’s Law, New York’s animal abuse law, he said he wanted to create a law that carries harsher penalties for violators. Once he found a law in Suffolk County that allowed it to create its own registry — apparently the first in the nation — he knew what he could do. “It got me wondering if there was anything else the county could do, and then I saw the law in Suffolk County,” he said. “I researched into what they did and worked out an Albany County bill. We went a little bit further and made it tougher. So we will have the toughest animal cruelty law in the country.” The proposed local law would require convicted animal abusers to be on the registry for 10 years. If the offender were convicted of another animal abuse crime after they have already been on the registry, they would be placed on it for life. Each person on the registry would pay an annual fee of $50 to the Albany County Sheriff’s Department. This money would go towards the maintenance of the registry. Those who fail to register would then be charged with a misdemeanor that could result in incarceration for a year and/or a fine of $1,000 for each day the person has failed to register. Animal shelters and pet stores in Albany County would be required to check the registry before selling an animal to the owner. If it fails to do so, the employee would be guilty of a violation and face a fine of $5,000, according to the law. An animal abuser as defined in the proposed law is considered to be anyone who is convicted of a crime that violates the New York State Agriculture Markets Law Article 26, which covers cruelty to animals. The bill also includes any of those who have committed sexual misconduct with an animal, harming a service animal, killing or injuring a police animal or harming an animal trained to aid a person with a disability. Executive Director of the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society Brad Shear said he felt it was important to have a law that strengthens penalties against animal abusers, as it keeps animals out of the hands of abusers for a longer period of time. “The state law doesn’t have a greater penalty for multiple offenses,” Shear said. “This creates a lifetime on the registry upon a second offense. We do see repeat offenders, especially in hoarding cases.” Shear also said this is a way to keep animal abusers from committing a crime without any cost to the taxpayers. He did identify one weakness in the law, though, which is that it is only confined to the county boundaries, which could allow the abuser to simply move out of the county without having to face the consequences of the law. Shear’s hope, though, is that other counties will pass a similar law. “I think in the long term other counties will follow suit,” he said.
Clenehan said that he hasn’t talked to other counties but said that he hopes it gets to a point that several neighboring counties pass the law, forcing the state to address the issue. He also said that he feels he created a law that will see bi-partisan support and one that has strong public support. It’s a fair law, he said, because while the 10-year placement on the registry is across the board, those convicted of an animal abuse crime will have to face the penalties of their conviction. “Animal abuse is bad on its own,” he said. “It’s letting people know who the abusers are that creates a deterrent factor. The person is facing public shame for their crimes and will maybe think twice next time.” There will be a public hearing on the bill on Tuesday, Sept. 27 at the Albany County Office Building at 112 State Street in the Cahill Room on the first floor.