Legis. Cooper Gets 'RRRuff' with Animal Abusers

In the face of the growing number of cases of animal abuse being reported locally, Suffolk County Legislative Majority Leader announced a series of initiatives that would put Suffolk at the national vanguard of protecting animal rights at a press conference at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge on Thursday morning.

Standing with grateful pet owners, animal rights advocates and other supporters – both two- and four-legged – Cooper laid out the groundwork for two bills which would create a public Animal Abuser Registry listing the names of those convicted of inhumane treatment and torture of animals, prevent those convicted of animal abuse from adopting or purchasing animals, and prohibit pet stores and animal shelters from selling pets or allowing them to be adopted by individuals on the Animal Abuser Registry.

If adopted, Cooper's proposed laws would make Suffolk County the first municipality in the nation to have an Animal Abuser Registry on the books and to offer such far-reaching protections for pets and other animals.

"If this is enacted, it will be the first Animal Abuser Registry in the nation," Cooper said. "There have been a number of attempts across the country, but they've failed. Most recently it was California and Tennessee, but hopefully Suffolk County will succeed where everyone else has failed. ... We hope this sets a standard, not only in New York State but across the country." Cooper added that his hope is that the legislature will be voting on the bill in October.

Cooper's first bill would create a publicly accessible and searchable database of those convicted of animal abuse crimes as defined by the New York State Penal Code. Convicted abusers would have to register their names, aliases, addresses and submit their photograph for inclusion in the database.

Cooper said those in the registry would be required to update their personal information annually or any time they change their address. He added that an appearance in the registry would be mandated for five years following an abuser's incarceration or judgment and those failing to register during that period would be subject to a $1,000 fine and/or up to a year in jail.

In order not to penalize taxpayers, Cooper's bill would also require abusers to foot the bill for the upkeep of the registry by paying a $50 annual fee. The bill also won't tax the already scarce police resources as the legislator has worked out an agreement that would give the Suffolk County SPCA responsibility for maintaining the database by using their peace officers and retired law enforcement personnel, who already enforce the New York State Agriculture and Market Laws with regard to the prevention of mistreatment and cruelty to animals.

"I want to thank Legislator Cooper for authoring and championing this much-needed legislation to combat animal cruelty and abuse and to stop repeat offenders," said Suffolk County SPCA Chief of Department Roy Gross. "The Suffolk County SPCA is working diligently with Legislator Cooper to help enact this law and we hope it will be a model for other municipalities to follow in the future."

Cooper said he will follow up the creation of the Animal Abuser Registry with a companion bill prohibiting convicted animal abusers from adopting or purchasing pets during the period they are required to register their offender status. This bill would also require pet stores and animal shelters to check the identity of those seeking to purchase or adopt pets against the registry. If a person seeking an animal is in the database, the shelters and stores would face a fine if they knowingly allowed the convicted abuser to leave with the pet, according to Cooper.

Animal rights advocates expressed confidence that Cooper's initiatives will affect positive change. "Little Shelter would like to thank Legislator Cooper for seeking to get these laws passed," said Maryann Chernovsky, president of the Little Shelter Animal Rescue & Adoption Center in Huntington. "We know they will go a long way to stopping the abuse of innocent animals."

The first of Cooper's bills has been assigned to the Legislature's Public Safety Committee. It will be the subject of a public hearing at the Legislature's next general meeting on Sept. 16, at 2:30 p.m. at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge. Cooper encourages all pet owners and animal lovers to come out and express their support for these proposals.

"It's tragic when an innocent animal's seemingly loving home becomes their torture chamber," Cooper said. "These initiatives will not only protect family pets, but because of the strong link between animal abuse and domestic violence, they could serve as an early warning system to the community to ward off the dangers of potential future violence against people as well."