The Cayuga County Legislature has approved a new law creating an animal abuse registry and barring convicted abusers from owning pets, according to The Auburn Citizen.
The registry will be maintained online by the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office and will provide public access to information on individuals convicted of crimes, including animal fighting, torture, aggravated cruelty, and sexual misconduct with animals.
First-time offenders are required to register for 15 years, while repeat offenders are subject to lifetime registration. Registrants will provide their name, address, date of birth, and details of their conviction and sentence. An exception applies for individuals who require service animals.
The initiative was developed with input from Nick Lapresi, executive director of the Finger Lakes SPCA of Central New York, and supported by District Attorney Antonacci.
The registry will launch on the sheriff’s office website, cayugasheriff.com, with links to other New York state animal abuse registries. With this step, Cayuga County joins 20 other counties and New York City in creating a public record to safeguard animals.
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