Animal Cruelty Registry: Suffolk County, NY Starts Watch List

The bill passed. I brought many animal rescuers I know to the meeting of the SC Legis to speak. However, as mentioned, it is a great step in the right direction BUT we need to shore up the laws that get people convicted of animal abuse in the first place. The Agriculture and Markets Laws are weak to begin with and easy to plead down to lesser charges (max of 2 years, except fighting-4 years, and only applies to "Companion Animals". Additionally, in application by even the most dedicated prosecutors, the AML has a lot of holes abusers can squirm through. Additionally, the budget has been cut for many gov agencies and the DA's offices are overwhelmed. BTW, Nassau County has the first animal abuse unit in NY, and possibly the whole country (some other areas started units simultaneously). However, we still return to the problem of the AML weakness. Thus, the Registry has no teeth (no pun intended) without additional resources but it is a great start and hopefully, other jurisdictions will copy Nassau and Suffolk (and each county, copy the other one-Suffolk needs an Animal Abuse Unit in the DA's office, regardless of the serial killer investigation, and Nassau needs the Animal Abuse Registry). You CAN make a difference-speak to your legislators-local, state and federal. They DO listen.

PLEASE COME & VOTE NOV 22

Help fund the ASPCA and gain another perspective regarding puppy mills.

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Synopsis: DJ Greer has everything in order. She installs high end, hi-tech security systems using the latest and most sophisticated gadgetry. Her single-employee business is in perpetual high gear. In and out of her troublesome customers’ homes and businesses, she sees a lot of their inner lives. Her clients often have as much to hide as they do to protect. When she goes out of her way to make an emergency installation for backcountry Travis Bitter, she finds a repulsive setting like none she could imagine. The man is a horror-show-quality creep, as are his two equally maniacal sons. They carelessly make their living through the suffering of living creatures. They run an assembly line of high-profit “breeding stock†and their adorable, but oftentimes sick “product,†otherwise known as a puppy mill. The security expert gathers proof of the illegal operation and shuts it down under the guidance of two separate Societies for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals. Unfortunately and contrary to expectations, the raid on the Bitters’ mill isn’t the happy ending everyone planned for. The Bitters enact retribution on DJ. Cage number seven in their baby mill awaits her. She relies on love interest detective Max Swain to rescue her from their torturous grip.

WONDERFUL!!!

This law has been too long in coming, but thank God it's here now. I do agree with others here that those doing the investigations do so thoroughly. I have had complaints against me because I have one dog that lives outside. She is there for a reason. She dislikes being in the house (she has ever since I got her at the age of 5) and she serves as a guardian for our horses. She is very alert to any animal (preditor or not) that comes near the horses or the house or barn. She is current on all vaccinations deemed necessary by the vet, she is on heartworm prevention, flea and tick preventions, vitamin suppliments and Cosequin. She has an igloo as well as a standard wooden dog house. She has bedding down in her pen as well as hay in her igloo. She is also being treated for thyroid disease. The complaint was unfounded and the woman who lodged it was quite annoyed because she felt that dogs belong inside on the couch as pampered babies. She hates the fact that I have working dogs, let alone a dog that lives outside. Now, I do believe that in the majority of cases dogs should be inside and cats should always be inside (barn cats excluded); but I also believe that investigations should be on a case by case basis.......climbing off my soapbox now. :)

Our resident cat loves this law

http://currentinstinct.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/animal-abusers-now-on-a-short-leash/

Thank you for this information. New York is doing it's best to protect aniamsl and people. Many of our laws are very strict. I see a gaping problem here though. Many years ago my neighbor, who had her nose in every neighbors business, called the humane society on me. Her complaint was that she didn't know if our dog had been given her heartworm meds. Luckily the sheriffs that took the complaint knew me and called me on the phone to let me know that "the Neighbor" was at it again. That could have been a terrible injustice to us. Our dog always had her heartworm meds. Had she called me up and asked I would gladly told her. Enough said about accusations made that are unfounded. I like this law but it needs to be seriously looked at to protect people who are falsly accused. The same with the sex offender laws. I know of several people that were railroaded on to the list thanks to wives who wanted to get even and hurt them. Their lives are very hard now.