The Republican council member established the bill in response to the many calls her office would get about cases of possible animal abuse in her district, which includes Ozone Park, Glendale, Woodhaven, Howard Beach, Broad Channel and parts of the Rockaway Peninsula.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While the city already has an animal abuse registry, it is only accessible by animal-related groups in New York, such as animal control officers, rescues, pet shops, humane societies and veterinarians. Ariola\u2019s bill will ensure any New Yorker can find out if animal abusers are in their neighborhoods.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe went and looked further, and found out that there is an animal abuse registry, however, it\u2019s not open to the public,\u201d Ariola said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what it really should be: open to the public so that anyone who\u2019s seeing any type of abuse can at least check to see if this is someone who\u2019s had a past history of abuse.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She added that her bill would ensure all rescues regardless of their size, have access to the registry before approving a person for animal adoption. Everyone would have access to the registry, including those who live outside New York.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"duct](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/unnamed_a1ed45.webp.jpeg\" "\\"Critter")
Police arrested an alleged animal abuser last year for tying up a dog with duct tape in Queens. Provided to amNewYork<\/p>\n
Ariola said that a public animal abuse registry would serve as a vital tool for pet owners, enabling them to thoroughly vet individuals or services such as boarders, pet sitters and dog walkers, to ensure their loving companions are placed in good care.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis should be a model where anyone can go in and check to see if there is an animal abuser even living within a certain distance of their own home,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you hire someone to walk your dog, there\u2019s really no way to look that person up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both domestic and wild animals, including but not limited to squirrels, raccoons and birds, would be protected through the registry\n<\/p>\n
Recent incidents of animal abuse in NYC<\/p>\n
Sadly, animal abuse is common in many communities throughout the country, and NYC is no exception.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
In July 2025, a man in Queens set a dog on fire after dragging the lifeless animal<\/a> down a street in South Ozone Park. With the help of the media and a good Samaritan, police were able to catch the alleged suspect, Isaiah K. Gurley at the Queens Center Mall days later.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n