Dan Laughlin is pushing for new legislation aimed at strengthening protections for animals across the state following two disturbing abuse cases that shook the Erie community.
The proposed bill, known as “Aimee’s Law,” would create a public registry of individuals convicted of felony animal abuse in Pennsylvania. The online database would allow shelters, law enforcement, and the public to check whether someone has a history of abusing animals before adopting a pet, purchasing one, or hiring a pet sitter.
The proposal comes after the case of Aimee, a six-month-old Siberian Husky who was found severely neglected and frozen under a bridge. The case sparked outrage and renewed calls for stronger protections for animals across the region.
More recently, another abuse case involving a dog named Mimi further intensified concerns within the Erie community and added urgency to efforts for legislative action.
Laughlin says the registry would provide another tool to prevent repeat offenses and help ensure animals are not placed into potentially dangerous situations.
Under the proposal, the publicly accessible website would list individuals convicted of felony animal cruelty offenses. Anyone considering adopting or purchasing a pet—or hiring someone to care for one—could search the registry before making that decision.
Laughlin says he has been speaking with officials in areas that have already implemented similar systems as he develops the legislation.
One example is Dexter’s Law in Florida, which established a comparable registry for people convicted of animal abuse and has been cited as a possible model for Pennsylvania’s proposal.