PENNSYLVANIA (WJAC) — Lawmakers in Pennsylvania’s Senate passed legislation earlier this month that would establish a statewide animal abuser registry.
While the bill is not yet a law, as it now heads to the state House for consideration, local rescues and district attorneys are showing their support.
Aimee’s Law — named after a 6-month-old Siberian Husky that was found abandoned in Erie County — would require individuals convicted of felony animal abuse to be listed in a public registry.
Supporters say the registry could help rescues and others check who they’re placing an animal with, but prosecutors warn that it would not stop someone from abusing an animal for the first time.
6 News spoke with two independent animal rescues this week: ‘Cinnamon’s Closet’ and ‘Project Meow.’
Both nonprofits say they are in full support of Aimee’s Law, citing the large number of hoarding and abuse cases they have seen in just the last year.
There has definitely been an increase. I think it also correlates with mental health and criminal activity as well. So having a registry, again, is another layer of protection for our most vulnerable animals that have been abandoned or abused. And it will help break the cycle of abusers being able to get their hands on more animals in the future.
Aimee’s Law, otherwise known as Senate Bill 1311, was proposed by Senator Dan Laughlin.
The bill would create a publicly accessible registry, maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police, identifying people who are convicted of specified animal abuse offenses.
The registry would include photographs, identifying information and information about court-ordered prohibitions on animal ownership.
It is named after a 6-month-old husky who was found abandoned in a crate beneath an Erie County bridge, during subzero temperatures, that, despite rescuers attempts to save her, did not survive.
“You don’t know where these pets are going to, especially if they’re labeled as free. And now if we’re able to search this up, we’re able to see who these people are, what they’ve done, and now we know not to adopt them and let others know that these people are trying to adopt animals,” says Chanel Warner of Project Meow.
Local prosecutors add that this would be a major step in the right direction.
“The one thing in discussing this law with different individuals is that it wouldn’t prevent the first time offenders, but it would ensure or at least help make sure that those that have been convicted of these types of crimes could not then possess again in the future and would help those institutions and shops that do sell these animals to make sure that these individuals can have an animal before they sell it to them,” says Clearfield County DA Ryan Sayers.
Rescues say that they hope that the House considers passing the bill and are happy that animal related issues are seeing movement at the state level, while noting that there is still a lot more that needs to be addressed.
I can say, absolutely, criminal charges to enforce them, as well as mandatory spay and neuter; we have a crisis and overpopulation of animals. We cannot adopt our way out of it and there needs to be mandatory spay and neuter. There are thousands of animals in homes, shelters, rescues, just waiting for a foster or forever home. And I think getting laws changed to further protect them, to further stop this cycle of overbreeding is another benefit to help the animals that need it the most.
More information on Senate Bill 1311 can be found HERE.