Marion County is in Florida, USA. The Board of County Commissioners of Marion County are obviously aware of the potential for animal abusers to adopt cats and dogs from pet stores or adoption agencies etc.. I am sure animal abuser are skilled at hiding their past. When this happens the animal is being inadvertently handed over to a person who is plainly unsuited to the task of looking after a pet. Quite the opposite in fact. Serial animal abusers are a frightening danger to pets.
One way to protect animals from these nasty, deviant people is the creation of an animal abuser registry. The Commissioners have recently approved changes to the Marion County animal control ordinance (local law) which provided for the creation of an animal abuser registry. As I understand it the changes take effect on January 2017.
Also Animal Services’ website will feature a list of people who have been banned by a court from owning animals.
Both these steps will seriously help to protect animals and assist adoption agencies and breeders etc..
Specifically, the animal abuser registry will list people who have been convicted of animal abuse in criminal courts.
People who adopt, sell or gift an animal must check the animal abuse registry before transferring ownership. Failure to comply results on a warning and subsequently on a second non-compliance a fine is issued. Note: I am not clear how this will be enforced. Anyone who can clarify please leave a comment.
As I understand it, animals who have been victims of abuse and animal abusers will be listed on the Animal Services’ website. This is courageous and sensible. It is making public the criminal offences committed by these people.
This law (the concept of keeping an animal abuse registry under law) is known as Molly’s Law. Molly is an American boxer dog mix who was stabbed multiple times by an abuser in 2014. She survived and now lives in a good home after careful vetting of a suitable guardian.
Note: if I have something wrong please tell me in a comment and I’ll amend the article promptly. Thanks. My thanks to Dee for telling me about this law.
I am so pleased with this.
Just when I thought that our commissioners were cold blooded, they pulled through.
I don’t care that it took having a poor dog so abused (and, ignoring cat abuse forever and a day) to bring this about. It’s going to be a reality.
And, abusers will be named. I am, especially, pleased that both owner and adoptee will be held accountable should either be an abuser.
I believe that it will be incumbent upon owners and adoptees to check the registry themselves at the start before selling or giving away a pet. But, as it gains momentum, I believe that it will be under scrutiny and every pet will be checked and crossmatched when taken to receive yearly vaccinations or any health checks.