Finally, some good news for animal lovers. A new law is currently implemented in many states across the USA, registering animal abusers like sex offenders. Right now, only Tennessee lists animal offenders as sex offenders, although states like New York and Illinois have similar laws at a local level.
The Tennessee registry can be accessed by any local law office with the list being published publicly. Each animal offender will have his name, date of birth, and date of offense so everyone can see them. This is a win for any abandoned kitten or dog and for every owner who had to deal with the trauma.
First-time offenders will be registered for two years, while repeat offenses will add 5 more years to the register. This kind of law was first implemented by Suffolk Country. Jon Cooper, the bill’s sponsor, compared animal torturers to serial killers, and he might have been right.
All convicted abusers will also have to pay a $50 registration fine. Anyone older than 18 will also need to provide a photo and an alias they might use often. Not paying the fee leads to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, so we think everyone will pay it.
We salute the law and hope that even more states adopt it soon.
