Cooper’s Law Requiring Checks to Prevent Animal Abusers From Purchasing or Adopting Pets Adopted
Less than a year after creating the world’s first animal abuser registry, Suffolk County lawmakers agreed today to give the measure even more bite by requiring pet stores, breeders and animal shelters to determine if prospective pet owners appear on that registry before allowing the animals to be purchased or adopted.
The law, sponsored by Legislative Majority Leader Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor) would require all pet stores, breeders and animal shelters operating in the County to ask for photo identification from prospective owners and adopters. They would then be mandated to check those names against the animal abuser registry created by Cooper last October. Exempt from Cooper’s law is the requirement to check names if the prospective buyer is purchasing feeder animals (which typically are mealworms, crickets or mice) for another pet.
“I’m thrilled that my colleagues joined me in giving my animal abuser registry law some real teeth with the adoption of this companion bill,” says Cooper. “This will go a long way towards keeping new victims out of the hands of disturbed individuals who derive pleasure from the suffering of innocent animals.”
Last year, working with the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Cooper authored the ground-breaking legislation known as “Justin’s Law,” which became the world’s first public registry specifically devoted to those criminals who are convicted of abusing animals. Like Megan’s Law for child sex offenders, convicted animal abusers are required to register their names, aliases, addresses and submit their photograph for inclusion in a publicly accessible database.
The registry was named after a 2-year-old Doberman mix who was locked inside a bedroom in a foreclosed home in May of 2010. Weighing just 19 pounds and covered in feces and urine when he was discovered, the dog was not expected to survive the night. He was renamed “Justin” by the SPCA officer who ultimately adopted him because he was rescued “just in time.”
Animal rights advocates hailed the adoption of Cooper’s latest measure to provide even more comprehensive protections for creatures unable to speak for themselves.
“This common-sense resolution is a crucial companion to Suffolk County’s new animal abuser registry— the first such registry in the world—and will help save countless animals from getting into the hands of convicted abusers,” said Stephan Otto, attorney and director of legislative affairs for the Animal Legal Defense Fund. “We salute Legislator Cooper for his leadership on this resolution, and are extremely grateful to all the other legislators who voted to protect those animals who are the most vulnerable in Suffolk County.”
Penalties for any business or agency that violates Cooper’s law will be a $500 fine for the first offense, $1,000 for the second offense and $1,500 for all subsequent infractions.
Thank goodness someone is helping these poor animals and the animals have someone to speak for them. Everyone needs to, if they see anything that looks wrong with an animal’s appearance or feel that the animal is being mistreated, to call the ASPCA or the police, they will look into the problem. Remember is it up to you to call since the animal counts on us to do the right thing. Thank you Jon Cooper for inforcing these new animal laws.