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Animal Abuse Registry Still Deserves Scrutiny

The grisly discovery of a dog hanging from a tree last week in Jamestown has put a new spotlight on Chautauqua County’s proposed animal abuse registry.

Few can argue the purpose behind the registry, but we hope last week’s incident doesn’t mean the registry sails through the Chautauqua County Legislature without receiving the proper consideration.

The existence of a registry wouldn’t have prevented the Jamestown man accused of hanging his pit bull from owning the dog in the first place. The man had no prior convictions for animal abuse, so he wouldn’t have appeared on the registry.

Farmers raised valid concerns about ambiguities in the way the law was written that should be addressed in time for this month’s Chautauqua County Legislature committee meetings.

Judging from the meeting minutes of March’s Chautauqua County Legislature committee meetings, there has not yet been a discussion of whether or not the registry should be public or not. We would opt against a public registry, given that people convicted of worse crimes — things like assaults, domestic violence, driving while intoxicated and the like — can go on with their lives without public oversight of their activities once their debt to society is paid. If the county creates an animal abuse registry, what other registries could be created?

Lisa Vanstrom, R-Ellicott, raised questions last month about the proposed $5,000 fine for animal shelters or pet sellers who sell an animal to someone who is on the registry. Her question is a good one, but let’s take Vanstrom’s point a step further. What happens to animals purchased outside of the county, where the seller may not know that Chautauqua County has an animal abuse registry? Does the $5,000 fine apply to those organizations and sellers? What about people who give away litters of kittens or puppies? Not all of those people will be aware of an animal abuse registry; could they be staring at a $5,000 fine if the animal they give away is abused?

As we stated last month, the thought behind the animal abuse registry is good, but the questions raised by farmers last month are just the tip of the iceberg. County legislators should take their time and think of the possible unintended consequences of this local law. Don’t be rushed into a bad piece of legislation by a heinous and egregious act.

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