Protecting Animals from Abusers

The effort is continuing at the Capitol to make it easier to protect adoptive animals from animal abusers. Under a proposal before the House Judiciary Committee, animal shelters would be allowed free use of the state’s registry, to check for a history of animal abuse among those seeking to adopt animals. The bills also prohibit anyone convicted of an animal abuse crime from adopting an animal for five years from the conviction. The general public can use the Department of State Police Internet Criminal History Access Tool for a ten-dollar fee. Under the proposal, that fee is waived for animal shelters.