In 2010, Suffolk County became the first county in New York State to require offenders convicted of animal abuse crimes to register with a database. The law requires that all convicted offenders 18 and older register with the database within five days of being sentenced or being released from incarceration. The law does not apply to juvenile offenders or to those convictions where the records are sealed. The convicted person must be made aware of this requirement at the time of sentencing.
Each registrant is required to pay an annual $50 fee to the Suffolk County Police Department. These funds are used to pay the administrative costs of maintaining the registry. The offender registers his or her name, all aliases, address and a photograph of him or herself. The registry must be updated each year or whenever the offender moves. Offenders are required to maintain registration for five years. Any subsequent conviction for animal abuse will require the offender to stay registered for ten years from date of most recent conviction.
The penalty for failure to register is that the convicted person will be charged with a class A misdemeanor and can be punished by up to one year in prison or up to a fine of $1,000.00.
Rincker Law, PLLC works on animal law cases – both with litigation and mediation. Cari is licensed in the Tri-state area and Illinois. She works on both companion animal, livestock and equine law matters.