Gentile wants animal abusers treated like perverts
Convicted sex offenders are required by state law to tell law enforcement authorities their whereabouts when they get out of prison. They must register their home addresses with the New York State Department of Criminal Justice on a regular basis.
Councilman Vincent Gentile (D-Bay Ridge) wants people convicted of cruelty to animals to be forced to do the same thing.
Gentile is a co-sponsor of a bill introduced by Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria) on Sept. 12 that would establish an animal cruelty registry in New York City. Anyone convicted of torturing animals would be required to register with law enforcement authorities. Under the proposed legislation, people convicted of being cruel to animals would be prohibited from owning animals.
Crimes that would result in inclusion in the registry are animal fighting, abandonment, aggravated cruelty and failure to provide proper sustenance.
“There are many reasons we should be concerned about the whereabouts of animal abusers. In story after disturbing story, abusers repeat their violent crimes against helpless animals, and have a proclivity to become violent towards people as well,” Gentile said.