Suffolk County has enacted a new law making it a Class A misdemeanor for convicted animal abusers to own pets, punishable by up to a year in jail and $1,000 fines. This legislation follows the disturbing discovery of numerous dead cats and aims to close loopholes in existing regulations. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and Legislator Stephanie Bontempi emphasized the necessity of the law for animal protection. The law strengthens a previous registry system established in 2010, ensuring that offenders face real consequences for violating pet ownership restrictions.
This bill will protect animals, and that's why I'm signing it, said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine.
We've closed the loophole. It's something that shouldn't even be an issue, but I'm glad we were able to get this legislation on the books, said Suffolk Legislator Stephanie Bontempi.
Having your name on the list already meant you could no longer own a pet - but until now, there was no real punishment for breaking that rule.
Suffolk County SPCA Chief Roy Gross said he was 'beyond excited' to see the law finally pass after years of advocacy.
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