Tennessee Lawmakers Explore Animal Abuse Registry
If your neighbor beats his dog, would you want to know?
"If people think they can get away with something they will, if they know they're going to be plastered onto a website, then they might not do that," says Guy Bilyeu, Executive Director of the Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga.
Once reserved for sex offenders and meth addicts, Tennessee lawmakers may soon extend a cyber scarlet letter to those convicted of animal abuse.
Several Chattanooga area residents like the idea. Kenneth Pickat says "Its right, they should pass that law." While Kathy Brady feels "its probably a pretty good idea, because most cases that come to the attention of authorities are going to be pretty severe and there is a connection to crimes against people."
Under the proposal, anyone convicted of aggravated cruelty to animals, felony animal fighting, or bestiality would automatically be placed on an on-line registry for all to see.
Like sex offenders, animal abusers would also be required to inform authorities when they move, but would only face a fine for violating the law.
The bill sailed through Tennessee's Senate, but faces more debate in the House where some lawmakers say the state needs a registry for drunk drivers first.
Bilyeu says "to me its warranted because animal abuse has gone overlooked for quite sometime. There are individuals that simply get to walk away from what they've done to animals because its just a dog or just a cat."
Animal advocates believe an on-line registry would deter abuse, taking a gateway to other criminal activity, like spousal abuse, out of the mix. "Wouldn't it be nice not to have the problem at all?" says Bilyeu.
If lawmakers sign-off on the "animal abuser registry" bill, it would launch July first. After creating a database of previous convictions, authorities estimate they would add three new offenders each year.
Did you know animal cruelty
Did you know animal cruelty is linked to violent crime, domestic violence, and serial killers-it is a fact most serial killers started off with killing animals. Virtually ALL dog fighters have violent criminal histories and often go hand-in-hand with illegal dope dealings, illegal weapons exchange, prostitution, and a favorite means of "income" for gang activity. By combating animal cruelty, you also combat violence against people. This is a very sound law-one that makes perfect sense.
Registries don’t do
Registries don’t do anything but provide the illusion of safety. People think that these things make them safer, but all they really do is persecute the people who are trying to get their lives back together. We should take all of the money the state wastes on these stupid registries and employees to manage the upkeep, and invest it in programs that will help rehabilitate criminals so that they won’t commit further crime. It’s a lot better solution than the “Scarlet Letter” approach we use now.
Go For It
The more evil faces we can identify, the safer our communities will be.
IF YOU DO IT FOR ONE OFFENSE (D.U.I.)...
IF YOU DO IT FOR ONE OFFENSE (D.U.I.) YOU NEED TO DO IT FOR ALL OFFENSES. I UNDERSTAND THE ANIMAL & SEX OFFENDER RREGISTRIES AND WHY THEY ARE NEEDED. BUT IF YOU ARE GONNA MAKE SOME CRIMINAL OFFENSES PUBLIC INFO, YOU NEED TO DO IT FOR ALL OFFENSES. (INCLUDING JUEVENILES OVER 16) FOR THE SAME REASONS IT IS WRONG TO PUBLISH THIS INFORMATION, IT WOULD BE WRONG TO HAVE A D.U.I. REGISTRY. THE POLICE HAVE ACCESS TO OUR RECORDS. THAT IS EVERYONE WHO NEEDS THIS, OTHER THAN TO BE NOSIE ANYWAY, INFORMATION WITHOUT CONSENT OF WHO THEY ARE LOOKING UP. U.S.A. STARTING TO FEEL MORE AND MORE LIKE THE COUNTRIES WE HAVE FOUGHT TO FREE. BUT WHO WILL SAVE US? ACLU? YEAH RIGHT. THEY ONLY WANT TO PROSECUTE CHRISTIANS.
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