Tennessee animal abuse registry set to begin

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee(WDEF) – At the stroke of midnight, Tennessee will become the first and only state in the U.S. to operate a criminal registry for people who have been convicted of intentionally abusing animals.

Under the news state law, anyone convicted in a Tennessee courtroom for aggravated animal cruelty or felony dog fighting will placed on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s animal abuse registry. 

Animal advocates at both the Hamilton County Humane Educational Society and McKamey Animal Center have been looking forward to the new law.

"I think this is another tool or resource for us to look into someone’s background and say ok this person isn’t someone we should adopt to. I think that for us and other shelters in town it’s a great resource," said Hamilton County HES Director Bob Citrullo

"It’s certainly a baby step towards a really good law and I know we will benefit from it and any animal adoption center in Tennessee will benefit from it," said McKamey Animal Center Director Jamie McCaloon.

Under the new law, first time offenders will spend two years on the registry. A second offense will land a convicted offender on the registry for five years. The offenders picture, name, age, offense and address will be listed on the registry. Because the registry is on the TBI website, anyone can access it.

But the registry has flaws. It’s not a national registry which means it doesn’t stop offenders from adopting animals in other states.

"To really make this work, other states across the country are going to have to do this.," Citrullo said.

"Certainly they can go to another state if their on the registry here. They can go to another state that doesn’t check our registry but we can’t check their registry because they don’t have one.," McCaloon said.

Because no other state currently has an animal abuse registry, offenders are more likely to re-offend outside of Tennessee.

"If someone’s convicted of animal cruelty and they move somewhere else, then they honestly can be back in business if that’s what they choose to do," Citrullo said.

Shelters in the Chattanooga area will likely contact shelters in North Georgia and North Alabama to remind them that Tennessee has registry, so if someone with a Tennessee drivers license tries to adopt animals in those areas, shelter workers can run their name through the TBI website.