Suffolk toughens penalties for those who break animal abuse law 

Animal abusers in Suffolk County now face jail time and a fine if they are caught possessing an animal after a conviction for that crime, thanks to new penalties added to the county’s animal cruelty law. 

The Suffolk County Legislature approved making it a Class A misdemeanor for people who have an animal while listed on the county’s animal abuse registry. A Class A misdemeanor carries penalties of up to 1 year in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000, county officials said Wednesday.

Convicted animal abuse offenders are required to register their name and contact information on the animal abuse registry and are not allowed to have animals while on the list, Suffolk Legis. Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport), sponsor of the new legislation, said at a ceremonial bill signing at the H. Lee Dennison building in Hauppauge on Wednesday. 

But there was no provision in the law about a penalty or consequence on how to handle someone who was found to have an animal while on the list, Bontempi said.

“We’ve closed the loophole,” Bontempi said at the event, surrounded by County Executive Edward P. Romaine and other officials instrumental in getting the legislation passed and enforcing it. "It’s something that shouldn’t even be an issue, but I’m glad we were able to get this legislation on the books.”

The measure was unanimously passed by the full legislature on April 8. 

In 2010, the county was the first in the nation to create an animal abuse registry, Newsday previously reported. The Suffolk County Police Department and the county district attorney's office oversee the registry. After 10 years, if there are no further animal-related offenses, the person is removed from the registry. There are 30 people on the list, according to an online version of the registry.  

But after a cyberattack on the county in 2022, the registry was taken down, Bontempi said. Last June, while working with the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to get the registry back online, the loophole came to her attention. The registry was brought back online in January, she said. 

Roy Gross, chief of department for the Suffolk County SPCA, said he was "beyond excited" that the new law passed, after years of pushing for harsher punishments for animal abusers.

“Now we can do something when we find repeat abusers. Before we couldn’t do anything,” he said.

The legislation is the latest to address animal abuse in the county.

In January, Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney announced “Operation Bloodhound.” Tierney's office works with the county's Police Warrant Squad to arrest defendants facing animal cruelty or neglect charges who have active warrants for bail jumping and missing court dates, Newsday previously reported.

Three years ago, the Biological, Environmental and Animal Safety Team, or BEAST unit, was established to target such offenders to make sure the cases were seen through and that animals are not being mistreated by the same abusers, Newsday previously reported.

On Wednesday, Romaine said the tightened law sends a message.

“Do not abuse animals,” he said. “That’s not acceptable in this society, in this county; and we will go after you and we will prosecute you and we will protect our animals. Just don’t do it.”