Proposed law would ban abusers from owning animals

Manatee County’s Animal Services Advisory Board will explore the possibility of enacting an animal abuser registry ordinance and discuss the matter further at an October meeting.

After passing out copies of a similar ordinance approved earlier this month in Hillsborough County, the board, which advises the Manatee County Commission on animal issues, will discuss the matter more at the Oct. 26 meeting.

“I think we need a lot of review of this,” said Animal Services Advisory Board Chairwoman Jean Peelen. “I’m interested in legal review and history in Hillsborough.”

During public comment at Wednesday’s meeting, Commissioner Carol Whitmore asked the advisory board to “see if it’s something Manatee County would like to do.”

Whitmore also raised the issue during commissioner comments at Tuesday’s meeting when she asked her fellow commissioners to consider such an ordinance.

The ordinance could prohibit animal shelters, rescues and others from “transferring animal ownership to convicted abusers,” Whitmore said at Tuesday’s commission meeting.

“Manatee County is No. 1 in the state for convicting animal abusers,” she said. “We are one of the very few that have departments that actually do that. It would need to go to Animal Services Advisory Board to get their blessing before it comes before us.”

During Tuesday’s meeting, other commissioners expressed the desire to let the advisory board explore the issue and waiting until after the November election when there will be new commissioners elected.

“That’s their job to look into items to bring forth,” Commission Chairwoman Vanessa Baugh said of the advisory board. “It’s a huge decision and I really think we should wait until we get a new board. I think they should be part of this discussion. ... We are kind of jumping ahead a little bit. I think this is something that should be looked at in the future.”

On the surface, the registry sounds like an excellent idea, Commissioner John Chappie said.

“I think good idea to get it started now,” he said. “I am hopeful that it will be a very good way to go.”

This story was originally published September 28, 2016 at 1:11 PM with the headline "Proposed law would ban abusers from owning animals."