Sullivan delays Dean’s Law for a month, to give it more bite

MONTICELLO – A local law that would establish an animal abuse registry
in Sullivan County, similar to what’s in place in several other area counties,
will wait one more month to become law. A one-word revision was recommended
after discussion between the district attorney and a county attorney.
Assistant County Attorney Tom Cawley said changing “intentionally”
to “knowingly” causing abuse does two things, including broadening
the scope of actions harming animals that would get a culprit put on the
registry.
A public hearing, scheduled for Thursday, was held despite deferring
adoption, which was on the monthly legislative agenda.
There were mixed opinions from a handful who spoke. A pet shop owner
said the law would create an unreasonable new burden for them. Others
said having to either check an online list for people prohibited from
owning animals, or making one phone call to the sheriff’s office was not
too much a burden to protect animals from harm.