Former legislator criticizes delays in Suffolk animal abuse registry updates
Suffolk County was among the first jurisdictions in the country to establish a public registry for convicted animal abusers. The law was passed in 2010, with then-Legislator Jon Cooper leading the effort.
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The former Suffolk County legislator who championed the county's landmark animal abuse registry says officials must do more to ensure the database remains current after a News 12 investigation found it had gone more than a year without being updated.
Suffolk County was among the first jurisdictions in the country to establish a public registry for convicted animal abusers. The law was passed in 2010, with then-Legislator Jon Cooper leading the effort.
Under the measure, animal abuse offenders are required to provide their names, aliases, current addresses and photographs to authorities for inclusion in the registry. The database is intended to help animal shelters, rescues and breeders identify individuals who have been convicted of animal cruelty offenses before placing pets in their care.
However, a recent News 12 review found the registry had not been updated since May 2025. At least two individuals convicted of animal cruelty offenses in 2024 were not listed when the database was checked.
After News 12 contacted the Suffolk County Police Department to ask why the registry had not been updated, nine names were added to the database on Sept. 30.
"I think it's inexcusable," Cooper said.
Cooper said the county should take steps to ensure the registry remains up to date and reliable.
"I believe the Suffolk County Police Department needs to immediately review the registry, bring it fully up to date and most importantly put procedures in place to ensure that the registry is updated on a consistent and timely basis in the future," he said.
Officials with the Suffolk County Police Department declined an interview request for the story. A department spokesperson said the agency is streamlining the process of updating the registry going forward.
Although officials said the list is now current, News 12 found that Carlos Lauro, an Aquebogue man who pleaded guilty to shooting and killing a dog in 2024, still was not listed in the registry.
Under Suffolk County law, convicted animal abusers are required to self-register. Failing to do so is a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail.
Cooper suggested lawmakers may want to examine whether the current penalty is sufficient to encourage compliance.
"It may be that the penalty's not strong enough and the answer lies in increasing the penalty, so it will put the fear of God into the offenders and make sure they self-report as required," he said.
Meanwhile, legislation has been introduced in Albany that would create a statewide animal abuse registry. Supporters say such a system could improve the tracking of convicted animal abusers and provide a more comprehensive resource for shelters, rescues and breeders throughout New York.
