Should We Have an Online Database for Animal Abusers?

A state GOP representative in Michigan has introduced a bill that would keep track of animal abusers.

GOP Rep. Paul Muxlow of Brown City, Mich., reintroduced a bill Wednesday that would bar convicted animal abusers from getting another pet for five years and require animal shelters and other entities to check potential adopters against a Michigan State Police database.

Muxlow’s bill is referred to as “Logan’s Law” and is named after a husky named Logan who was blinded by an acid burn. Logan’s owner said someone intentionally splashed acid on the dog.

Logan:

The bill has been winding its way through the process for three years. It made it through the Michigan House last year but did not make it to the Senate before the session ended.

Michigan is not the only state that keeps track of animal abusers. New York City voters approved a city-wide registry for convicted animal abusers: “Convicted animal abusers are prohibited from having contact with animals for five years; shelters, pet stores and other animal welfare organizations are required to consult the registry before adopting or selling any animal. The law went into effect in October.” Other counties in New York State also have a registry.

The proposed Michigan law is fairly popular with 53,000 Facebook likes.  Logan’s owner, Matt Falk, is hoping the bill moves forward quickly.

“It’s going on three years since it happened,” Falk said. “It has been a long haul, but if this is passed it really will open the door for a lot of states to get the same thing.”