Volusia County wins award for animal abuse registry
Photo credit: Jason-Spectrum/Jan Johnson via Nature Coast Animal Wellness & Surgical Center
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Volusia County is being recognized for implementing an animal abuse registry that will stop those who have hurt animals in the past from being able to own one.
According to the Daytona Beach News Journal, the county recently won the “Best Practices Award” from the Florida Association of Counties for its successful launch of the program.
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The website was launched on May 28 with pages filled with the names, information, mugshots, and offense details of people in Volusia County convicted of crimes against animals.
"Anyone over the last 10 years who has been convicted of either misdemeanor or felony animal cruelty,” said Animal Services Director Adam Leath.
The idea is to have the database be a sort-of background check on potential pet buyers/adopters. Companies, shelters, and private sellers can quickly access the database to search the person’s name and see if they have been convicted of committing any crimes against animals; potentially keeping new pets out of those folks’ hands.
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Convicted animal abusers and their mugshots will be posted on the county's animal control website for 10 years, so everyone -- including shelters and rescues -- can check it.