CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Chesapeake City Council will vote Tuesday night on implementing the region's first animal cruelty registry. The registry would be a public database designed to track people convicted of felony animal abuse crimes and help protect animals from being placed with dangerous owners.
The registry proposal, championed by Councilwoman Amanda Newins, would create an online database accessible through the city's Animal Services website. The system would list anyone convicted of felony animal cruelty crimes, including their name, address at the time of conviction, conviction date, and the specific Virginia code section violated.
"It'll be an online resource that will note anyone who's been convicted of a felony relating to animal cruelty," Newins said. "So that way rescues, fosters, shelters, anyone can have access to it to see if someone's been convicted before they adopt an animal out to them potentially."
Newins, who describes herself as a strong animal advocate and volunteer foster for local shelters, requested the registry after Virginia law recently authorized localities to establish such databases. The registry would include felony convictions for animal cruelty, animal fighting, maiming or killing animals, and injuring police animals.
The councilwoman said the registry would serve as a preventative measure since animal abuse cases are often difficult to prosecute due to lack of witnesses.
"A lot of times they are very difficult to prove because the animal is the witness," Newins explained. "...This is a preventative way to help our furry friends from getting into the hands of the wrong people."
If approved, Chesapeake would join Henrico County and a small number of other Virginia jurisdictions that have implemented similar registries since the General Assembly authorized them. The Chesapeake Police Department would maintain the database, pulling conviction records from throughout the Commonwealth.
The registry would only include felony-level convictions, not misdemeanor offenses, arrests, or pending cases. Individuals could petition for removal after 15 years if they have no subsequent qualifying convictions. City officials estimate implementation costs would be minimal, primarily involving staff time to create and maintain the database.
Newins hopes the registry could eventually be expanded to include misdemeanor animal cruelty convictions as well, noting that some cases involving starved or injured animals may only result in misdemeanor charges rather than felonies.
"I'd like to see it expanded far beyond just a felony conviction, but include the misdemeanor convictions as well," she said.
The registry would function similarly to other public safety databases, with the information accessible to anyone through the city's website. Newins hopes other Hampton Roads cities will consider implementing similar registries to further protect animals throughout the region.
The vote is scheduled for Tuesday during the city council meeting, which starts at 6:30pm.
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