Oswego County Establishes Animal Abuser Registry

OSWEGO COUNTY – The Oswego County Legislature passed Local Law No. 2 of 2026 at its April meeting to establish an online registry of convicted animal abuse offenders. Under the law, anyone listed on the registry is prohibited from owning an animal within Oswego County.

“Animal cruelty is a serious offense, and creating this registry is necessary to prevent abuse and hold offenders accountable,” said Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup, District 9. “Although there are laws in place to protect animals from cruelty, incidents of abuse and neglect continue to occur. Having an animal abuser registry that is publicly accessible promotes animal safety and demonstrates that cruelty toward animals will not be tolerated in Oswego County.”

Anyone aged 18 or older who is convicted of an animal abuse crime within Oswego County – or is a resident of the county and is convicted anywhere within New York State – will be placed on the registry. Those on the registry are prohibited from owning animals or having them live in their residence, even if the animal belongs to another person.

Once established, the registry will be maintained by the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office and be accessible on the department’s website.

“Implementing this initiative comes at a critical time, as we’ve seen a significant increase in animal cruelty cases within the past few years,” said Oswego County Sheriff Don Hilton. “We know that animal abusers are likely to be repeat offenders, which is why it’s important to prevent them from having animals in their care again. This is something that the Legislature has been working on for nearly two years now, and I applaud their decision to adopt this local law.”

Under the law, animal abuse crimes include but are not limited to torturing and injuring animals, failure to provide proper sustenance, aggravated cruelty to animals, engagement in animal fighting, and abandonment of animals. The law protects all living mammals (except humans), birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.

The law prohibits any animal shelter, pet seller or individual from knowingly giving an animal to anyone listed on the registry. It also requires them to check the animal abuse registry prior to transferring ownership to ensure that the potential owner of the animal is not listed as an animal abuse offender.

“This online registry provides a simple way for the public to stay informed about proven animal abusers in their community,” said Oswego County Legislator Paul Connolly, District 20, chairman of the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee. “Animal rescues and others looking to transfer pet ownership will be able to screen prospective owners using the registry. This added protection is another step toward ensuring animals are placed in safe and loving homes.”

Those convicted of animal abuse crimes are required to register with the animal abuser registry. Offenders will remain on the registry for 15 years, and a repeat conviction will require permanent placement on the registry. The registry will include the offender’s name, date of birth, address and photo.

“I applaud the Oswego County Legislature for taking the initiative and passing this law to establish an online registry of convicted animal abuse offenders,” said Oswego County District Attorney Anthony J. DiMartino, Jr. “I appreciate that the Legislature allowed me to assist in the drafting of the Local Law, which supports our prosecution of animal abusers and provides an additional tool to protect against re-offenders.”

If an offender fails to register with the animal abuser registry or is found unlawfully owning an animal or having care or custody of one, they will be prosecuted by the Oswego County District Attorney’s Office. The District Attorney’s Office has an assistant district attorney dedicated to handling animal abuse cases. Penalties for violators include a misdemeanor conviction, jail time up to 364 days, and a monetary fine.

For more information, visit https://www.oswegocountyny.gov/departments/public_safety/sheriff or call the Sheriff’s Office at 315-349-3302.

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