States should Register Animal Abusers Just Like Sex Offenders

All states jurisdictions should enact an animal offenders registry. The registry will publically reveal the names of known animal abusers in a particular area, similar to how sex offenders are registered. Each animal abuser will have their name, date of birth, offense, conviction date, and expiration date listed. First-time animal abusers will be registered for two years. An additional five years will be added for every subsequent offense after the two years. By registering animal abusers, we will protect both helpless animals and the people animal abusers are more likely to abuse. While it is incredibly important to appropriately punish animal abusers, this would play an even larger role in changing the way we regard animals in our society. If we consider the harm done to animals as equal to the harm done to members of our own species, we can begin to change cultural perceptions of animals and one day upgrade their status as “property” to that of individuals in their own right.