These registered animal abusers Albany County, New York, are banned from owning pets or even watching an animal for other people. Various governmental entities keep a list of those convicted of abusing animals. According to the National Humane Education Society,

Failing to provide for an animal’s basic needs to the degree that the animal experiences intense suffering or death also qualifies as animal cruelty, regardless of the offender’s intent. For instance, continuous dog chaining, failure to supply an animal with necessary food, shelter, and veterinary care, confining an animal for long periods, leaving an animal in a hot car, and having more animals than be adequately cared for, all cause an animal intense suffering and death – even when the offender lacks to awareness to recognize it.

Anyone who gives an animal away or sells it must check the animal abuse registry, if there is one, in their county prior to the transaction.

New York State laws identify various forms of abuse, including aggravated cruelty,

Aggravated cruelty to animals. 1. A person is guilty of aggravated cruelty to animals when, with no justifiable purpose, he or she intentionally kills or intentionally causes serious physical injury to a companion animal with aggravated cruelty. For purposes of this section, "aggravated cruelty" shall mean conduct which: (i) is intended to cause extreme physical pain; or (ii) is done or carried out in an especially depraved or sadistic manner.

Other forms of animal abuse and cruelty include:

- Neglect
- Hoarding
- Fighting
- Beating
- Mutilation
- Burning

Any person convicted of animal cruelty in Albany County after January 2012 must submit information to the Albany County Sheriff's Department.

1. Elisa Sumner