70 Niagara County NY Animal Abusers Banned From Owning Pets

These 70 registered animal abusers in Niagara County are banned from owning pets or even watching an animal for other people. The Niagara County Sheriff's Office keeps a list of those convicted of abusing animals.

July is National Pet Hydration Awareness Month, which is part of one of the major forms of companion animal abuse. Pets are often forced to suffer from a lack of food and water, especially on hot days. 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.

In 2015, the Niagara County Legislature created the Animal Abuser Registry. Anyone who gives an animal away or sells it must check the registry.

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

If you suspect animal abuse in Niagara Fall, you should report it to the Niagara County SPCA:

2100 Lockport Road
Niagara Falls, NY 14304
www.niagaraspca.org
716-731-4368