GENESEO, N.Y., Feb. 3, 2026 — The Livingston County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt Local Law No. A-2026 establishing an online animal abuser registry. The board approved the measure during its regular meeting on Jan. 28, 2026, following a public hearing. The law, which takes effect immediately after filing with the secretary of state, will make public the identity of known local animal abusers and prevent those convicted of animal abuse crimes from adopting, purchasing or obtaining animals within the County.

Under the new law, any resident 18 years of age or older convicted of an animal abuse crime must register with the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, which will maintain the Animal Abuser Registry on its website. The registry will include the offender’s name, address, photograph and details of their conviction, along with links to other New York state animal abuser registries. 

“With this law, the board is sending a clear message that the cruel treatment of animals is unacceptable in Livingston County,” said Board Chair David LeFeber. “The Animal Abuser Registry will provide community members, particularly animal shelters, farms, pet sellers, and anyone else involved in the sale, exchange or adoption of animals, with the identities of convicted animal abusers. We want to ensure that all our animals are placed in safe, caring environments and kept away from proven offenders.”

All offenders must register with the Animal Abuser Registry within five business days of their release from incarceration or, if not incarcerated, from the date of their conviction. Penalties for failing to comply with the new law, a Class A misdemeanor, range from fines starting at $1,000 to up to one year in jail. The County will use any fines collected to support the care and upkeep of animals through the Livingston County Humane Society or other animal cruelty prevention organization as identified by the Livingston County Board of Supervisors.

For a first-time animal abuse conviction, an individual will remain on the registry for 15 years following their release from incarceration or date of conviction. Anyone convicted of a subsequent animal abuse crime will remain on the Animal Abuser Registry for life. The law forbids individuals on the registry from owning any animals, and also makes it a violation for a registrant to harbor an animal within their home, regardless of whether the animal is owned by another person.

This, and other local laws, can be found on the Livingston County Board of Supervisors – Local Laws webpage. 

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About Livingston County:

Founded in 1821, Livingston County, N.Y., is home to more than 61,000 residents in 17 towns located across 631 square miles of the Finger Lakes region.