Anyone can go to their local shelter and adopt a new pet by filling out a simple application, even someone that tortures animals ! Desperate, overcrowded shelters sometimes offer reduced adoption rates that attract abusers and hoarders. Little or no background checks are done on potential adopters, allowing innocent animals to fall into the wrong hands. A registry of known and convicted abusers would help protect animals. We register sex offenders to protect our children, so why don't we register those who abuse and neglect animals ???? PLEASE HELP THE ANIMALS !