Every year, animal shelters and rescues across New York work tirelessly to save abused, abandoned, and neglected animals. They heal broken bones. They rebuild trust. They give vulnerable animals a second chance at life.

But right now, New York has a dangerous gap in its laws.

About half of our counties have created local animal abuse registries. The other half have not. That means someone convicted of animal cruelty in one county can simply cross a county line and legally obtain another animal — with no statewide system in place to stop it.

For animal lovers, this is heartbreaking. We know that cruelty is not just a mistake — it’s a serious offense recognized under New York law. And yet, without a unified statewide registry, shelters and rescues may not have the tools they need to fully protect the animals in their care.

This isn’t about politics. Lawmakers from both parties — Senator James Tedisco and Assemblymember Sarah Clark — have introduced bills to create a statewide animal abuse registry. They may differ on details, but they agree on the core principle: New York must do better to protect animals.

So what are we waiting for?

New York has long been a leader in animal welfare. We passed Buster’s Law to strengthen felony animal cruelty penalties. Now it’s time to close the loophole and ensure protections don’t stop at county borders.

We urge Governor Kathy Hochul, the New York State Legislature, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to work together and pass a statewide animal abuse registry this session.

Animals cannot speak for themselves. But we can.

Sign this petition to help save lives and protect animals across all of New York.