Oct 27, 2015 1 min read

Massachusetts is the latest state to take up a piece of legislation that should be copied by every state in the union.

Under the Massachusetts measure, a registry of animal abusers would be created. It would include their names and the nature of their animal cruelty offenses.

The aim is to keep animals out of the hands of those who might do them harm. The information on the registry could be accessed by animal breeders, shelters and pet stores, according to an Associated Press report.

Unfortunately, the general public would not be permitted to see the information. We disagree with that. Such registries should be just like the Megan’s Law information that’s posted online. Just as we need to know when perverts are living near us, we should be aware of someone who has abused animals, because if they’re vile enough to hurt a defenseless animal, they’re capable of pretty much anything.

We hope the Massachusetts bill wins final approval, and that Pennsylvania lawmakers follow suit.