TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WSVN) - A proposed animal abuse registry could soon keep animal abusers from adopting more pets.

Fox 30 reports that a bill in the Florida House of Representatives, HB871, would create a publicly-accessible registry, listing anyone convicted of animal cruelty in the state. The site would be maintained by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The bill would require all pet stores, breeders, and shelters to check the registry before selling or adopting an animal. Fines would be imposed if the registry was not checked prior to the sale or adoption.

State representative Jared Moskowitz, a Democrat from Coral Springs, is the bill’s co-sponsor, along with Republican Blaise Ingoglia from Spring Hill.

“Studies have shown that there’s a correlation between people who abuse animals and child abuse, sexual abuse, spousal abuse,” Moskowitz said.

Some animal advocates say the registry wouldn’t go far enough to prevent abuse, since it would only list convictions, rather than anyone accused of animal cruelty.

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