As animal abuse cases rose by almost 40% in two years in Connecticut, lawmakers are eyeing stronger penalties and a statewide public database for animal abusers, much like the state’s sex offender registry, to hold abusers more accountable.
The Connecticut Legislative Animal Welfare Caucus, made up of a bipartisan group of lawmakers, met Monday morning to set the top priories for this year’s legislative agenda. Among the most discussed topics was deterring animal abuse across the state through tightening laws and creating a database of animal abusers that can be accessed by the general public.
Connecticut does not currently have a centralized, statewide public database for animal abusers. Previous attempts to implement a database, including Senate Bill 523 in 2018, failed to gain enough support to pass. Previous proposals have included creating a registry managed by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.
“This registry would be for the chronic abusers out there, so that they are known to everybody,” said Rep. Mitch Polinsky, R-Newtown. “I will tell you from firsthand knowledge that anytime anybody says the word ‘registry,’ about half of this building turns upside down and lawmakers will try to undo what we are trying to do. The accountability piece is tremendously important. The registration and the registry itself, the access to it, is part of the deterrence.”
State Rep. Rebecca Martinez, D-Plainville, a member on the animal welfare caucus, said a registry would be helpful to gather data for animal abuse cases in a centralized platform.
“A registry would be a positive change, Right now if you go to a pet store, there is nothing to check your background,” Martinez said. “A registry would offer a cross check if you had any charges previously. What we’re seeing is a lot of people having animal cruelty charges and then getting them dismissed. So we don’t have a real record on them.”
Following reports of animal cruelty, Woodbridge animal control officers located a Cane Corso whose “spine, hips and ribs” were “protruding.” (Courtesy of Woodbridge Police Department)
Some animal advocates say that while a registry would be helpful, the state must first enforce animal cruelty laws. Last year, approximately 80% of animal cruelty cases in the state ended with little or no meaningful punishment, according to a report filed by Desmond’s Army Animal Law Advocates.
“You have to prosecute and convict these abusers before you even have a registry,” said Desmond’s Army president Robin “Zilla” Cannamela. “They have to stop giving these perpetrators who commit these violent crimes against animals accelerated rehabilitation. Because if they just keep giving these people a slap on the wrist, then there is no record to even go on. The laws are there, but the data shows they are not really enforced. So an abuser then goes back and commits more animal abuse, because the message is you just get a slap on the wrist.”
Desmond’s Law, first passed in 2016, allows courts to appoint volunteer attorneys or supervised law students to speak on behalf of animal victims in cruelty cases. These advocates review documentation, obtain records, visit the victims, collaborate with stakeholders, present facts and ensure that the court considers the animal’s interests. It was the first law of its kind in the United States, according to Cannamela.
Cannamela said that Desmond’s Army is seeking to expand upon Desmond’s Law by including all companion animals, not just cats and dogs, under Connecticut statute.
“I think we’ll be successful this session and we will see the expansion of Desmond’s Law because violence toward animals affects all of us,” Cannamela said. “We see the direct link between animal abuse and other types of abuse.”
The expansion of the law also seeks to classify animal starvation as a felony and restrict the use of accelerated rehabilitation and probation for violent animal crimes.
“I’m very much in favor of expanding Desmond’s Law,” Martinez said. “We need to really look at holding people accountable.”
Linda Pleva, vice president of Desmond’s Army, said that animal cruelty is often the first step toward further violence against people. She said that the link between animal cruelty and domestic violence, child abuse and elder abuse is often overlooked. From October 2016 to June 2025, Desmond’s Army tracked 533 animal abuse cases in Connecticut. Of those cases, 85% of cases were charged as misdemeanors and 12% of cases were charged as felonies. Despite the high number of misdemeanors given, 36% of all animal abuse crimes saw violence toward animals.
The report, filed in December, also found that 32% of those charged with animal cruelty had a prior criminal record and 52% of those charged with an animal abuse felony had a prior criminal record. In addition, 16% of animal cruelty cases also involved domestic violence, and 39% of cases charged as a felony involved domestic violence, showcasing the link between animal abuse and violence toward people.
“This is about stopping violence before it escalates, not after people are harmed. The public demands and wants action,” Pleva said. “Stronger animal cruelty laws are public safety tools. They help identify risk earlier and protect vulnerable populations and interrupt cycles of violence that often begin with harm to animals. The message from the public is clear, and the opportunity for prevention is right in front of us. Animal cruelty is often the first visible warning sign of violence. When we take it seriously, we can protect the entire community.”
Lawmakers also heard testimony from animal welfare advocates on considering a statewide ban on the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet shops to combat puppy mills. A pair of bills, including House Bill 5112 and House Bill 5138, were introduced last session that aimed to restrict these sales. Advocates urged lawmakers to re-introduce similar bills this session.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com.
