Levy vetoes animal abuse registry measure

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy has vetoed a measure that would have barred convicted animal abusers from buying animals in pet shops.

Levy said he believes the requirement that pet shops check customers' names against a registry of convicted animal abusers is overly burdensome. But the sponsor of the measure, Majority Leader Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor), predicted that legislators will override the veto.

Levy praised the intent of the measure, which would have prohibited the sale of animals to those on the planned registry, but said it went too far -- requiring people buying even a guppy to be checked.

Cooper predicted a veto override at the legislature's next meeting, on June 21. Legislators approved the measure unanimously in May. Cooper said he'd then propose an amendment to require people buying birds to be checked, but not someone buying fish.

Cooper also said he will move ahead with another proposal affecting county pet stores -- a ban on selling dogs bred out of state.

The measure aims to prevent the sale of dogs from puppy mills, which generally operate in other parts of the country. The proposal, introduced on Tuesday, would allow pet stores to sell only dogs acquired from animal shelters, rescue organizations or local breeders.

"Puppy mills breed dogs under horrible conditions," Cooper said. "It's like an industrial operation. They couldn't care less about the welfare of the animal . . .[The dogs are] treated like an agricultural commodity in unheated or unair-conditioned barns, or sometimes in cages that are so small they can't even turn around."

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Elinor Molbegott, legal counsel for the Humane Society of New York, said a few municipalities, including West Hollywood, Calif., and Albuquerque, have passed outright bans on the sale of dogs from puppy mills.

Nassau County has no similar proposal under consideration, officials there said.

New York State law, while barring puppy mills, prevents local governments from regulating pet stores. The law could open Cooper's proposal to legal challenge, Molbegott said.

Cooper said he's successfully pushed forward other proposals that had been seen as having legal obstacles, such as a ban on talking on a cellphone while driving.

Workers at several Suffolk pet stores that sell dogs declined to comment or did not return calls.

Levy said he will study the proposal.