WARNING: Five Broome County Residents May Not Own Pets

People who intend to give away, sell or adopt an animal to someone in Broome County are required to do some research first.

The county's current population is about 200,000. Most residents may legally own a pet but there now are five people who may not do so.

That's because they are listed on the Broome County Animal Abuser Registry.

The official list was created by the county legislature several years ago. The database is maintained by the sheriff's office

A 47-year-old Binghamton man appears on the registry. He was taken into custody by city police who seized 42 animals from his Clinton Street residence in March 2023. Investigators found 38 dogs, two rabbits and two guinea pigs when they searched the place. He was convicted of animal torture and neglect counts in November 2023.

A 34-year-old South Side man is the most recent addition to the list. His name was added last August.

Convicted animal abusers are charged $125 to register. Offenders who don't register could be fined up to $2,000 or face a one-year jail sentence.

Pet sellers or animal shelters who don't check the registry before turning over an animal to a convicted abuser could be fined up to $5,000.

Most New York state counties don't have animal abuser registries. Among those without a registry: Tioga, Chenango, Cortland and Otsego.

The link to the Broome County registry is HERE.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.