NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — Niagara County is just one of 22 counties in the state with an animal abuser registry.
It is similar to a sex offender registry. When someone is guilty of animal cruelty, they're not allowed to own an animal. In Western New York, only Niagara, Chautauqua, and Cattaraugus counties have one.
On Tuesday night, the Niagara SPCA said two investigators seized a dog from a Nash Road home in Wheatfield after a woman thought she could exploit the system.
"The dog is not in good condition," Executive Director of the Niagara SPCA Amy Lewis said. "She's an older Pekingese. We're told she's about 16 years old. She's got an epileptic condition and she had some eye infections and she doesn't have great mobility. Actually, when we went there we weren't even sure the dog was alive."
Lewis said the dog is now in the care of the SPCA and said the owner of the dog is Robyn Dawe who is on the Niagara County Animal Abuse Registry.
Dawe has been on that registry since she was first charged and convicted of animal cruelty back in 2017.
Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti said right now there are 70 people on the registry.
"Anything related to the torture of animals, cruelty to animals, if they either plead guilty to those charges or as a result of a plea agreement, agree to be put on the registry that would be the two ways that they would be on there," Filicetti said.
Lewis said generally people stay on the registry for up to 15 years which means they can't own animals during that time.
So, how did Dawe get her hands on another animal? Lewis said Dawe thought she found a loophole in the law.
"What she referred to as a loophole wasn't, it's not really a legal loophole," Lewis said. "She just thought by saying well this is my husband's dog despite the fact that we live in the same residence. This dog doesn't apply, she's not actually mine. She belongs to my husband."
It's a violation Lewis said may carry an even heftier consequence.
"I would anticipate that any judge that takes a look at this case will notice that this is not her first animal cruelty charge and she's also violated this registry which is specific to Niagara County," Lewis said.
"So it's a local law violation which is the equivalent to a misdemeanor."
Lewis said she believes Dawe has a court date on May 23, 2023.
If you know of anyone on the Animal Abuse Registry that is in possession of an animal, you are asked to contact the police right away.
