State lawmakers are discussing the creation of an animal cruelty registry for Massachusetts.

Animal abusers may soon have to register themselves as such if lawmakers in Massachusetts pass a new bill into law.

According to the Associated Press, the bill would require anyone who had been convicted of an animal cruelty crime to provide their name, address and photograph to an animal abusers registry.

That registry would then be shared with pet stores, animal breeders and animal shelters to ensure that these offenders do not get to own other pets and help animals end up with responsible and caring owners.

The registry would not be open to the general public however.

A similar registry of animal cruelty criminals was created in New York City last year and Tennessee became the first to create one statewide this year.

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