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Henrico board adopts local animal‑cruelty registry; members require notice and remove booking photos
Summary
The Board adopted an ordinance to establish a local animal‑cruelty registry authorized by state law (effective July 1, 2024). The board approved a substitute that requires notice to listed individuals and excludes booking photos from the public registry.
Henrico County supervisors adopted a local animal‑cruelty registry ordinance on Dec. 2, choosing a substitute that requires officials to notify people before adding them to the registry and omits booking photographs.
Background: State law enacted earlier authorized localities to create registries for certain felony animal‑cruelty convictions; staff and the county attorney presented two substitute proposals. Substitute A required notice before listing and excluded booking photos; substitute B would have allowed inclusion of booking photos (which are otherwise public under FOIA).
Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor attended and said she was available to answer legal questions during the discussion. County counsel summarized the two substitutes, noting substitute A removes booking photos while substitute B includes them as FOIA‑released images. Several supervisors voiced support for notice requirements; supporters of booking photos argued photos aid quick identification at adoption sites, while opponents said the statute’s listed data fields do not explicitly include photos and that photos can raise fairness concerns.
The board first voted down a motion to adopt substitute B (which would have included booking photos), then substituted substitute A and approved it. Chair and several supervisors emphasized the registry’s purpose is to protect animals and adoption agencies, and to ensure those convicted after July 1, 2024 are handled per the new registry rules. The adopted substitute also requires notice to individuals before inclusion and limits the registry to convictions after the statutory effective date as written.
What’s next: County staff and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office will implement the registry consistent with the adopted substitute language and applicable FOIA rules; the ordinance sets procedures for notification and requires records and decommissioning provisions where applicable.
