CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Chesterfield County is moving to create a local animal cruelty registry that would prevent convicted abusers from adopting pets from the animal shelter.
Police proposed the registry during a Board of Supervisors meeting last week. Richmond and Henrico created similar registries after state lawmakers approved legislation in 2024 allowing localities to do so.
Carrie Jones has worked for Animal Services for 12 years and has seen firsthand the impact of animal abuse. She recalled one of her first cases — a moment that has stayed with her.
"It was a little black terrier and he had absolutely no hair, I mean bald. He had a really bad skin infection and just was kinda meek and would hid in the corner and so I really took interest in helping him and overcome his fears and socialize him," Jones said.
Jones said the most rewarding part of her work is nursing animals back to health.
"I love watching them go from being in a terrible condition, maybe they came in maciated, hair loss, and we've been able to nurse them back to health and then adopt them back out. That's definitely the most rewarding part of our job," Jones said.
Kevin Carroll, vice chair for the Board of Supervisors, supported the proposal, calling it an important tool to protect animals.
"I think it's important to make sure that if we have someone who has been deemed a danger to animals, that we absolutely know that, so we can't give them an animal from our shelter. It's really about being able to protect an animal from an abusive person," Carroll said.
Carroll noted that after 15 years, someone convicted can be removed from the list.
The registry would only list those convicted of a felony. However, the state judiciary website can be searched to find anyone convicted of a misdemeanor.
Jones said the goal extends beyond a local registry.
"The registry is definitely the first step in something bigger. We are really looking for the statewide registry and I know others in the animal welfare world will mirror that desire. Because you know, people move, they go to different jurisdictions to adopt, so a statewide one that also includes misdemeanors, is the long-term goal, so this is just the next step to achieve that," Jones said.
Jones said the website will be live in the coming weeks.
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