AUBURN, NY (607NewsNow) – Cayuga County is moving to curb animal abuse.

Lawmakers have unanimously voted to create an official Animal Abuse Registry.

Under the new law, convicted abusers must register with the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office, and are banned from adopting or purchasing pets within the county. Additionally, names of offenders will appear in the online registry.

According to The Auburn Citizen, first-time offenders will stay in the registry for 15 years, while repeat offenders will remain on the list for life. Service animal users are exempt.

Proponents of creating the registry say it will increase public safety and enable easier information sharing between law enforcement and animal shelters.