A new online tool in Washoe County is giving animal shelters, rescue groups, and the public a way to check whether someone has been convicted of certain animal welfare offenses before an animal is placed in their care.
Washoe County Regional Animal Services, in partnership with the Washoe County District Attorney's Office, launched the Animal Welfare Offense Convictions resource to make verified information about qualifying animal cruelty convictions more accessible.
The resource currently includes more than 160 individuals with qualifying convictions, generally dating back to 2023, along with a limited number of earlier cases involving particularly serious offenses.
Regional Animal Services said it previously shared similar information with approved rescue partners for about three years. The new resource expands access to the public, giving more organizations and individuals another tool when making decisions about animal placements.
“Information about a prior animal cruelty conviction may be known to one agency but not to another organization making a placement decision,” WCRAS Director Shyanne Schull said. “Making verified information easier to access gives individuals and organizations another tool to help protect animals from future harm.”
The need for better information sharing was highlighted by a case earlier this year involving a person with a prior felony animal cruelty conviction who later received two kittens from a rescue organization.
Within days, one kitten was found abandoned in a dumpster, while the other was never located. The individual was later identified in another animal cruelty case in San Francisco.
Officials stress that the new resource is a screening tool, not a registry or a list of people prohibited from owning or adopting animals. Being included does not automatically mean someone is legally barred from having a pet. Shelters and rescue organizations are still responsible for making their own screening and placement decisions.
The online resource includes adults with qualifying final court outcomes. Users can search by name and review details such as the offense, case number, jurisdiction, and outcome date.
Officials also caution that the resource does not include every animal welfare-related case in Washoe County. Some cases may be handled by other agencies without Regional Animal Services' involvement or notification.
Regional Animal Services worked with the District Attorney's Office to establish safeguards involving accuracy, privacy, due process, and the correction of information. The resource will be updated as additional qualifying cases reach final court outcomes.
The Animal Welfare Offense Convictions resource became publicly available on Oct. 26 and can be accessed at WashoeAnimals.com/AnimalConvictions.
