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Named "Benny's Law," the proposed law is sponsored by Legislator John Ferretti and Legislator Rose Marie Walker after Ferretti's Tibetan Terrier who was viciously attacked by another dog in the front yard of his Levittown home.
Under this bill, once an attack happens and a dog is deemed dangerous, the Nassau County Police Department will contact the Nassau County SPCA to create and maintain an online registry of judicially determined dangerous dogs.
The attack on Ferretti's dog took place in November 2019, when his dog Benny was attacked by a neighbor's much larger dog in front of his mother, wife, and two small children, Ferretti said.
"After about nine minutes, the ordeal ended and we were able to pull the other dog off of a lifeless Benny," Ferretti said. "After countless surgeries, and thousands of dollars, thankfully Benny is physically okay, though he will never be the same dog he was."
Following the attack, a Nassau County judge ruled the neighbor's dog to be “dangerous” in court.
But Ferretti is worried that many of his neighbors who walk past this home with their children have no idea a dangerous dog is inside and could get loose.
“This law and this database will help protect not just our dogs and pets, but also our neighbors from other dangerous dogs throughout the County," said NSPCA’s Gary Rogers.
If passed, the online registry would include the address of the property where the dangerous dog is housed, the date of the incident, the duration of the dangerous dog designation, and the breed, weight, age, and color of the dog.
In addition, the dangerous dog's owner would have to send a letter to neighbors within a 1,000-foot distance warning there has been an incident.
Ferretti said there will be a $500 fine for any violation and $100 any day thereafter.
The bill passed the Nassau County Legislative Committees on Thursday, Feb. 4 by a unanimous vote and will be presented to the full Legislature on Monday, Feb. 22.
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