LEGISLATION - Law Lets Shelters do Background Checks on Adopters

A new law in Michigan can provide greater protection for animals.

House Bill No.4353 gives shelters the ability to do criminal background checks on potential adopters.

If the adopter has a criminal history of animal abuse, the organization can refuse the adoption.

Earlier versions of the bill would have required a criminal background check, but the bill that passed simply gives the organization the ability to use the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT).

Adoption Centres "may choose not to allow an individual who has been convicted of an animal abuse offense to adopt an animal unless a period of at least five years has elapsed since the date of his or her conviction."

The legislation was called Logan's Law after a March 2012 incident in which a Wales Township husky named Logan was blinded by an acid burn. The dog died a few months later.

Unlike earlier revisions of Logan’s Law that included an animal abuse registry, using the ICHAT system for criminal background checks will come at little to no cost to the state.