Man Charged Under Buster’s Law For Hitting A Dog

Did you know can legally be charged for hitting a dog or cat and not alerting authorities in the state of New York ?

New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 601 requires that if a driver hits a dog or a cat, the driver must render aid and notify a police officer if the owner is not present. Section 602 allows a police officer to arrest a violator, even if the hit and run was not committed in his presence.

That is exactly what happened Joel F. Rose of Nassau, he was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals under Buster's Law, a state law intended to bring harsher penalties for animal abuse.

Do you think this should be a crime ? What is the difference between hitting a dog, or a cat versus hitting a squirell or deer ? Joel F. Rose was also charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief. I don't know if he intentionally killed the dog or not, but animals die everyday. To charge someone with a crime for killing a animal, when we have a billion dollar meat industry is way to hypocritical to touch on in one article.