Katie Kocijanski is reporting in the Greene County News harsher penalties could soon be imposed on convicted animal abusers in New York if a new amendment to Buster’s Law is passed into law. "Kirby and Quigley's Law," would make the killing of a pet during the commission of a crime a felony. The measure is named for two family pets shot and killed during a burglary in Florida, Montgomery County in February. State Sen. George Amedore, a sponsor of the legislation, said the enhanced penalty would "serve as a deterrent to make criminals think twice before executing an animal or face additional jail time.” If found guilty a person could be sentenced to two years in state prison and be subject to a $5,000 fine. The measure was passed by the Republican-controlled state Senate for the third time in March. Republican Jim Tedisco is the sponsor of Kirby and Quigley’s Law in the Democrat-controlled state Assembly. According to Tedisco, the Assembly majority will not even consider the bill. Read the full story in the Greene County News.