Stormont bid for central register of those convicted of animal cruelty offences

SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly (second from left), SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone meet rescue dogs Lucy and Henry at Stormont before tabling a petition calling for a central register to be held of those convicted of animal cruelty offences to make it harder for them to rehome animals in future (Rebecca Black/PA)

Two SDLP MLAs have tabled a petition to the Northern Ireland Assembly calling for a central register to be kept of those convicted of animal cruelty offences.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and MLAs Patsy McGlone and Dolores Kelly met rescue dogs Henry and Lucy on the steps of Stormont on Monday morning just before the petition, signed by thousands, was tabled.