Animal abuse is front and center in Hillsborough County, and now commissioners are looking at taking new steps to crack down on it.

Officials say there’s a direct correlation between animal cruelty and human violence, so now they’re proposing a new registry to help track animal abusers.

The database would be similar to the one already used for convicted sex offenders. On Wednesday, county commissioners will hear from a forensic psychology expert and veterinarian who will explain the correlation between people who abuse animals and then commit acts of violence against humans.

Statistics show 70 percent of convicted animal abusers are also convicted of hurting a human. Commissioner Kevin Beckner, who’s pushing for the ordinance, says a database's benefits would be twofold.

First, the registry would allow animal adoption agencies to screen potential adopters to make sure they haven’t been convicted of animal abuse or neglect.

The registry would also allow you to search near your home to see if any convicted animal abusers live in your neighborhood.

“If you live in a neighborhood you should be concerned for your children as well as for your own safety if there’s an animal abuser living in your neighborhood,” Beckner said.

The proposed ordinance is in the very early stages right now. Beckner says the details still need to be worked out, but it will likely be modeled after a similar ordinance already in place in a New York County.

This year the FBI has also cracked down on animal abusers. It started tracking a collecting data on animal crimes the same way it does for other serious crimes, like homicide.