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History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.506
- Print number 6798a
- Amend and recommit to agriculture
- Referred to agriculture
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to prohibiting certain cosmetic surgery on animals
In Assembly Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor Nicole Malliotakis
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S6798A
Title of bill
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to cosmetic surgery of animals
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to establish a misdemeanor for subjecting a companion animal to certain cosmetic surgery or alterations, or selling a companion animal that has been subjected to such treatment.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the agriculture and markets law by adding § 352 to establish a crime for tattooing, piercing, extraction of incisor teeth for cosmetic reasons or cosmetic surgery of a companion animal.
Subsection 1 proscribes the bodily modification of a companion animal for aesthetic purposes, as well as the sale of a companion animal augmented for aesthetic purposes.
Subsection 2 assigns a misdemeanor penalty of up to one year imprisonment, a fine of up to one thousand dollars, or both.
Justification
Cosmetic procedures on companion animals have become increasingly common as people seek to alter the physical appearance of their household pets. Pet owners are resorting to unnecessary cosmetic procedures such as tattoos, piercings, rhytidectomy, abdominoplasty, and the removal of incisor teeth to achieve the desired result.
This legislation would protect companion animals from being subjected to such treatment. While the psychological effect on these animals is an area of debate, the fact remains that each of these procedures requires an application of general anesthesia which poses a health risk in itself. The animal must then go through the pain of recovery and possible infection or post-surgery complications. These non-medical cosmetic procedures are not just odd and unnecessary, they amount to animal cruelty.
This legislation would also cover the sale of companion animals who have been subjected to certain cosmetic procedures. This would remove the impetus for retailers to physically modify an animal in the hopes of increasing its value to prospective buyers.
Conviction would result in a misdemeanor, punishable by no more than one year imprisonment, a fine of no more than $1,000.00, or both. This penalty would be not unlike similar animal rights violations.
Prior legislative history
2012: S.7417--Referred to Agriculture /A.10165 - Referred to Agriculture
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.