What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 7102b
- Amend and recommit to rules
- Reported and committed to rules
- Print number 7102a
- 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 the confinement of companion animals in vehicles in extreme temperatures
In Assembly Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor John Ceretto
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the confinement of companion animals in vehicles in extreme temperatures
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this legislation is to protect persons acting reasonably and in good faith from criminal and civil liability resulting from removing a companion animal from a vehicle in extreme temperatures.
Summary of specific provisions
The bill amends Section 353-d of the Agriculture and Markets Law to allow a person to remove a companion animal from a vehicle in extreme temperatures without civil or criminal liability.
A person must take necessary steps before removing animal:
*Check to see if the vehicle doors are unlocked *Make a good faith effort to locate the owner of the vehicle that the animal is in; *Call the police or 911; and *Call the local Animal Control Officer or Humane Society
If after all of these steps have been completed and the person determines that an animal is in imminent danger, he or she may break a window.
The animal owner will be held liable for any veterinary care necessary due to being left in the extreme temperature.
Any such animal which is turned over to the local Humane Society shall be held for a minimum of three days before it is put up for adoption.
Justification
Recent current events brought to the attention that New York State law does not currently protect all individuals from civil and criminal liability if they break a vehicle's window in order remove a companion animal from a vehicle in extreme temperatures. This legislation moves to remedy that problem by protecting all persons acting reasonably to remove an animal from a motor vehicle in extreme temperatures.
The Humane Society of the United States notes that on an 85-degree day, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Extreme temperatures can cause animals left in the car to sustain brain damage, heatstroke, suffocation, or death. Pets respond differently to heat than humans do; hot temperatures are extra hard on dogs who can only cool themselves down by panting and sweating through their paw pads.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
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.