What's happening
This bill creates new felony offenses for stealing pets or companion animals, with harsher penalties for aggravated cases.
Why it matters
Elevates pet theft to felony status. By making stealing a pet a class E felony (and a class D felony for aggravated cases), the law treats pet theft as a more serious crime, signaling that companion animals are valued beyond mere property.
Targets particularly harmful conduct. The bill defines “aggravated cruelty” and imposes harsher penalties for cases where the theft involves severe harm or death to the animal, or where the animal is sold for research. This addresses public concern over the most distressing types of pet theft.
Establishes clear legal definitions. The act carefully defines what counts as a “companion animal” or “pet” and excludes farm animals, ensuring that the law focuses on animals kept for companionship and avoids unintended consequences for agriculture or food production.
Maintains protections for legal activities. By specifically exempting lawful hunting, trapping, fishing, disease control, and approved scientific research, the law aims to target malicious pet theft without interfering with legitimate, regulated animal use.
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
Make Pet Theft a Crime
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2101
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 17, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. LENTOL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to theft of a companion animal or pet
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding three new sections 165.75, 165.76 and 165.77 to read as follows: § 165.75 Definitions.
As used in sections 165.76 and 165.77 of this article, the following terms have the following definitions:
1. The term "companion animal" or "pet" is defined as a dog, cat, or any other domesticated animal normally maintained in or near the household of the owner or person who cares for such domesticated animal. "Pet" or "companion animal" shall not include a "farm animal" as defined in subdivision four of section three hundred fifty of the agriculture and markets law.
2. The term "aggravated cruelty" shall mean conduct which:
a. is intended to cause extreme physical pain; or
b. is done or carried out in an especially depraved or sadistic manner. § 165.76 Pet theft in the second degree.
1. A person is guilty of pet theft in the second degree when he or she steals a companion animal or pet.
2. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit or interfere in any way with anyone lawfully engaged in hunting, trapping, or fishing, as provided in article eleven of the environmental conservation law, the dispatch of rabid or diseased animals, as provided in article twenty-one of the public health law, or the dispatch of animals posing a threat to human safety or other animals, where such action is otherwise legally authorized, or any properly conducted scientific
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03308-01-7
A. 2101 2
tests, experiments, or investigations involving the use of living animals, performed or conducted in laboratories or institutions approved for such purposes by the commissioner of health pursuant to section three hundred fifty-three of the agriculture and markets law.
Pet theft in the second degree is a class E felony. § 165.77 Pet theft in the first degree.
1. A person is guilty of pet theft in the first degree when he or she commits pet theft in the second degree, and when:
a. such animal is sold for scientific research purposes; or
b. with no justifiable purpose, he or she intentionally kills or intentionally causes serious physical injury to such companion animal or pet with aggravated cruelty.
2. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit or interfere in any way with anyone lawfully engaged in hunting, trapping, or fishing, as provided in article eleven of the environmental conservation law, the dispatch of rabid or diseased animals, as provided in article twenty-one of the public health law, or the dispatch of animals posing a threat to human safety or other animals, where such action is otherwise legally authorized, or any properly conducted scientific tests, experiments, or investigations involving the use of living animals, performed or conducted in laboratories or institutions approved for such purposes by the commissioner of health pursuant to section three hundred fifty-three of the agriculture and markets law.
Pet theft in the first degree is a class D felony.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.