What's happening
This bill requires those authorized on vacated properties to report and ensure care for abandoned animals they find on-site.
Why it matters
Creates a legal duty for property agents (such as landlords, banks, or contractors) to report and ensure care for abandoned animals found on vacated properties, closing a gap where animals might otherwise be neglected after evictions or foreclosures.
Sets a strict timeline—requiring notification of authorities within six hours—helping ensure abandoned animals get prompt attention and increasing the chance of their survival and well-being.
Establishes consequences for non-compliance (a violation), introducing accountability and likely incentivizing more responsible and humane treatment by those managing vacated properties.
Clarifies that these new requirements do not limit or interfere with existing animal cruelty or abandonment enforcement powers, ensuring ongoing animal protection efforts are not hindered.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Animals on Vacant Property
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to judiciary
- Referred to judiciary
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4168
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 1, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, M. G. MILLER, MOSLEY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the care and collection of animals on vacant property
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 373 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new subdivision 2-a to read as follows:
2-a. a. Notwithstanding sections thirteen hundred seven and nineteen hundred seventy-one of the real property actions and proceedings law or any other provision of law to the contrary, any person or entity who is authorized to be on property that has been vacated as a result of an eviction, property foreclosure, forfeiture or default on a mortgage, trust deed or land sales contract, or abandonment who encounters an animal which based on its physical appearance or lack of available food or water appears abandoned on such property shall promptly, but not later than six hours after such encounter, notify the dog control officer, the police, or agent or officer of a duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals about such encounter, for the purpose of promptly retrieving or providing necessary care for such animal at the property until the animal can be retrieved. Animals removed from the premises shall be placed in the custody of a pound, duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, duly incorporated humane society, or duly incorporated animal protective association and cared for in accordance with the provisions of this section, section three hundred seventy-four of this article, section one hundred seventeen of this chapter, and all other laws and ordinances that govern the humane treatment of animals. Failure to provide notification as provided for in this subdivision shall be a violation.
b. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or restrict in any way agents or officers of societies for the prevention of cruelty to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05480-01-7
A. 4168 2
animals or the police from enforcing provisions of this article or any other law relating to abandonment of animals or the inhumane treatment of or cruelty to animals.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
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.