What's happening
The bill strengthens animal care standards for pet dealers by adding requirements for lighting, space, sanitation, veterinary exams, and grooming.
Why it matters
Mandates daily cleaning and bi-weekly sanitizing of animal enclosures. , ensuring a higher level of cleanliness and reducing risks of disease and exposure to waste for animals in pet dealer facilities.
Requires that animals receive regular exposure to natural or artificial diurnal light cycles. , which supports their biological rhythms and overall well-being, instead of just basic lighting for inspection purposes.
Establishes specific space and care protocols for pregnant and nursing dogs. , including a separate area beyond the whelping box to ensure mothers can properly nurse and care for their litters, directly addressing animal welfare during vulnerable periods.
Imposes annual veterinary exams for all intact adult dogs and cats. on larger-scale residential breeders (those selling 25 or more animals per year), potentially allowing earlier detection of health issues and promoting overall herd health.
Introduces a grooming requirement for all animals. , aiming to prevent issues such as severe matting, overgrown toenails, and infestations, which can cause pain, mobility problems, or untreated health conditions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Strengthen Animal Care Standards
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
9 Co-sponsors
4 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to agriculture
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.7
- Amended on third reading 72a
- Vote reconsidered - restored to third reading
- Recalled from senate
- Referred to agriculture
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.130
- Reported
Show 2 earlier actions
- Reported referred to codes
- 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.
Strengthen Animal Care Standards
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Phil Boyle
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
72--A Cal. No. 130
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, GALEF, GOTTFRIED, PICHARDO, TITONE, ZEBROWSKI, McDONOUGH, MURRAY, RAIA, WEPRIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, DAVILA, MAGEE, RA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture -- reported and referred to the Committee on Codes -- advanced to a third reading, passed by Assembly and delivered to the Senate, recalled from the Senate, vote reconsidered, bill amended, ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the care of animals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraphs (e), (g) and (h) of subdivision 1 of section 401 of the agriculture and markets law, paragraphs (e) and (g) as added by chapter 259 of the laws of 2000, and paragraph (h) as added by chapter 110 of the laws of 2012, are amended to read as follows:
(e) The indoor facilities housing the animals shall be provided with adequate lighting sufficient to permit routine inspection and cleaning and be arranged so that each animal is protected from excessive illumination which poses a health hazard to the animal. Animal areas must be provided with regular diurnal light cycles of either natural or artificial light.
(g) In the event that a pet dealer has a pregnant or nursing dog on his or her premises, the pet dealer shall provide a whelping box for such dog. Separate and apart from the whelping box, a pet dealer shall provide a pregnant or nursing dog with a separate space accessible to her that complies with the standards set forth in paragraph (b) of this subdivision. Each nursing dog shall be provided with a sufficient amount of floor space to nurse and care for her litter.
(h) Pet dealers shall designate and provide an isolation area for animals that exhibit symptoms of contagious disease or illness. The
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01092-07-7
A. 72--A 2
location of such designated area must be such as to prevent or reduce the spread of disease to healthy animals and must otherwise meet all housing requirements of this section.
§ 2. Subdivision 2 of section 401 of the agriculture and markets law, as added by chapter 259 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
2. Sanitation. Housing facilities, including primary enclosures and cages, shall be kept in a clean condition in order to maintain a healthy environment for the animal. This shall include removing and destroying any agents injurious to the health of the animal and periodic cleanings. Primary enclosures must be cleaned daily and sanitized at least once every two weeks by washing all soiled surfaces with appropriate detergent solutions and disinfectant or by using a combination detergent or disinfectant product that accomplishes the same purpose with a thorough cleaning of the surfaces to remove excreta, feces, hair, dirt, debris and food waste to permit effective sanitization, followed by a clean water rinse. The primary enclosure or cage shall be constructed so as to eliminate excess water, excretions, and waste material. Under no circumstances shall the animal remain inside the primary enclosure or cage while it is being cleaned with sterilizing agents or agents toxic to animals or cleaned in a manner likely to threaten the health and safety of the animal. Trash and waste products on the premises shall be properly contained and disposed of so as to minimize the risks of disease, contamination, and vermin.
§ 3. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 3 of section 401 of the agriculture and markets law, as added by chapter 259 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
(c) [Food] Sanitary food receptacles shall be provided in sufficient number, of adequate size, and so located as to enable each animal in the primary enclosure or cage to be supplied with an adequate amount of food.
§ 4. Subparagraphs (iv) and (v) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 5 of section 401 of the agriculture and markets law, as added by chapter 110 of the laws of 2012, are amended and a new subparagraph (vi) is added to read as follows:
(iv) Adequate guidance to personnel involved in the care and use of animals regarding handling and immobilization; [and]
(v) Pre-procedural and post-procedural care in accordance with established veterinary medical and nursing procedures[.]; and
(vi) In the case of dealers who sell or offer to sell twenty-five or more dogs or cats per year to the public for profit that are born and raised on the dealer's residential premises, annual veterinary examinations, at a minimum, for all intact adult dogs or cats on such dealer's premises.
§ 5. Section 401 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
8. Grooming. All animals shall be groomed regularly to prevent excessive matting of fur, overgrown toenails and flea and tick infestation.
§ 6. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
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