What's happening
This bill prohibits landlords in New York from requiring tenants to declaw their animals as a condition of rental.
Why it matters
Protects animal welfare. by ensuring tenants are not forced to subject their pets to a medically unnecessary and potentially harmful surgical procedure (declawing) just to secure housing.
Reduces barriers for pet owners seeking housing. , particularly for those who refuse to declaw their animals, potentially increasing access to rental units for responsible pet owners.
Shifts norms around pet policies in rentals. by explicitly restricting one of the more extreme conditions landlords can impose, possibly encouraging more humane and reasonable standards for tenants with animals.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Forced Pet Declawing
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to judiciary
- Referred to judiciary
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.
Ban Mandatory Pet Declawing
In Assembly Committee · Housing · Sponsor Michael DenDekker
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2714
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 17, 2017
Introduced by Sens. COMRIE, LATIMER, MONTGOMERY, SERRANO, STAVISKY -read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to prohibiting landlords from requiring animals that occupy the unit be de-clawed as a condition of rental
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The real property law is amended by adding a new section 235-h to read as follows:
§ 235-h. Unlawful restrictions on tenancy. A landlord shall not require that any domestic animal occupying the rental unit be de-clawed as a condition of rental.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00397-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the real property law, in relation to prohibiting landlords from requiring animals that occupy the unit be de-clawed as a condition of rental
Purpose
There is no reason an animal should have to be physically altered as a result of renting.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the real property law is to be amended by adding a new section 235-h to read as follows: 235-h. Unlawful restrictions on tenancy. A landlord shall not require that any domestic animal occupying the rental unit be declawed as a condition of rental.
Justification
Declawing, or onychectomy, is a series of amputations, where nail clippers are commonly used to amputate an animal's front claws and sever tendons at the first joint. The de-clawing of household animals is simply inhumane. In fact, anti-declawing legislation has already been passed, beginning with California in 2002. Far more than just a simple manicure, declawing is actually considered surgery, for an animal's claw is so closely adhered to the bone that in order to remove the claw the last bone of the pet's claw must be surgically removed. Loose bone fragments frequently remain, making it excruciatingly painful for the pet to walk. Furthermore, close analysis shows that the declawing of cats, for example, are often the cause of far worse property damages, as opposed to clawed cats, for at least 15% develop litter box aversion. Avoidance of the litter box leads cats to urine on floors, penetrating and damaging the property. Lastly, the main concerns landlords face is the damaging of the renting property and thus lose of financial stability. Fortunately, there are several compromises which can be made, one being that landlords may charge a deposit if a tenant wishes to house a domes- tic animal. If damages to the property are incur red, the landlord may choose to keep the deposit. If there are no damages, the deposit will be returned.
Legislative history
2015-16: S.7836/A.4231: Referred to Judiciary.
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.