What's happening
This bill requires New York to create and implement certification standards for therapy dogs, including training and evaluation procedures.
Why it matters
Creates a consistent statewide standard for therapy dogs. , which can help ensure that only well-trained, properly evaluated animals are designated as therapy dogs—potentially increasing public trust and safety in settings like hospitals, schools, and disaster response.
Provides clarity for handlers, organizations, and facilities. by defining what qualifies as a therapy dog and how certification is achieved, reducing confusion and possible misuse of the “therapy dog” designation.
Allows for the consideration of current industry best practices. when setting state standards, which could make New York’s certification process more robust, credible, and in line with recognized practices elsewhere.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Set Therapy Dog Standards
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- Referred to agriculture
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.939
- Referred to agriculture
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5354
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 22, 2017
Introduced by Sen. MARCHIONE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to requiring the promulgation and implementation of standards for the designation of therapy dog
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new section 125 to read as follows:
§ 125. Therapy dogs. (a) The commissioner shall promulgate and implement standards for the certification of therapy dogs, as such term is defined in subdivision twenty-six of section one hundred eight of this article. Such standards shall include, but not limited to, training, evaluation, and certification procedures for the designation of a dog as a "therapy dog". The commissioner may consider industry standards in the establishment of state standards as required by this section.
(b) The commissioner shall establish the standards required by subdivision (a) of this section no later than October first, two thousand seventeen.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10693-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to requiring the promulgation and implementation of standards for the designation of therapy dog
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Sets forth that the State Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets create standards and regulations for training, evaluation, and certification required for designating dogs as "therapy dogs". It also requires that said standards be established by no later than October 1, 2017.
Section 2: Establishes the effective date as immediately.
Current law
Section 108 of the Agriculture and Markets Law defines "Therapy dog" as any dog that is trained to aid the emotional and physical health of patients in hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes and other settings and is actually used for such purpose, or any dog during the period such dog is being trained or bred for such purpose.
Justification
Though they serve an increasingly important role in society, there is no presently defined process for certifying therapy dogs in the State of New York. Therapy dogs do not fall under State or Federal (through the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) law as "service dogs", which have certain protections and qualifications.
Current law defines a therapy dog as a dog "trained...for such purpose" as providing for emotional and physical health, but does not set forth any training or credentialing requirements. As such, any dog may be described as a "therapy dog". regardless of whether or not they have received proper training. This presents situations wherein untrained animals presented as so-called therapy dogs can be in the presence of the public and other, trained, service animals. There have been instances of trained service animals being maimed by untrained animals. By requiring that formal standards for training and credentialing be established, the State can not only ensure the safety of the public, but it can also ensure that those who would be served by therapy dogs will best be served through the use of trained and credentialed animals.
Legislative history
This is a new bill:
Fiscal implications
None.
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.