What's happening
This bill enhances penalties for aggravated cruelty to animals by expanding the definition to include use of a weapon and serious injury.
Why it matters
Expands what counts as “aggravated cruelty” to animals, making it clear that causing “serious physical injury” (not just “extreme physical pain”) qualifies—this broadens the scenarios where harsher penalties apply.
Adds the use of a weapon to the definition, potentially increasing the severity of charges and punishments for those who harm animals with tools, firearms, or other objects—addressing a gap in existing law.
Signals a tougher stance on animal cruelty by updating legal definitions to reflect modern concerns and enforcement needs, possibly deterring more extreme acts of violence against animals.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Tougher Animal Cruelty Penalties
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to agriculture
- 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.
Increase Animal Cruelty Penalties
In Assembly Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor Nicole Malliotakis
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6183
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 11, 2017
Introduced by Sen. LANZA -- 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 enhanced penalties for aggravated cruelty to animals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 353-a of the agriculture and markets law, as added by chapter 118 of the laws of 1999, is amended to read as follows:
1. A person is guilty of aggravated cruelty to animals when, with no justifiable purpose, he or she intentionally kills or intentionally causes serious physical injury to a companion animal with aggravated cruelty. For purposes of this section, "aggravated cruelty" shall mean conduct which: (i) is intended to cause extreme physical pain or serious physical injury; [or] (ii) is done or carried out in an especially depraved or sadistic manner; or (iii) is committed with the use of a weapon.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06916-01-7
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 enhanced penalties for aggravated cruelty to animals
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to create an additional means to establish the crime of aggravated cruelty to animals.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends § 353-a of the agriculture and markets law by adding an additional means to establish the crime of aggravated cruelty to animal where a person uses a weapon to cause extreme physical pain or serious physical injury to the animal.
Justification
Similar to the charge of Assault in the Second Degree, which is estab- lished when a person uses a weapon or intends to seriously injure a person, and in fact causes serious physical injury to that person or another, this legislation would create enhanced penalties where a person uses a weapon to seriously injure an animal or seriously injures an animal with the intent to cause a serious physical injury to that animal.
Legislative history
2017: S.6183 - Referred to Agriculture / A.4813 - Referred to Agricul- ture 2016: S.5114 - Referred to Agriculture / A.5504 - Referred to Agricul- ture
Fiscal impact
None.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.