What's happening
This bill, known as "Kokito's Law," establishes rights and protections for pets traveling on commercial airlines in New York.
Why it matters
Ensures animal welfare and safety during air travel. by mandating pressurized and climate-controlled environments for pets in cargo, prohibiting placement of animals in overhead compartments, and requiring secure, humane handling during ground transport and layovers.
Requires airlines to provide clear information and training. carriers must train relevant staff in humane handling of pets and prominently display a pet passenger bill of rights at ticketing points and service desks, empowering consumers and improving accountability.
Creates legal and financial consequences for noncompliance. by authorizing the state attorney general to investigate violations and imposing fines up to $5,000 per incident, incentivizing airlines to prioritize pet safety and adhere to best practices.
Balances state protections with federal regulations. by specifying that airlines are not required to act against Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directives, aiming to enhance pet protections without conflicting with national airline safety standards.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Pets on Airplanes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to consumer protection
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8006
IN SENATE
March 19, 2018
Introduced by Sen. ALCANTARA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to pet passenger rights
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Kokito's Law".
§ 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new article 14-A to read as follows:
ARTICLE 14-A
PET PASSENGER RIGHTS Section 251-d. Definitions.
251-e. Pet passenger bill of rights.
251-f. Violations and penalties.
251-g. Limitations.
251-h. Severability.
§ 251-d. Definitions. For purposes of this article:
1. "Companion animal" or "pet" means any dog or cat, and shall also mean any other domesticated animal normally maintained in or near the household of the owner or person who cares for such other domesticated animal.
2. "Carrier" means any partnership, corporation or other business entity regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration that conducts scheduled passenger air transportation.
§ 251-e. Pet passenger bill of rights. 1. Whenever a companion animal or pet is traveling in the passenger compartment of an aircraft, the carrier shall ensure:
(a) no animal is ever placed in the overhead compartment of an aircraft;
(b) any passenger traveling with a pet is afforded the same rights and protections as all other passengers;
(c) pets are allowed reasonable access to food, water and necessary medications during any long flight or extended flight delay; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15182-01-8
S. 8006 2
(d) all companion animals and their approved pet carriers are labelled with owner contact information and destination at all times.
2. Whenever a companion animal or pet is traveling in the cargo compartment of an aircraft, the carrier shall ensure:
(a) a pressurized, ventilated and climate-controlled environment at all times;
(b) all pets are safely secured at all times;
(c) reasonable efforts, such as late boarding and prompt removal, to minimize the amount of time spent in the cargo compartment when possible; and
(d) all companion animals and their approved pet carriers are labelled with owner contact information and destination at all times.
3. Whenever a companion animal or pet is being handled or transported on the ground, the carrier shall ensure:
(a) secure, climate-controlled transport in all weather conditions, including protection from rain, snow, sunlight and extreme temperatures;
(b) adequate food, water, shelter, sanitation and supervision to accommodate pets during long connection times or extended periods on the ground; and
(c) all companion animals and their approved pet carriers are labelled with owner contact information and destination at all times.
4. All carriers shall provide training in the safe and humane transport of companion animals to their employees or contractors assigned or reasonably expected to handle or encounter companion animals in the performance of their duties.
5. All carriers shall make available to consumers clear and conspicuous notice of these protections at the time of ticketing. Notice of these protections shall also be displayed at all service desks and in other locations where companion animals are boarded.
§ 251-f. Violations and penalties. The attorney general is authorized to enforce the provisions of this article and may, upon his or her own initiative, or in response to a complaint, investigate allegations of any failure to comply with the provisions hereof. Any person or entity that knowingly violates this article shall be subject to a fine of up to five thousand dollars for each violation.
§ 251-g. Limitations. Nothing in this article shall be construed as requiring any carrier or other entity to take any action in contravention of any written directive of the Federal Aviation Administration or other federal agency having jurisdiction over such entity.
§ 251-h. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this article be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder hereof but shall be applied in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part hereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to pet passenger rights
Purpose
Creates a pet passenger bill of rights to ensure safe and humane airline travel for companion animals
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Creates "Kokito's Law"
Section 2. Creates a new Article 14-A of the General Business Law containing a pet passenger bill of rights to ensure safe and humane pet travel on all airline flights. Carriers are also required to train their personnel in these safe travel practices. Violations subject to a fine of up to $5,000.
Section 3. Effective date
Justification
The recent death of Kokito, a 10-month old French bulldog, being trans- ported in the cabin of a United Airlines flight between Houston and New York has sparked national outrage and highlighted the lack of safety protections for companion animals traveling on commercial airline flights. According to the Department of Transportation, 85 pet passen- gers died on domestic airline flights between 2015 and 2017, and 62 more were injured. These figures do not include additional animals who are lost or delivered to the wrong destination.
Kokito's death was entirely preventable, and occurred after a flight attendant ordered a passenger to put the puppy and its carrier in the overhead compartment stuffed with passenger's luggage. Overhead compart- ments are neither designed nor approved for the safe transport of any living creatures, and this command from airline personnel to a passenger with no legal right to refuse was inhumane and unconscionable.
The Pet Passenger Bill of Rights contained in this bill will ensure that no animals are needlessly subjected to dangerous or inhumane conditions during their flights. Specifically, it will require that animals must never be stowed in the overhead compartment. It will also ensure that all pets are transported in pressurized, climate-controlled spaces with proper air ventilation and protection from the elements. It will also require that airline employees who handle or encounter travelling pets be properly trained to ensure safe and humane travel conditions.
Pets are not luggage and our laws need to reflect that. These are commonsense requirements that should be enforced on all airlines that allow pets to travel.
Legislative history
This is a new bill
Fiscal implications
None to the state
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.