What's happening
This bill expands the definition of aggravated cruelty to animals to include reckless conduct showing depraved indifference that injures or kills an animal.
Why it matters
Expands legal accountability to reckless behavior. The bill makes it possible to prosecute individuals who, while not acting with specific intent, recklessly put animals at grave risk in ways that show a depraved indifference to animal life, resulting in serious injury or death. This closes a loophole where only intentional acts were previously covered.
Raises the standard of care expected from animal owners and others. By including reckless conduct, the law now holds individuals to a higher duty to avoid conduct that could foreseeably harm animals, even if harm was not specifically intended.
Strengthens animal protection and deterrence. The broader definition increases the potential for prosecution in egregious cases of animal harm, providing a stronger deterrent against extreme neglect or dangerous behavior toward animals.
Reflects societal concern for animal welfare. The change acknowledges that both intentional cruelty and reckless disregard for animal life are serious issues warranting comparable legal consequences, aligning with growing public expectations for animal protection.
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Who cares
Animal welfare advocates
The bill would expand aggravated cruelty to animals to cover reckless conduct showing depraved indifference to an animal’s life that creates a grave risk and causes serious physical injury or death.
Prosecutors and law enforcement
The bill would provide a basis for aggravated cruelty charges involving reckless conduct, rather than only intentional killing or serious injury of a companion animal with aggravated cruelty.
Animal owners and handlers
The new provision would apply to harm to an animal without the companion-animal limitation in the existing intentional-cruelty provision.
Headline styles
Increase Animal Cruelty Penalties
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Held for consideration in agriculture
- 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 Senate Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor Andrew J. Lanza
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5695
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 14, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. MALLIOTAKIS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to penalties for intent to cause injury to an animal
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[,]: (a) with no justifiable purpose, he or she intentionally kills or intentionally causes serious physical injury to a companion animal with aggravated cruelty or (b) under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to the life of an animal, he or she recklessly engages in conduct which creates a grave risk of serious physical injury or death to the animal, and thereby causes serious physical injury or death to such animal. For purposes of this section, "aggravated cruelty" shall mean conduct which: (i) is intended to cause extreme physical pain; or (ii) is done or carried out in an especially depraved or sadistic manner.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06652-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.