What's happening
This bill requires animal shelters and impounding agencies to promptly inspect, provide medical care, and ensure proper food, water, and shelter for seized or surrendered animals.
Why it matters
Establishes clear accountability. by specifying exactly who (officers, shelters, societies, etc.) is responsible for the care and inspection of seized or surrendered animals—eliminating ambiguity and ensuring animals do not fall through the cracks during custody transitions.
Mandates prompt veterinary assessment and treatment. , including pain relief, parasite control, and vaccinations, which could significantly reduce animal suffering and disease transmission in shelters.
Requires continuous access to potable, non-frozen water and proper sheltering. , raising the baseline standard of care and potentially reducing neglect or oversight due to understaffing or inadequate protocols.
Expands protections to all lost, stray, homeless, or surrendered animals,. not just those seized for legal reasons, which broadens the impact to improve animal welfare for a larger population in municipal or contracted facilities.
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Who cares
Municipally operated and contracted pounds and shelters
The bill would require prompt inspections, care to relieve pain and suffering, necessary immediate veterinary treatment, parasite control, appropriate vaccinations, food, shelter and continuous access to potable, non-frozen water for covered animals in their custody.
Dog control officers, peace officers and municipal police officers
Officers holding dogs seized under the dog-control law would be responsible for ensuring the required care while the dogs remain in their possession, care or control.
Societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals and humane societies
Covered societies taking possession of seized or owner-surrendered dogs would face explicit inspection, treatment and ongoing care requirements.
Dog owners surrendering pets to covered facilities
The bill would establish care requirements for their surrendered dogs, including prompt attention to pain and suffering and necessary immediate veterinary care.
Headline styles
Improve Dog Shelter Care
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
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.
Improve Dog Shelter Standards
In Assembly Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1893
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 17, 2019
Introduced by Sen. GALLIVAN -- 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 improving shelter care
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 117 of the agriculture and markets law, as added by chapter 220 of the laws of 1978 and such section as renumbered by section 12 of part T of chapter 59 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
3. [Each] For each dog seized in accordance with the provisions of this article [shall be properly sheltered, fed and watered for the redemption period as hereinafter provided], the dog control officer or peace officer, acting pursuant to their special duties, or police officer in the employ of or under contract to a municipality, or any duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, duly incorporated humane society, pound or shelter that is operated by or under contract to a municipality and is taking possession of such dog, whichever has possession of the dog shall:
(a) promptly inspect each dog following any seizure and promptly ensure dogs are provided with care and treatment to relieve any pain and suffering, including necessary immediate veterinary care and treatment and parasite control, and appropriate vaccinations, and
(b) during the time the dog is in the possession, care or control of such officer, society, pound or shelter, properly shelter and feed each dog, and make accessible at all times potable, non-frozen water to each dog.
§ 2. Section 373 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new subdivision 1-b to read as follows:
1-b. Any officer, agent or society as described in subdivision one of this section or pound or shelter operated by or under contract to a
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00612-01-9
S. 1893 2
municipality that is taking possession of a lost, stray or homeless animal under the provisions of this section, whichever has possession of the animal during the applicable period, shall:
(a) promptly inspect each such animal after taking possession and promptly provide the animal with care and treatment to relieve any pain and suffering, including necessary immediate veterinary care and treatment and parasite control, and appropriate vaccinations; and
(b) during the time the animal is in the possession, care or control of such officer, society, pound or shelter, properly shelter and feed each animal, and make accessible at all times potable, non-frozen water to each animal.
§ 3. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new section 125 to read as follows:
§ 125. Surrendered dogs. 1. For each dog surrendered by its owner, any duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, duly incorporated humane society, pound or shelter that is operated by or under contract to a municipality and is taking possession of such dog, whichever has possession of the dog shall:
(a) promptly inspect each dog following any seizure and promptly ensure dogs are provided with care and treatment to relieve any pain and suffering, including necessary immediate veterinary care and treatment and parasite control, and appropriate vaccinations, and
(b) during the time the dog is in the possession, care or control of such officer, society, pound or shelter, properly shelter and feed each dog, and make accessible at all times potable, non-frozen water to each dog.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after 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 agriculture and markets law, in relation to improv- ing shelter care
Purpose or general idea of bill
To improve the standard of care for animals in impounding organizations SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends subdivision 3 of section 117 of the agriculture and markets law to provide that each dog seized by an impounding organiza- tion shall be promptly inspected and provided with veterinary treatment, proper shelter, food and water.
Section two adds a new subdivision 1-b to section 373 of the agriculture and markets law to provide that the each lost, stray or homeless animal in an impounding organization shall be promptly inspected and provided with veterinary treatment, proper shelter, food and water.
Section three amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new section 125, which states that for each dog surrendered by its owners, any impounding organization taking possession of such dog shall promptly inspect the dog to relieve any pain and suffering and shall provide veterinary treatment, as well as proper shelter, food and water.
Section four provides the effective date.
Justification
This bill will improve the care of animals in shelters. For each animal seized, the impounding organization must examine the animal and provide care and treatment to relieve pain and suffering, including necessary emergency veterinary care and treatment, parasite control and appropri- ate vaccinations. The impounding organization must also provide proper shelter, food and potable water.
Prior legislative history
S.5515/A.3348 of 2017-18, Passed Senate/Referred to Agriculture
S.2632/A.1418 of 2015 and 2016 referred to agriculture.
S.7496/A.3153 of 2013 and 2014,referred to agriculture.
Fiscal implication
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after 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.