What's happening
This bill requires all pet stores in New York to install and maintain fire protection systems to protect animals.
Why it matters
Expands animal welfare protections. By requiring fire protection systems, the bill treats the safety of animals in pet stores as a serious concern, similar to the way public safety is handled for humans in commercial spaces.
Creates clear responsibilities and accountability. Pet dealers must not only install, but also regularly inspect, test, and maintain fire systems, and must notify authorities if a system fails—raising the standard of care and accountability for animal welfare.
Ensures consistency across jurisdictions. The law mandates compliance with the most relevant fire and building codes—either state or New York City—plus any stricter local standards, ensuring that no area falls below a set safety threshold.
Phased compliance for existing businesses. Existing pet stores and those with approved plans as of the law’s effective date get an additional year to comply, balancing animal safety with practical considerations for business adaptation and costs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Fire Safety for Pet Stores
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.609
- Referred to domestic animal welfare
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to agriculture
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 52–10
- Amended on third reading 3078a
- Advanced to third reading
Show 3 earlier actions
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.198
- Referred to domestic animal welfare
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.
Require Fire Systems in Pet Stores
In Assembly Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3078--A Cal. No. 198
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 1, 2019
Introduced by Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Domestic Animal Welfare -reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to requiring the installation and testing of fire protection systems at pet stores
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 407 of the agriculture and markets law is renumbered section 408 and a new section 407 is added to read as follows:
§ 407. Fire protection requirements for pet stores. All pet dealers licensed under this article shall provide fire protection measures for every premises at which the dealer houses animals in accordance with the provisions of this section.
1. Fire protection systems. (a) Approved devices, equipment and systems or combinations of systems used to detect a fire, activate a fire alarm, extinguish or control a fire, control or manage smoke and products of a fire or any combination thereof shall be provided in all retail and wholesale establishments utilized by a pet dealer to permanently or temporarily house, sell or trade animals. Fire protection systems shall be installed, inspected, tested and maintained per appropriate codes and referenced standards herein: if in the five boroughs of the city of New York per New York city building code and New York city fire code or outside of the five boroughs of the city of New York per the New York state uniform fire prevention and building code and the state energy conservation construction code for the correct occupancy type and any approved "more restrictive local standards".
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02561-03-9
S. 3078--A 2
(b) If any fire protection system becomes inoperative at any time, the pet dealer shall take immediate action to notify the code enforcement office and have the system restored to proper working order.
2. Application. (a) The provisions of this section shall apply to existing buildings and to buildings hereafter erected but shall not include buildings zoned residential.
(b) For the purposes of this section,
(1) "pet dealer" shall have the same meaning as "pet dealer" as defined in subdivision four of section four hundred of this article, and
(2) "animal" shall have the same meaning as "companion animal" as defined in subdivision five of section three hundred fifty of this chapter.
§ 2. The commissioner of agriculture and markets shall promulgate rules, regulations and standards as he or she deems necessary to implement the provisions of this act on or before its effective date and, in conjunction with the appropriate agency, whether the New York state department of state code enforcement and administration division, New York city department of buildings or New York city fire department, shall establish standards for the installation, operation and inspection of fire protection systems installed pursuant to the provisions of this act.
§ 3. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law, except that buildings in existence or new construction with presently approved plans as of the effective date of this act shall have until the following year to comply with the provisions of this act.
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 installation and testing of fire protection systems at pet stores
Purpose
This bill ensures that all premises that house animals for sale by a pet dealer provide appropriate fire protection measures to guard against the unnecessary endangerment or death of animals.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one renumbers Section 407 of the agriculture and markets law to Section 408 and adds a new section 407.
Section two authorizes the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Markets to promulgate rules, regulations, and standards to implement this act.
Section three sets forth the effective date.
Justification
California is the only state that requires pet businesses that house animals on their premises to install fire alarms or sprinkler systems. Pet stores can be particularly vulnerable to fire because many of the animals they house require the use of many electrical outputs and appli- ances, such as heat lamps, in proximity or right next to flammable mate- rials (like shredded newspaper or sawdust) used for bedding or cage lining. Recent fires, including a 2002 four-alarm fire in Manhattan, a 2006 fire in Queens county, and a 2008 three-alarm fire in the Bronx killed hundreds of animals and put hundreds more firefighters, store employees, and civilians in harms-way as they rushed into pet stores to save yelping and crying animals from burning to death. For instance, the 2006 fire in Queens County resulted in the death of hundreds of animals in cruel and terrifying conditions, with eleven firefighters withstand- ing injuries. This bill can help to prevent these unnecessary tragedies.
Legislative history
2017-18: S. 3687 - Referred to Agriculture
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This bill shall take effect one year after it becomes a law, except that buildings in existence or new construction with presently approved plans of the effective date of this act shall have until the following year to comply with the provisions of this act.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.