What's happening
This bill requires public alerts for extreme weather to protect companion animals, prohibits leaving them outside or in vehicles during such events, and sets penalties for violations.
Why it matters
Mandates targeted public alerts ("code red" for extreme heat, "code blue" for severe cold) to notify pet guardians of dangerous weather, aiming to increase awareness and prevent harm before emergencies occur.
Creates clear, enforceable duties for pet guardians: animals must not be left outside or in vehicles during extreme weather unless specific shelter standards are met, raising the legal standard of care and reducing ambiguity in animal neglect situations.
Empowers animal control, police, and humane officers to intervene quickly—first with warnings, then with animal seizure if owners do not comply—potentially saving animals before severe injury or death can occur.
Establishes meaningful penalties (up to $2,000 for repeat offenses), likely increasing deterrence and signaling that companion animal safety during extreme weather is a serious legal and ethical obligation.
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Who cares
Companion animal owners and guardians
They would face restrictions on leaving animals outdoors or in dangerous vehicles during alerts, with shelter and working-dog exemptions, and fines of up to $1,000 for a first offense and $2,000 for later offenses.
State Department of Agriculture and Markets
The department would have to issue code red and code blue public service announcements identifying affected regions and advising that companion animals be brought indoors.
Animal control officers and law enforcement
Officers would have to warn violators and seize animals if owners fail to comply, with protection from liability for reasonable, good-faith enforcement actions.
Humane societies and SPCAs
These organizations or their designated agents would receive seized animals after any necessary emergency veterinary treatment.
Headline styles
Protect Pets in Extreme Weather
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to domestic animal welfare
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to agriculture
- Returned to assembly
- Repassed senate
- Amended on third reading 4577a
- Vote reconsidered - restored to third reading
- Returned to senate
- Recalled from assembly
- Referred to agriculture
Show 5 earlier actions
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 47–15
- Ordered to third reading cal.1011
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- 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.
Protect Pets in Extreme Weather
In Assembly Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor Harvey Epstein
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4577--A Cal. No. 1011
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 15, 2019
Introduced by Sens. MARTINEZ, ADDABBO, BOYLE, GOUNARDES, HOYLMAN, KRUEG- ER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Domestic Animal Welfare -- committee discharged and said bill committed to the Committee on Rules -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to a third reading, passed by Senate and delivered to the Assembly, recalled, vote reconsidered, restored to 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 code red and blue alerts for companion animals during extreme weather; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating to the confinement of animals in vehicles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 353-d of the agriculture and markets law is REPEALED and a new section 353-d is added to read as follows:
§ 353-d. Code red and blue alerts for companion animals during extreme weather events. 1. For purposes of this section the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Extreme weather" shall mean:
(i) when temperatures will reach twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit or lower without precipitation or thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit or lower with precipitation;
(ii) the National Weather Service wind-chill temperature will be zero degrees Fahrenheit or less for a period of two hours or more;
(iii) the heat index is forecast to reach ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit to ninety-nine degrees Fahrenheit for at least two consecutive days; or
(iv) the temperatures will reach one hundred degrees Fahrenheit to one hundred four degrees Fahrenheit for any length of time.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10522-04-9
S. 4577--A 2
(b) "Companion animal" shall have the same meaning as defined in section three hundred fifty of this chapter.
(c) "Companion animal guardian" means an individual who currently has physical custody over a companion animal.
2. (a) The department shall issue code red or code blue alerts through a public service announcement whenever there is an extreme weather condition. Such public service announcement shall include, but shall not be limited to, the geographical region affected by the extreme weather condition and a statement that all companion animals should be brought indoors.
(b) A code blue alert shall be issued whenever an extreme weather event as defined in subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (a) of subdivision one of this section occurs and a code red alert shall be issued whenever an extreme weather event as defined in subparagraphs (iii) and (iv) of paragraph (a) of subdivision one of this section occurs.
3. (a) No owner or guardian of a companion animal shall leave such animal or animals (i) outside during a code red or code blue alert; or (ii) inside of a vehicle without proper ventilation or other protection from extreme weather events where such confinement in a vehicle places the companion animal in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury due to exposure to such extreme weather event during a code red or code blue alert.
(b) Animal control officers, dog control officers, police officers, peace officers, and peace officers acting as agents of a duly incorporated humane society shall issue warnings to owners or guardians of companion animals who have violated the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subdivision. If the companion animal owner or guardian does not comply with such warning such animal control officer, dog control officer, police officer, peace officer, or peace officer acting as an agent of a duly incorporated humane society shall seize the companion animal.
4. Where the owner or guardian of a companion animal cannot be promptly located, such animal control officer, dog control officer, police officer, peace officer, or peace officer acting as an agent of a duly incorporated humane society may take necessary steps to remove the animal from the property or vehicle.
5. Animal control officers, dog control officers, police officers, peace officers, or peace officers acting as an agent of a duly incorporated humane society removing an animal or animals from a property or a vehicle pursuant to subdivision four of this section shall place a written notice on the door of such property or on or in the vehicle, bearing the name of the officer or agent, and the department or agency and address where the animal or animals will be taken.
6. An animal or animals removed from a property or vehicle pursuant to this section shall, after receipt of any necessary emergency veterinary treatment, be delivered to the duly incorporated humane society or society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or designated agent thereof, in the jurisdiction where the animal or animals were seized.
7. Any person who knowingly, or after a warning, violates the provisions of subdivision three of this section shall be guilty of a violation, punishable by a fine of up to one thousand dollars for a first offense, and a fine of up to two thousand dollars for a second and subsequent offenses.
8. Officers and agents shall not be held criminally or civilly liable for actions taken reasonably and in good faith in carrying out the provisions of this section.
S. 4577--A 3
9. The provisions of this section shall not apply:
(a) Where the minimum standards of determining whether shelter is appropriate for an animal are met. Such minimum standards for determining whether shelter is appropriate to an animal's breed, physical condition and the climate shall include:
(i) For animals that are restrained in any manner outdoors, shade by natural or artificial means to protect the animal from direct sunlight at all times when exposure to sunlight is likely to threaten the health of the animal.
(ii) For all animals that are left outdoors in inclement weather, a housing facility, which must: (1) have a waterproof roof; (2) be structurally sound with insulation appropriate to local climatic conditions and sufficient to protect the animal from inclement weather; (3) be constructed to allow each animal adequate freedom of movement to make normal postural adjustments, including the ability to stand up, turn around and lie down with its limbs outstretched; and (4) allow for effective removal of excretions, other waste material, dirt and trash. The housing facility and the area immediately surrounding it shall be regularly cleaned to maintain a healthy and sanitary environment and to minimize health hazards.
(b) To working dogs as such term is defined in section ninety of the state law.
10. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to affect any other protections afforded to companion animals under any other provisions of this article.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
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 code red and blue alerts for companion animals during extreme weather; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating to the confinement of animals in vehicles
Purpose
To create an alert system for requiring owners to bring companion animals indoors during extreme weather
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Creates the code red and code blue alert system and the appropriate procedures for law enforcement when an owner violates this section.
1. Definitions
2. Requires the Department to issue code red and code blue alerts through public service announcements
3. Prohibits owners from leaving animals outside during a code red or code blue alert; Prohibits owners from leaving a companion animal inside a vehicle during a code red or code blue alert; Owners who are on prem- ises while violating this section will be issued a notice to bring their animals indoors. If the owner does not comply and continues to leave the animal outside, law enforcement can seize the animal.
4. When the owner cannot be located, law enforcement may take the neces- sary steps to seize the animal.
5. If an animal is seized, law enforcement must provide written notice.
6. A seized animal will be delivered to a humane society or SPCA after receiving emergency medical care
7. Any person who knowingly or after a warning, leaves a companion animal outside, or inside a vehicle, during a code red or code blue alert, will be guilty of a violation not less than $500 nor more than $1000 for the first offense and not less than $1000 nor more than $2000 for the second offense.
8. Good Samaritan provisions
9. Exemptions for working dogs and exemptions for dogs that are covered by appropriate shelter determined by breed, physical condition and climate.
10. Does not prohibit further protections by other articles.
Section 2. Effective Date.
Justification
In 2018, 21 dogs were left outside in below freezing temperatures of 4 degrees. Just like humans, animals can get frostbite, suffer from diso- rientation, heatstroke, and even die from extreme temperatures. Between 2017 and 2018, there were at least 50 reported companion animal deaths related to cold weather.
Current law requires dogs outdoors to have appropriate shelter and allows for animals to be rescued when found in cars with no ventilation or other protection from extreme weather.
This legislation would expand upon these provisions during extreme weather conditions by setting up an alert system for owners and requir- ing owners to bring in their companion animals during extreme weather. Under this legislation, owners would be warned before their animal could potentially be seized. Furthermore, the creation of an alert system is crucial to notifying owners when conditions are no longer safe for companion animals.
Companion animals are entirely dependent on their owners for their care and wellbeing. New York must ensure the protection of all by requiring animals to be brought indoors when the temperature is inappropriate for staying outdoors. An individual who violates this section would be fined between $500 and $1000 for the first offense. Subsequent offenses fined up to $2000. If an owner is available and knowingly ignores a warning, or if the owner cannot be found, the companion animal may be seized, similar to current law for dogs left in vehicles.
Prior legislative history
None.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
180 days after it becomes law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.