What's happening
This bill allows emergency medical personnel and firefighters to rescue animals from unattended vehicles in dangerous conditions without liability.
Why it matters
Expands who can legally intervene. By adding emergency medical personnel and both paid and volunteer firefighters to those authorized to rescue animals from unattended vehicles, the bill increases the number of responders who can act quickly in life-threatening situations for pets.
Removes risk of legal repercussions for rescuers. The bill ensures that anyone acting under these new permissions—including EMS and firefighters—is protected from both criminal and civil liability when they act reasonably and in good faith, reducing hesitation to intervene due to fear of lawsuits.
Improves animal safety and response times. Allowing more first responders to break into vehicles without penalty can save animals’ lives, particularly in cases where police or animal control cannot arrive quickly, addressing time-sensitive dangers like heatstroke or hypothermia.
Creates clear procedures for owner notification. The amendment requires rescuers to leave a written notice on the vehicle with their name, agency, and contact info, ensuring transparency and a clear process for pet owners to retrieve their animals and understand what happened.
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 in Hot Cars
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Substituted by A7053
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1046
- 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 Hot Cars
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Fred Thiele
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 5054 A. 7053
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
April 4, 2019
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sens. LAVALLE, MARTINEZ, BOYLE, BROOKS, SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Domestic Animal Welfare
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE, CAHILL, CRESPO, ENGLE- BRIGHT, McDONOUGH, MONTESANO, MORINELLO, RAIA, L. ROSENTHAL, D'URSO, LUPARDO, FERNANDEZ -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BLAKE, COOK, GALEF, JAFFEE, B. MILLER, MOSLEY, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the confinement of companion animals in unattended motor vehicles under conditions that endanger the health or well-being of an animal
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, as added by chapter 586 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:
§ 353-d. Confinement of companion animals in vehicles: extreme temperatures. 1. A person shall not confine a companion animal in a motor vehicle in extreme heat or cold without proper ventilation or other protection from such extreme temperatures where such confinement places the companion animal in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury due to exposure to such extreme heat or cold.
2. Where the operator of such a vehicle cannot be promptly located, a police officer, peace officer, [or] peace officer acting as an agent of a duly incorporated humane society, emergency medical services personnel, paid firefighter, or volunteer firefighter who in the performance of such volunteer firefighter's duties are directed to respond to a call for assistance for such animal may take necessary steps to remove the animal or animals from the vehicle.
3. Police officers, peace officers [or], peace officers acting as agents of a duly incorporated humane society, emergency medical services
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10418-02-9
S. 5054 2 A. 7053
personnel, paid firefighters, or volunteer firefighters who in the performance of such volunteer firefighters' duties or emergency medical services personnel are directed to respond to a call for assistance for such animal removing an animal or animals from a vehicle pursuant to this section shall place a written notice on or in the vehicle, bearing the name of the officer or agent, and the department or agency and address and other contact information, if available, where the animal or animals will be taken.
4. An animal or animals removed from a 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.
5. Any person who knowingly violates the provisions of subdivision one of this section shall be guilty of a violation, punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars for a first offense, and a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than two hundred and fifty dollars for a second and subsequent offenses.
6. Officers, emergency medical services personnel and firefighters shall not be held criminally or civilly liable for actions taken reasonably and in good faith in carrying out the provisions of this section.
7. 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 immediately.
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 the confinement of companion animals in unattended motor vehicles under conditions that endanger the health or well-being of an animal
Purpose
To better protect the health and well-being of companion animals confined in an unattended motor vehicle in extreme heat or cold temper- atures without proper ventilation or other protection from such extreme temperatures where such confinement places the companion animal in immi- nent danger of death or serious physical injury
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Amends section 353-d to add emergency medical services personnel and paid and volunteer firefighters to the list of those authorized to release a companion animal confined in a motor vehicle in extreme conditions provided the volunteer firefighter is on duty and responding to a call for assistance for such animal.
Section 2. Sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Section 353-d of the agriculture and markets law prohibits persons from confining a companion animal in a motor vehicle in extreme heat or cold temperatures without proper ventilation or other protection from such extreme temperatures where such confinement places the companion animal in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury and provides specific penalties for violations. It provides a procedure that a police officer, peace officer or peace officer acting as an agent of a duly incorporated humane society may take to remove the animal or animals from the vehicle in cases where the operator of such vehicle cannot be promptly located. These officers are not held criminally or civilly liable for actions taken reasonably and in good faith in carrying out this law. This legislation would expand that authorization provided in the law to emergency medical service personnel and paid and volunteer firefighters located in communities all over the State. This will help reduce wait times when a call is made to 911 that a pet is in serious danger especially in areas and at times when the availability of animal control officers or even police is limited.
Legislative history
2017-18 S.3954A/A.4029A; 2015-16 S.2102/A.3031; 2014 S.6418/A.8563.
Fiscal implications
None to the State
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.