What's happening
This bill creates new crimes for sexual conduct with animals, making it a felony if it results in injury or death and a misdemeanor otherwise, with mandatory animal forfeiture and prohibitions for offenders.
Why it matters
Establishes clear legal consequences for sexual conduct with animals. , distinguishing between incidents that cause injury or death (felony) and those that do not (misdemeanor), which addresses a gap in current animal cruelty statutes and creates stronger deterrents.
Mandates permanent forfeiture of all animals and a lifetime ban on animal ownership or contact for convicted offenders. , which aims to prevent repeat offenses and enhance public and animal safety.
Requires offenders to reimburse shelters and cover veterinary costs for harmed animals. , placing financial responsibility for the consequences of abuse on the perpetrator rather than on animal welfare organizations or the public.
Includes exemptions for approved scientific research. , ensuring that legitimate and regulated scientific activities involving animals are not unintentionally criminalized, preserving the ability to conduct necessary research within ethical and legal guidelines.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Sex With Animals
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to agriculture
- Referred to agriculture
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1630
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to establishing the crimes of sexual conduct with an animal resulting in injury or death and sexual conduct with an animal
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new section 353-g to read as follows:
§ 353-g. Sexual conduct with an animal resulting in injury or death. 1. A person is guilty of sexual conduct with an animal resulting in injury or death when such person engages in sexual conduct with an animal which results in the injury or death of such animal. For the purposes of this section, "sexual conduct" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 130.00 of the penal law.
2. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit or interfere in any way with anyone lawfully engaged in any properly conducted scientific tests, experiments, or investigations involving the use of living animals, performed or conducted in laboratories or institutions approved for such purposes by the commissioner of health pursuant to section three hundred fifty-three of this article.
3. Sexual conduct with an animal resulting in injury or death is a felony. A defendant convicted of this offense shall be sentenced pursuant to paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section 55.10 of the penal law.
4. In addition to the penalty imposed pursuant to subdivision three of this section, the court shall order a person convicted of violating this section to:
(a) relinquish and permanently forfeit custody of all animals under such person's ownership, possession, control, or residing in such person's household to a pound, duly incorporated society for the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04166-01-5
prevention of cruelty to animals, duly incorporated humane society, or duly incorporated animal protective association, or if such person is not the owner of such animal or animals, then such animal or animals shall be returned to the owner of such animal or animals;
(b) be permanently prohibited from harboring, owning, possessing, or exercising control over any animal, residing in any household where animals are present, or working or volunteering in a place where such person has unsupervised access to animals;
(c) reimburse the pound, duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, duly incorporated humane society, or duly incorporated animal protective association for any reasonable costs incurred for the care and maintenance of the animal involved in such violation in addition to any other animals relinquished to such pound, duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, duly incorporated humane society, or duly incorporated animal protective association pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision; and
(d) where the animal was injured as a result of such violation, pay the costs of any veterinary medical treatment or rehabilitation needed as a result of such injury.
§ 2. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new section 353-h to read as follows:
§ 353-h. Sexual conduct with an animal. 1. A person is guilty of sexual conduct with an animal when such person engages in sexual conduct with any animal. For the purposes of this section, "sexual conduct" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 130.00 of the penal law.
2. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit or interfere in any way with anyone lawfully engaged in any properly conducted scientific tests, experiments, or investigations involving the use of living animals, performed or conducted in laboratories or institutions approved for such purposes by the commissioner of health pursuant to section three hundred fifty-three of this article.
3. Sexual conduct with an animal is a misdemeanor. A defendant convicted of this offense shall be sentenced pursuant to paragraph (b) of subdivision two of section 55.10 of the penal law.
4. In addition to the penalty imposed pursuant to subdivision three of this section, the court shall order a person convicted of violating this section to:
(a) relinquish and permanently forfeit custody of all animals under such person's ownership, possession, control, or residing in such person's household to a pound, duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, duly incorporated humane society, or duly incorporated animal protective association, or if such person is not the owner of such animal or animals, then such animal or animals shall be returned to the owner of such animal or animals;
(b) be permanently prohibited from harboring, owning, possessing, or exercising control over any animal, residing in any household where animals are present, or working or volunteering in a place where such person has unsupervised access to animals; and
(c) reimburse the pound, duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, duly incorporated humane society, or duly incorporated animal protective association for any reasonable costs incurred for the care and maintenance of the animal involved in such violation in addition to any other animals relinquished to such pound, duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, duly incorporated humane society, or duly incorporated animal protective association pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
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