What's happening
This bill requires prompt reporting and care of abandoned animals found on vacated properties in New York.
Why it matters
Requires anyone legally entering vacated properties (e.g., after eviction, foreclosure, or abandonment) to report any apparently abandoned animals within six hours to animal control, police, or an animal welfare officer. creating a clear, enforceable timeline for reporting to help prevent animal suffering.
Mandates that removed animals must be placed in the care of certified animal welfare organizations or shelters. helping ensure that abandoned pets receive appropriate care and are not left in potentially unsafe or unhealthy conditions.
Establishes a legal violation for failing to notify authorities about abandoned animals. which could increase accountability for property managers, landlords, or others who access vacated properties.
Clarifies that animal cruelty and abandonment laws remain fully enforceable by police and animal protection agencies. ensuring this new reporting requirement does not weaken existing animal welfare protections.
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
Rescue Abandoned Animals Faster
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to agriculture
- Referred to agriculture
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1648
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 the care and collection of animals on vacant property
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 373 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new subdivision 2-a to read as follows:
2-a. a. Notwithstanding sections thirteen hundred seven and nineteen hundred seventy-one of the real property actions and proceedings law or any other provision of law to the contrary, any person or entity who is authorized to be on property that has been vacated as a result of an eviction, property foreclosure, forfeiture or default on a mortgage, trust deed or land sales contract, or abandonment who encounters an animal which based on its physical appearance or lack of available food or water appears abandoned on such property shall promptly, but not later than six hours after such encounter, notify the dog control officer, the police, or agent or officer of a duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals about such encounter, for the purpose of promptly retrieving or providing necessary care for such animal at the property until the animal can be retrieved. Animals removed from the premises shall be placed in the custody of a pound, duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, duly incorporated humane society, or duly incorporated animal protective association and cared for in accordance with the provisions of this section, section three hundred seventy-four of this article, section one hundred seventeen of this chapter, and all other laws and ordinances that govern the humane treatment of animals. Failure to provide notification as provided for in this subdivision shall be a violation.
b. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or restrict in any way agents or officers of societies for the prevention of cruelty to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04156-01-5
animals or the police from enforcing provisions of this article or any other law relating to abandonment of animals or the inhumane treatment of or cruelty to animals.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.