What's happening
This bill prohibits contracts for purchasing or financing dogs or cats, including online sales, from allowing repossession of the animal.
Why it matters
Protects pet owners from losing their dogs or cats due to missed payments. on financing or purchase contracts, treating pets differently from property like cars or electronics that can be repossessed.
Closes a loophole in online pet sales. by explicitly extending the prohibition on repossession clauses to animals purchased through websites, reflecting the reality of how many people now acquire pets.
Ensures financing of pet purchases must be unsecured. , meaning lenders can’t claim the animal itself as collateral, which may limit predatory lending practices targeting pet buyers.
Maintains all other consumer and animal protection laws. , clarifying that this amendment doesn’t affect existing legal remedies or protections outside of repossession, so other types of disputes or enforcement actions are still allowed.
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
Ban Pet Repossession Contracts
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Substituted by A1672A
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1132
- Print number 6822a
- Amend (t) and recommit to consumer protection
- Referred to consumer protection
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.
Stop Pet Repo Contracts
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6822--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 25, 2025
Introduced by Sen. GIANARIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection -committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting certain contracts for the purchase or financing of a dog or cat from including provisions allowing repossession of the animal
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 753-e of the general business law, as added by chapter 272 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
§ 753-e. Prohibited contracts. No contract for the purchase of a dog or a cat or the financing of such purchase shall include any provisions which authorize the use of a dog or a cat as security where such dog or cat may be repossessed by the seller or lender contingent on the purchaser making payments under such contract. Provided, however, nothing in this section shall prohibit the purchase of a dog or cat through an unsecured personal loan, nor be construed to limit the enforcement of other provisions of this article, article [twenty-six-a] twenty-six-A of the agriculture and markets law or other rights or remedies which are otherwise available to all parties under any other law. The provisions of this section shall also apply to the sale of a dog or cat through an online website.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04457-03-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting certain contracts for the purchase or financing of a dog or cat from including provisions allowing repossession of the animal
Purpose
This bill will protect consumers from predatory pet leasing agreements conducted online.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill amends § 753-e of the general business law.
Section two of the bill sets forth the effective date.
Justification
In 2018, New York State enacted a law to prohibit the leasing of dogs and cats sold in pet stores. These agreements, sometimes referred to as payment plans, are signed by consumers who have fallen in love with a puppy or kitten at the pet store, often not realizing that they are entering into a lease agreement and the pet could be repossessed. Unlike homes or automobiles, pets are sentient beings that should not be treat- ed as collateral.
In recent years, more retailers have begun to sell pets online, where consumers choose a pet based on online photos and complete the purchase by paying in full upfront or through a lease agreement. New York State has already taken steps to protect consumers from the predatory leasing of pets sold in stores, but we must convey similar protections for those who purchase a pet online. This legislation will prohibit online pet retailers from using an animal as a form of collateral
Legislative history
2024: S9019-A (Gianaris) PASSED SENATE / A4058-B (Rosenthal L) advanced to third reading
2023: A4058-A (Rosenthal L) reported, died in codes
Fiscal implications
None to the State
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.