BILL NUMBER:S3429

TITLE  OF  BILL:    An  act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in
relation to requiring certain animal shelters to prepare annual  reports
on the number of animal intakes and dispositions

PURPOSE:    To  promote  better  care  of  animals placed in shelters by
requiring greater transparency on the part of state funded animal  shel-
ters with regard to both the intake and disposition of animals.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section  one  amends  the  agriculture  and  markets law by adding a new
section 374-a which provides that any animal shelter that receives state
funding shall prepare an annual report by January first  of  each  year.
Such  annual  report shall include the number of animal intakes, includ-
ing, but not limited to animals that were surrendered  by  owners;  were
brought  in  by  animal control, specifying from which jurisdiction; and
were brought in as strays by someone other than the animal's owner.  The
report  shall also include the number of animal dispositions, including,
but not limited to animals that were adopted; were released  to  owners,
or  were  transferred  to other facilities, specifying the facility. The
report shall include the number of animals that  have  died,  specifying
the reason for death, including deaths by euthanasia and the reasons for
such  euthanasia  deaths.  Each  shelter that maintains a website, shall
post a notice on its website stating that its report is available to  be
              

viewed  by  the  public, and shall maintain each annual report for three
years. Each animal shelter shall maintain at least one printed  copy  of
their annual report to be viewed by the public on site upon request.

Section two provides the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:   As with most organizations that receive public funding,
animal shelters that  receive  state  funding  are  accountable  to  the
public.    The  number of animals that are cared for by each shelter and
the source of the animals are of interest to the public. The disposition
of such animals is of equal interest, and an important indicator of  the
quality  of and commitment to the rescue and care of animals. By requir-
ing shelters that receive state  funding  to  reveal  certain  specified
information  in  the  form  of  an  annual report, this legislation will
promote transparency and accountability,  which  in  turn  may  lead  to
improved  animal  care  and  more  favorable dispositions. The financial
burden to the shelters is minimal when balanced  against  the  potential
for great gains in the quality of shelter practices.

FISCAL  IMPLICATIONS:    Minimal cost to state funded animal shelters to
produce annual reports.

EFFECTIVE DATE:   This act  shall  take  effect  immediately;  provided,
however  that  animal  shelters subject to this act shall have completed
their first annual report no later than January 1, 2016.