S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                   5699
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 14, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, COOK -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of
   A. ARROYO, GOTTFRIED, MOSLEY, PEOPLES-STOKES, PERRY,  RIVERA  --  read
   once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to informed
   consent of owners for euthanasia of a pet

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 "Sir Henry's law".
   §  2.  The  agriculture  and  markets  law  is amended by adding a new
 section 353-g to read as follows:
   § 353-G.  HUMANE  EUTHANASIA  OF  COMPANION  ANIMALS;  OWNER  INFORMED
 CONSENT.  1.  PRIOR TO THE HUMANE EUTHANASIA OF A COMPANION ANIMAL WHICH
 IS NOT LOST, STRAYED, HOMELESS OR ABANDONED, THE VETERINARIAN, WHO  WILL
 PERFORM  SUCH  PROCEDURE UPON THE ANIMAL, SHALL EXPLAIN TO THE COMPANION
 ANIMAL OWNER, WHO GRANTS CONSENT TO HAVING THE COMPANION ANIMAL  EUTHAN-
 IZED, IN A TRUTHFUL AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND MANNER:
   (A)  THE  VARIOUS  METHODS WHICH CAN BE UTILIZED TO HUMANELY EUTHANIZE
 THE COMPANION ANIMAL;
   (B) THE BENEFITS AND RISKS OF EACH SUCH METHOD;
   (C) THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS UPON THE ANIMAL OF EACH SUCH METHOD;
   (D) THE ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF HUMANE EUTHANASIA TO BE UTILIZED IF  THE
 PREFERRED  METHOD  CANNOT BE HUMANELY UTILIZED, AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS
 AND RISKS OF THE ALTERNATIVE METHOD; AND
   (E) FULLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE COMPANION  ANIMAL  OWNER  HAS  WITH
 REGARD TO EUTHANIZING THE OWNER'S PET.
   2.  NO  COMPANION ANIMAL WHICH IS NOT LOST, STRAYED, HOMELESS OR ABAN-
 DONED SHALL BE EUTHANIZED BY MEANS OF INTRACARDIAC INJECTION UNLESS  THE
 ANIMAL IS HEAVILY SEDATED, ANESTHETIZED OR COMATOSE. HOWEVER, A LICENSED
 VETERINARIAN  MAY  PERFORM  EUTHANASIA  BY  INTRACARDIAC  INJECTION UPON
 ANIMALS THAT ARE NOT HEAVILY SEDATED, ANESTHETIZED OR COMATOSE ONLY WHEN
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD03173-01-9

 A. 5699                             2
 
 SUCH LICENSED VETERINARIAN DETERMINES THAT SUCH  INTRACARDIAC  INJECTION
 IS  THE  MOST  HUMANE  OPTION AVAILABLE. WHENEVER A CARDIAC INJECTION IS
 ADMINISTERED BY A LICENSED VETERINARIAN UPON AN ANIMAL THAT IS NOT HEAV-
 ILY SEDATED, ANESTHETIZED OR COMATOSE, SUCH VETERINARIAN SHALL DOCUMENT,
 IN  WRITING, THE ADMINISTRATION OF SUCH INJECTION AND THE REASON FOR ITS
 ADMINISTRATION. SUCH DOCUMENTATION SHALL BE RETAINED FOR AT LEAST  THREE
 YEARS.
   3.  THE  OWNER OF A COMPANION ANIMAL THAT IS HUMANELY EUTHANIZED SHALL
 BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN WITH HIS OR HER PET DURING THE  ENTIRE  PROCESS  OF
 EUTHANASIA, INCLUDING WHEN DEATH IS CONFIRMED.
   4.  BOTH THE VETERINARIAN, WHO HUMANELY EUTHANIZES A COMPANION ANIMAL,
 AND THE OWNER OF SUCH ANIMAL SHALL  SIGN  A  FORM,  ESTABLISHED  BY  THE
 DEPARTMENT,  STATING THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION HAVE BEEN FULLY
 COMPLIED WITH, THAT ALL HUMANE EUTHANASIA METHODS HAVE  BEEN  CONSIDERED
 AND EXPLAINED, AND ALL QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE EUTHANASIA PROCESS HAVE
 BEEN ANSWERED TO THE OWNER'S SATISFACTION.
   5.  THE  DEPARTMENT MAY PROMULGATE ANY RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY
 TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,
 any  actions  necessary  to  implement the provisions of this act on its
 effective date are authorized and directed to be completed on or  before
 such date.