Assembly Bill A3714

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Prohibits ear clipping and tail docking of dogs unless deemed medically necessary to protect the life or health of the dog

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Assembly Committee

  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

Do you support this bill?

Please enter your contact information

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.
Actions

co-Sponsors

2023-A3714 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S5674
Current Committee:
Assembly Agriculture
Law Section:
Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §365, add §365-a, Ag & Mkts L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2017-2018: A11328
2019-2020: A2764
2021-2022: A3339

2023-A3714 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits ear clipping and tail docking of dogs unless deemed medically necessary to protect the life or health of the dog.

2023-A3714 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3714
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 7, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. EPSTEIN, L. ROSENTHAL, STECK, DeSTEFANO, DAVILA,
   SAYEGH, CRUZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to  prohib-
   iting  ear  clipping  and tail docking of dogs unless deemed medically
   necessary to protect the life or health of the dog

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 365 of the agriculture and markets
 law,  as  amended by chapter 458 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read
 as follows:
   1. Whoever clips or cuts off or causes or procures another to clip  or
 cut  off the whole or any part of an ear of any dog unless an anesthetic
 shall have been given to the  dog  and  the  operation  performed  by  a
 licensed  veterinarian  WHO  DEEMS SUCH OPERATION MEDICALLY NECESSARY TO
 PROTECT THE LIFE OR HEALTH OF THE  DOG,  is  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,
 punishable  by imprisonment for not more than one year, or a fine of not
 more than one thousand dollars, or by both.
   § 2. The agriculture and markets  law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 365-a to read as follows:
   § 365-A. DOCKING DOG TAILS; UNLAWFUL. 1. ANY PERSON WHO CUTS THE BONE,
 TISSUE, MUSCLES OR TENDONS OF THE TAIL OF ANY DOG, OR OTHERWISE OPERATES
 UPON  IT  IN ANY MANNER FOR THE PURPOSE OR WITH THE EFFECT OF DOCKING OR
 OTHERWISE ALTERING THE NATURAL  CARRIAGE  OR  LENGTH  OF  THE  TAIL,  OR
 ASSISTS,  PROCURES, PROMOTES OR ENCOURAGES SUCH CUTTING OR OPERATION FOR
 REASONS OTHER THAN TO PROTECT THE LIFE OR HEALTH OF THE  DOG  AS  DEEMED
 NECESSARY  BY  A  DULY LICENSED VETERINARIAN, IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR
 PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OF NOT MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
   2. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANY DOG OR PERSON
 WHO IS THE OWNER OR POSSESSOR OF ANY DOG WHOSE TAIL HAS  BEEN  CERTIFIED
 AS  HAVING  BEEN DOCKED, CUT OR ALTERED PRIOR TO AUGUST FIRST, TWO THOU-
 SAND TWENTY-FOUR.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.