Senate Bill S9847

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Restricts the performance of surgical devocalization procedures on dogs and cats

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

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2023-S9847 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Assembly Codes
Law Section:
Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:
Add §365-a, amd §374, Ag & Mkts L

2023-S9847 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Restricts the performance of surgical devocalization procedures on dogs and cats.

2023-S9847 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S9847 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9847
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               June 4, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. GIANARIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to  amend  the  agriculture  and  markets  law,  in  relation  to
   restricting  the  performance of surgical devocalization procedures on
   dogs and cats
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
 section 365-a to read as follows:
   § 365-A. DEVOCALIZATION OF ANIMALS. 1. NO  PERSON  SHALL  PERFORM  THE
 SURGICAL  DEVOCALIZATION  OF  A DOG OR CAT EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
 PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   2. A. SURGICAL DEVOCALIZATION OF A DOG OR CAT SHALL BE PERFORMED  ONLY
 BY  A  PERSON LICENSED AS A VETERINARIAN PURSUANT TO ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED
 THIRTY-FIVE OF THE EDUCATION LAW.
   B. SURGICAL DEVOCALIZATION OF A DOG OR  CAT  MAY  BE  PERFORMED  WHERE
 NECESSARY  TO  TREAT OR RELIEVE A PHYSICAL ILLNESS, DISEASE OR INJURY OR
 CORRECT A CONGENITAL ABNORMALITY SUFFERED  BY  THE  ANIMAL,  WHERE  SUCH
 PHYSICAL  ILLNESS,  DISEASE, INJURY OR CONGENITAL ABNORMALITY IS CAUSING
 OR MAY REASONABLY CAUSE THE ANIMAL PHYSICAL PAIN OR HARM, OR WHEN DETER-
 MINED BY A VETERINARIAN TO BE MEDICALLY NECESSARY TO PRESERVE  THE  LIFE
 OF THE ANIMAL.
   3.  ANY  VETERINARIAN WHO PERFORMS A SURGICAL DEVOCALIZATION PROCEDURE
 ON A DOG OR CAT SHALL DOCUMENT THE PERFORMANCE OF SUCH PROCEDURE IN  THE
 TREATMENT  RECORD OF THE PATIENT, INCLUDING THE MEDICAL NECESSITY JUSTI-
 FYING THE PROCEDURE, AS DEFINED IN SECTION SIXTY-SEVEN HUNDRED  FOURTEEN
 OF THE EDUCATION LAW.
   4.  AS  USED IN THIS SECTION, "DEVOCALIZATION" MEANS A SURGICAL PROCE-
 DURE ON THE LARYNX OR VOCAL CORDS OF AN ANIMAL  INTENDED  TO  CAUSE  THE
 REDUCTION  OR  ELIMINATION  OF  VOCAL SOUNDS PRODUCED BY THAT ANIMAL AND
 INCLUDES PROCEDURES COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS "DEBARKING", "SILENCING"  OR
 "BARK SOFTENING".
   5.  ANY  VETERINARIAN LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-
 FIVE OF THE EDUCATION LAW WHO KNOWINGLY PERFORMS, OR KNOWINGLY CAUSES TO
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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