Assembly Bill A796

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Prohibits the declawing and descenting of ferrets

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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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2025-A796 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Assembly Agriculture
Law Section:
Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:
Add §387, Ag & Mkts L

2025-A796 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits the declawing and descenting of ferrets except when necessary for a therapeutic purpose and performed by a licensed veterinarian.

2025-A796 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    796
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ROSENTHAL  --  read once and referred to the
   Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to  prohib-
   iting the declawing and descenting of ferrets

   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 387 to read as follows:
   §  387. PROHIBITION OF THE DECLAWING AND DESCENTING OF FERRETS. 1. FOR
 THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOW-
 ING MEANINGS:
   (A) "FERRET" SHALL MEAN THE DOMESTIC SPECIES MUSTELA FURO.
   (B) "DECLAWING" SHALL MEAN A PROCEDURE, SUCH AS AN ONYCHECTOMY, TENDO-
 NECTOMY OR PHALANGECTOMY, TO REMOVE OR PREVENT THE  NORMAL  FUNCTION  OF
 THE CLAWS OF A FERRET.
   (C) "DESCENTING" SHALL MEAN A PROCEDURE INVOLVING THE SURGICAL REMOVAL
 OR DESTRUCTION OF THE ANAL GLANDS OF A FERRET.
   (D)  "THERAPEUTIC  PURPOSE"  SHALL  MEAN  THE NECESSITY TO ADDRESS THE
 PHYSICAL MEDICAL CONDITION OF A FERRET, SUCH AS AN EXISTING OR RECURRING
 ILLNESS, INFECTION, DISEASE, INJURY OR ABNORMAL CONDITION IN THE CLAW OR
 ANAL GLANDS THAT COMPROMISES SUCH FERRET'S HEALTH.  THERAPEUTIC  PURPOSE
 SHALL  NOT  INCLUDE  COSMETIC OR AESTHETIC REASONS OR REASONS OF CONVEN-
 IENCE IN KEEPING OR HANDLING SUCH FERRET.
   2. NO PERSON SHALL PERFORM A DECLAWING OR A  DESCENTING  PROCEDURE  BY
 ANY  MEANS  ON A FERRET WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, EXCEPT WHEN NECES-
 SARY FOR A THERAPEUTIC PURPOSE AND PERFORMED BY A LICENSED VETERINARIAN.
   3. ANY PERSON WHO PERFORMS A DECLAWING OR DESCENTING PROCEDURE ON  ANY
 FERRET IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN VIOLATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDI-
 VISION TWO OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE PUNISHABLE BY A CIVIL PENALTY NOT TO
 EXCEED ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

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