§ 353-f. Companion animal piercing and tattooing prohibited. 1. No
person shall pierce or cause to have pierced a companion animal unless
such piercing provides a medical benefit to the companion animal. Such
piercing shall be performed by a licensed veterinarian or under the
supervision of a licensed veterinarian. Nothing in this section shall be
construed to apply to ear tags on rabbits and cavies.

2. No person shall tattoo or cause to have tattooed a companion animal
unless such tattoo:

(a) is done in conjunction with a medical procedure for the benefit of
the companion animal and to indicate that such medical procedure has
been done, provided that such tattoo is not for design purposes; or

(b) is done for the purpose of identification of the companion animal
and not for design purposes, and such tattoo includes only such numbers
and/or letters allotted by a corporation that, in the regular course of
its business, maintains an animal tattoo identification registry.

3. For the purposes of this section, "tattoo" shall mean a mark on the
body made with indelible ink or pigments injected beneath the outer
layer of the skin.

4. Tattooing done in conjunction with a medical procedure for the
benefit of a companion animal that indicates that such medical procedure
has been done shall be performed by a licensed veterinarian or under the
supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

5. Any person who knowingly violates the provisions of this section
shall be guilty of a violation punishable pursuant to the penal law.