BILL NO A01076
SAME AS No same as
SPONSOR Rosenthal (MS)
COSPNSR Lavine, Millman, Benedetto, Schimel, Maisel, Weisenberg, Dinowitz,
Kavanagh, Englebright, Ortiz
MLTSPNSR Colton, Cymbrowitz, Glick, Gottfried, Hevesi, Lifton, Paulin,
Robinson, Saladino, Sweeney, Thiele, Titone
Amd S368, Ag & Mkts L
Prohibits tail docking of cattle.
BILL NUMBER:A1076
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in
relation to prohibiting tail docking of cattle
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: The purpose of this legislation is to
prohibit tail docking of cattle.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: The bill will amend section heading
and subdivision 1 of section 368 of the agriculture and markets law,
as added by chapter 1047 of the laws of 1965.
JUSTIFICATION: Although originally practiced as a method for
controlling disease in cattle herds, the epidemiological benefits of
tail docking have been thoroughly debunked. Tail docking has been
proven to inflict physiological stress and chronic pain in cattle. It
can also increase their chances of contracting tetanus and gangrene
and limits their ability to use their tails to swat away flies. Tail
docking is already illegal in equine herds and this cruel practice
should be banned in cattle populations as well.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.1893 of 2011-2012
A.9732 of 2009-2010
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1076
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
(PREFILED)
January 9, 2013
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, LAVINE, MILLMAN, BENEDETTO, SCHIMEL,
MAISEL, CASTRO, WEISENBERG, DINOWITZ, KAVANAGH, ENGLEBRIGHT, ORTIZ --
Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COLTON, CYMBROWITZ, GLICK, GOTTFRIED,
HEVESI, LIFTON, PAULIN, ROBINSON, SALADINO, SWEENEY, THIELE, TITONE --
read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to prohib-
iting tail docking of cattle
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1 Section 1. The section heading and subdivision 1 of section 368 of the
2 agriculture and markets law, as added by chapter 1047 of the laws of
3 1965, are amended to read as follows:
4 Operating upon tails of horses AND CATTLE unlawful. 1. Any person who
5 cuts the bone, tissues, muscles or tendons of the tail of any horse,
6 mare [or], gelding[,] OR CATTLE, or otherwise operates upon it in any
7 manner for the purpose or with the effect of docking, setting, or other-
8 wise altering the natural carriage of the tail, or who knowingly permits
9 the same to be done upon premises of which he is the owner, lessee,
10 proprietor or user, or who assists in or is voluntarily present at such
11 cutting, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not
12 more than one year, or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars
13 or by both. If a horse OR A COW is found with the bone, tissues, muscles
14 or tendons of its tail cut as aforesaid and with the wound resulting
15 therefrom unhealed, upon the premises or in the charge and custody of
16 any person, such fact shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of
17 this section by the owner or user of such premises or the person having
18 such charge or custody, respectively.
19 S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04419-01-3
