NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A10700
SPONSOR: Rules (Rosenthal L) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting the
sale of electric shock dog collars
PURPOSE:
This legislation will ban the sale of electric shock dog collars.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the general business law by adding a new section
391-w.
Section two establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Shock collars used on dogs send an electric current through contact
points on the collar to deliver an electric shock to their necks, an
outdated training method used to curb excessive barking, jumping or
other unwanted behaviors. Shock collars usually come equipped with a
range of settings, allowing an owner to adjust the intensity of the
electric shock. These collars, which are purchased and used by dog
trainers and/or dog owners, can be used in an attempt to train dogs to
suppress undesirable behaviors by threatening them with an uncomfortable
or painful electric shock. These collars can result in burns to the skin
and cause stress and anxiety to dogs, resulting in aggression or other
behaviors.
Many Countries, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and
Germany have already implemented bans on shock collars. This legislation
would make New York State the first in the nation to ban the sale of
electric shock dog collars.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
90 days.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10700
IN ASSEMBLY
September 9, 2022
___________
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. L. Rosen-
thal) -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs
and Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting the
sale of electric shock dog collars
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
2 391-w to read as follows:
3 § 391-w. Sale and distribution of electric shock dog collars; prohibi-
4 tion. 1. For the purpose of this section the term "electric shock dog
5 collar" means any e-collar or electric collar meant to be used around a
6 dog's neck to deliver an electric shock to the dog.
7 2. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership or corpo-
8 ration to knowingly sell, offer for sale or distribute for sale in the
9 state any electric shock dog collar.
10 3. Any violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine not to
11 exceed five hundred dollars.
12 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
13 have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16209-02-2
