STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3297
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD, STECK, LUNSFORD, JACOBSON, ANGELINO --
read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to includ-
ing use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument as an aggravated
cruelty offense
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 353-a of the agriculture and
2 markets law, as added by chapter 118 of the laws of 1999, is amended to
3 read as follows:
4 1. A person is guilty of aggravated cruelty to animals when, with no
5 justifiable purpose, [he or she] such person:
6 (a) intentionally kills or intentionally causes serious physical inju-
7 ry to a companion animal with aggravated cruelty; or
8 (b) with intent to kill or cause serious physical injury to a compan-
9 ion animal with aggravated cruelty, causes physical injury to a compan-
10 ion animal by means of a deadly weapon as defined in subdivision twelve
11 of section 10.00 of the penal law, or by means of a dangerous instrument
12 as defined in subdivision thirteen of section 10.00 of the penal law.
13 For purposes of this section, "aggravated cruelty" shall mean conduct
14 which: (i) is intended to cause extreme physical pain; or (ii) is done
15 or carried out in an especially depraved or sadistic manner.
16 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06213-01-5
