STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
154
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. PALUMBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to develop-
ing a database for missing domestic animals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 16 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision 53 to read as follows:
3 53. (a) Develop and maintain a searchable database of lost and found
4 domestic animals. An email or telephone number shall be provided on the
5 website to allow an individual who has lost or found a domestic animal
6 to contact the department. The information to be entered into the data-
7 base shall be the type of animal; the animal's name; an identification
8 number, if available; a photo of the animal; and the county where the
9 animal was lost or found. The individual's contact information shall be
10 kept within the department and not made available on the website. The
11 database shall be searchable by county and type of animal and shall have
12 a section to allow for other pertinent information that may assist with
13 finding the animal. The department shall update the website upon
14 receiving information from the public. Any information entered into the
15 database shall be maintained for a period of three years.
16 (b) The website shall also provide the following information to assist
17 owners searching for lost or missing animals:
18 "There are several things to remember when you lose a pet:
19 1. Act fast.
20 2. Call for them while checking areas in the home where they may be
21 trapped.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00622-01-5
S. 154 2
1 3. Scent is key; the pet's favorite food and dirty laundry left at the
2 doorway can be helpful.
3 4. Search the neighborhood several times; ask neighbors, letter carri-
4 ers and any delivery people you may see.
5 5. Lost pet signs; put them everywhere.
6 6. Use social media in addition to the New York state missing pet
7 database.
8 7. Contact local animal shelters and animal control agencies.
9 8. Be wary of pet recovery scams. A few ways to recognize the lost
10 pets scam are; if they demand you wire money, they refuse to meet in
11 person, or they will meet but find an excuse why you should pay them
12 before actually seeing the animal. To avoid being scammed, never wire
13 money, do not ask leading questions, make them provide the description,
14 and if you are absolutely confident the person has your pet, arrange to
15 meet in a public place. If you find a missing pet and someone contacts
16 you claiming to be the pet's owner, you must verify their claim. Vet
17 records, breeding papers, even family photos are all viable ways to
18 prove ownership. These tips are by no means an exhaustive list. There
19 are many resources available to assist you from being scammed.
20 9. Don't give up.
21 Animals have been reunited with their owners after having been missing
22 for months. Make sure your pet always wears a collar and an ID tag, or
23 has a microchip."
24 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
25 it shall have become a law.
