Establishes a public animal cruelty registry that requires persons over eighteen years of age convicted of animal abuse to register with the division of criminal justice services; requires such registry to contain certain information about each person registered; requires persons registered to pay an annual surcharge of fifty dollars to be used for costs and expenses associated with maintaining the registry.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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9944
IN SENATE
April 16, 2026
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Introduced by Sens. ADDABBO, TEDISCO -- 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 estab-
lishing a public animal cruelty registry
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
2 section 352 to read as follows:
3 § 352. Public animal cruelty registry. 1. Any person over eighteen
4 years of age who is convicted of animal abuse pursuant to a violation of
5 section three hundred fifty-one or three hundred fifty-three-a of this
6 article, or of the comparable statutes of another state, shall register
7 with the division of criminal justice services. Such registration shall
8 be made in a manner and form to be determined by the division of crimi-
9 nal justice services, and shall include, at a minimum:
10 (a) the legal name and any other names or aliases that the animal
11 abuser is using or has used;
12 (b) the date of birth of the animal abuser;
13 (c) the social security number of the animal abuser;
14 (d) the current address or location of the animal abuser;
15 (e) the place of employment of the animal abuser;
16 (f) the animal protection offense for which the animal abuser was
17 convicted;
18 (g) the date and place of the animal protection offense conviction of
19 the animal abuser;
20 (h) a photograph of the animal abuser and a complete set of the animal
21 abuser's fingerprints; and
22 (i) a description of any tattoos, scars or other distinguishing
23 features on the animal abuser's body that would assist in identifying
24 the animal abuser.
25 2. Any previously registered animal abuser shall reregister with the
26 division of criminal justice services no later than ten days after
27 moving to a new location within the state.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15561-01-6
S. 9944 2
1 3. An animal abuser who intentionally or knowingly fails to comply
2 with the registration requirements set forth in this section, or
3 provides false information when complying with the registration require-
4 ments set forth in this section, shall be guilty of a class E felony.
5 4. The division of criminal justice services shall maintain registra-
6 tion information received pursuant to this section in a registry. Such
7 registry shall be available in print, electronic form, through internet
8 access, telephone access, and in-person access and shall be available to
9 the public as well as all law enforcement entities, district attorneys,
10 duly incorporated humane societies, societies for the prevention of
11 cruelty to animals, dog or cat protective associations, animal control
12 officers, breeders of animals, animal rescues and pet stores doing busi-
13 ness in this state. All of the information contained in an animal
14 abuser's registration, with the exception of the animal abuser's social
15 security number, shall be made available.
16 5. Within ten days of receiving initial registration information from
17 an animal abuser, the division of criminal justice services shall
18 contact every residence, school, humane society, animal shelter and any
19 other business within a half mile radius of the animal abuser's resi-
20 dence or location and provide them with the animal abuser's registration
21 information, with the exception of the animal abuser's social security
22 number.
23 6. Any person required to register pursuant to this section shall
24 register annually, or each time such person moves to a new address with-
25 in the state and shall continue to register until such person receives a
26 court order ordering such registration to cease. No such order shall be
27 issued until such person first demonstrates to the court that such
28 person has undergone psychiatric or psychological testing, the results
29 of which indicate by clear and convincing evidence the capable and sound
30 mental capacity and ability to own and properly care for an animal in a
31 humane manner. Any person required to register pursuant to this section
32 shall not own a companion animal or have employment at an animal shel-
33 ter, pound, pet store, zoo or other business establishment where compan-
34 ion animals are present, until receiving a court order ordering such
35 registration to cease.
36 7. Any person who is convicted of animal abuse pursuant to a violation
37 of section three hundred fifty-one or three hundred fifty-three-a of
38 this article shall, in addition to any other penalty or term of impri-
39 sonment authorized by law, be subject to a mandatory annual surcharge of
40 fifty dollars which shall be used to pay for costs and expenses associ-
41 ated with establishing and maintaining the registry required by this
42 section.
43 8. The provisions of this section shall apply to all municipalities,
44 including cities having a population of one million or more, and shall
45 supersede any local law, rule, regulation, code or ordinance regulating
46 the establishment, implementation and enforcement of an animal cruelty
47 or abuser registry.
48 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
49 have become a law.
