STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5674
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 13, 2023
___________
Introduced by Sen. FERNANDEZ -- 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 prohib-
iting ear clipping and tail docking of dogs unless deemed medically
necessary to protect the life or health of the dog
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 365 of the agriculture and markets
2 law, as amended by chapter 458 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read
3 as follows:
4 1. Whoever clips or cuts off or causes or procures another to clip or
5 cut off the whole or any part of an ear of any dog unless an anesthetic
6 shall have been given to the dog and the operation performed by a
7 licensed veterinarian who deems such operation medically necessary to
8 protect the life or health of the dog, is guilty of a misdemeanor,
9 punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year, or a fine of not
10 more than one thousand dollars, or by both.
11 § 2. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
12 section 365-a to read as follows:
13 § 365-a. Docking dog tails; unlawful. 1. Any person who cuts the bone,
14 tissue, muscles or tendons of the tail of any dog, or otherwise operates
15 upon it in any manner for the purpose or with the effect of docking or
16 otherwise altering the natural carriage or length of the tail, or
17 assists, procures, promotes or encourages such cutting or operation for
18 reasons other than to protect the life or health of the dog as deemed
19 necessary by a duly licensed veterinarian, is guilty of a misdemeanor
20 punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars.
21 2. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any dog or person
22 who is the owner or possessor of any dog whose tail has been certified
23 as having been docked, cut or altered prior to August first, two thou-
24 sand twenty-four.
25 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07760-01-3
