STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6222
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 23, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Domestic Animal Welfare
AN ACT to amend the domestic relations law, in relation to requiring the
court to consider the best interest of a companion animal when award-
ing possession in a divorce or separation proceeding
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subparagraph 14 of paragraph d of subdivision 5 of part B
2 of section 236 of the domestic relations law, as renumbered by chapter
3 229 of the laws of 2009, is renumbered subparagraph 15 and a new subpar-
4 agraph 14 is added to read as follows:
5 (14) in awarding the possession of a companion animal, the court shall
6 consider the best interest of such animal. "Companion animal," as used
7 in this subparagraph, shall have the same meaning as in subdivision five
8 of section three hundred fifty of the agriculture and markets law;
9 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05686-01-9
