Establishes Buoy's law; requires veterinarians to notify owners of potential risks and side effects of medication verbally or through electronic means prior to prescribing or otherwise providing medication to an animal; allows the client, or his or her agent, to decide whether or not to have a consultation.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A6502A
SPONSOR: Englebright (MS)
 
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in
relation to establishing Buoy's law relating to requiring veterinarians
to notify owners of potential risks and side effects of medication prior
to prescribing or otherwise providing medication to an animal
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This legislation would require veterinarians to notify owners in writing
of any and all side effects of prescribed medications.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. provides a short title "Buoy's Law"
Section 2. amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new
section 381 which provides that veterinarians will offer to provide a
consultation either in person or through electronic means detailing of
the side effects, warnings, and directions for proper use and storage of
prescribed medication to animals
Section 3. is the enacting clause
 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation will allow pet owners to make informed decisions before
giving prescribed medication to their much loved animals. Buoy was a
young dog who died as a result of being given a prescribed medication.
His owner was uninformed of the potential side effects of this
prescribed medication which had caused his untimely death. Pet owners
deserve to have all available information regarding potential side
effects of prescribed medications for their pets. This legislation may
prevent similar tragedies from happening again.
Veterinarians are already provided this information about the possible
side effects of medications from pharmaceutical manufacturers. This
legislation would require veterinarians to pass along this information
to the pet owners. Just as parents are able to make informed decisions
about medications for their children, pet owners should be able to make
informed decisions about medications for their pets.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2015-16 A9622 referred to higher education
2017-18 A4664 referred to higher education
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6502--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 8, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, SOLAGES, McDONALD -- Multi-Sponsored
by -- M. of A. BLAKE, COOK, GOTTFRIED, JEAN-PIERRE, PICHARDO, SIMON,
THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
-- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab-
lishing Buoy's law relating to requiring veterinarians to notify
owners of potential risks and side effects of medication prior to
prescribing or otherwise providing medication to an animal
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 "Buoy's law".
3 § 2. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
4 section 381 to read as follows:
5 § 381. Notification by veterinarian of risks and side effects of medi-
6 cation. 1. Each time a veterinarian initially prescribes, dispenses, or
7 provides a medication to an animal patient in an outpatient setting, the
8 veterinarian shall offer to provide, in person or through electronic
9 means, to the client responsible for the animal, or his or her agent, a
10 consultation that includes the following information:
11 (a) The name and description of the medication;
12 (b) Route of administration, dosage form, dosage, duration of drug
13 therapy, the duration of the effects of the drug, and the common severe
14 adverse effects associated with the use of the drug;
15 (c) Any special directions for proper use and storage;
16 (d) Actions to be taken in the event of a missed dose; and
17 (e) If requested and where available, a veterinarian shall provide
18 documentation of precautions and relevant warnings provided by the
19 drug's manufacturer.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08453-07-9
A. 6502--A 2
1 2. The client, or an agent designated by the client, shall decide
2 whether the consultation be provided in person or through electronic
3 means.
4 3. It shall be noted in the medical record of the animal patient if
5 the consultation described in this section is provided or declined by
6 the client or his or her agent.
7 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
8 it shall have become a law.