Bill > S04613

This bill enhances legal protections for companion animals in orders of protection across multiple areas of New York law, including family court, criminal procedure, and domestic relations. The bill expands existing provisions to allow courts to grant petitioners more comprehensive control and protection of pets in situations involving potential domestic violence or harassment. Specifically, courts can now not only prohibit a respondent from harming a companion animal (defined as in the agriculture and markets law), but can also grant the petitioner exclusive care, custody, or control of the animal. Additionally, the bill enables courts to order respondents to stay away from the animal and forbid them from taking, transferring, concealing, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal. These changes apply to various types of protective orders, such as those in family court proceedings, criminal cases, and domestic relations matters. The expanded provisions aim to provide greater safety for both the animals and the people who care for them, recognizing that pets can be vulnerable in potentially violent household situations. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage, signaling the urgency and importance of these additional protections.

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https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4613