Bill > S05409

This bill enhances penalties for animal cruelty offenses by modifying the existing Agriculture and Markets Law, specifically Section 353-a. The bill establishes a graduated penalty system for animal cruelty, with increasingly severe consequences for repeat offenders. Under the new provisions, a first-time offender who intentionally kills or causes serious physical injury to a companion animal with aggravated cruelty (defined as conduct intended to cause extreme physical pain or carried out in a depraved or sadistic manner) would be guilty of a class E felony. If the same individual has a prior conviction for an animal cruelty offense within the past ten years, they would be charged with a class D felony. Furthermore, if the person has previously been convicted of an aggravated cruelty offense, they would face a class C felony. The bill maintains existing exceptions for lawful activities such as hunting, trapping, fishing, dispatching rabid or diseased animals, and scientific research. The changes aim to provide stronger legal deterrents and consequences for repeated acts of animal cruelty, reflecting a more stringent approach to protecting companion animals from intentional harm.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5409