Senate Bill S7612A

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S7612

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to
requiring certain animal shelters to submit annual reports to the
department of agriculture and markets


 PURPOSE :

To promote better care of shelter animals by requiring greater
transparency on the pal1 of publicly funded animal shelters with
regard to both the intake and disposition of animals.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section one amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new
section 374-a which provides that any animal shelter that receives
state or local funding shall submit an annual report to the Department
of Agriculture and Markets by January first of each year.  Such annual
report shall include the number of animal intakes, including, but not
limited to animals that were surrendered by owners; were brought in by
animal control, specifying from which jurisdiction; and were brought
in as strays by someone other than the animal's owner.

              

The report shall also include the number of animal dispositions,
including, but not limited to animals that were adopted; were released
to owners; or were transferred to other facilities, specifying the
facility. The report shall include the number of animals that have
died, specifying the reason for death, including deaths by euthanasia
and the reasons for such euthanasia deaths.

Each shelter that maintains a website, shall post a notice on its
website stating that the shelter has filed its report with the shelter
for each given year. Additionally, each shelter shall maintain at
least one printed copy of such annual report to be viewed on site by
the public upon request.  Upon written request, the Department of
Agriculture and Markets shall make each annual report available to any
person or organization.

Section two provides the effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

As with most organizations that receive public funding, animal
shelters that receive public funding, whether from the state or
municipalities, are accountable to the public. The number of animals
that are cared for by each shelter and the source of the animals are
of interest to the public. The disposition of such animals is of equal
interest, and an important indicator of the quality of and commitment
to the rescue and care of animals.

By requiring shelters that receive public funding to reveal certain
specified information in the form of an annual report, this
legislation will promote transparency and accountability, which in
turn may lead to improved animal care and more favorable dispositions.
The financial burden to both the shelters and the Department of
Agriculture and Markets is minimal when balanced against the potential
for great gains in the quality of shelter practices.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

This is a new bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
Minimal cost for annual reports that are to be provided by the
Department upon written request by individuals or organizations.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.