Senate Bill S2773A

                                BILL NUMBER:S2773

TITLE OF BILL:

An  act  to  amend  the  agriculture  and  markets law, in relation to
requiring certain animal shelters to prepare  annual  reports  on  the
number of animal intakes and dispositions

PURPOSE:

To  promote  better  care  of  animals placed in shelters by requiring
greater transparency on the part of state 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  funding shall prepare an annual report 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 its report is available to be viewed by the  public,  and
shall maintain each annual report for three years. Each animal shelter
shall  maintain at least one printed copy of their annual report to be
viewed by the Public on site upon request.

Section two provides the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:

As  with  most  organizations  that  receive  public  funding,  animal
shelters that receive state funding 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  state  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 the shelters is minimal when balanced against
the potential for great gains in the quality of shelter practices.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal cast  to  state  funded  animal  shelters  to  produce  annual
reports.


EFFECTIVE DATE:

This  act shall take effect immediately; provided, however that animal
shelters subject to this act shall have completed their  first  annual
report no later than January 1, 2019.