S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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10119
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 2, 2026
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Introduced by M. of A. CLARK -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to increas-
ing certain penalties for violating the prohibition of animal fight-
ing, overdriving, torturing and injuring animals and for aggravated
cruelty to animals, and establishing an animal abuser registry
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 2 of section 351 of
the agriculture and markets law, as amended by chapter 190 of the laws
of 2004, is amended to read as follows:
Any person who engages in any of the following conduct is guilty of a
felony punishable by imprisonment for a period not to exceed [four]
SEVEN years, or by a fine not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars, or
by both such fine and imprisonment:
§ 2. The opening paragraph of section 353 of the agriculture and
markets law, as amended by chapter 523 of the laws of 2005, is amended
to read as follows:
A person who overdrives, overloads, tortures or cruelly beats or
unjustifiably injures, maims, mutilates or kills any animal, whether
wild or tame, and whether belonging to [himself] SUCH PERSON or to
another, or deprives any animal of necessary sustenance, food or drink,
or neglects or refuses to furnish it such sustenance or drink, or caus-
es, procures or permits any animal to be overdriven, overloaded,
tortured, cruelly beaten, or unjustifiably injured, maimed, mutilated or
killed, or to be deprived of necessary food or drink, or who wilfully
sets on foot, instigates, engages in, or in any way furthers any act of
cruelty to any animal, or any act tending to produce such cruelty, is
guilty of a [class A] misdemeanor PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT FOR A PERI-
OD NOT TO EXCEED THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-FOUR DAYS AND BY A FINE OF EIGHT
HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS, and for purposes of paragraph (b) of subdivision
one of section 160.10 of the criminal procedure law, shall be treated as
a misdemeanor defined in the penal law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11622-01-5
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§ 3. Subdivision 3 of section 353-a of the agriculture and markets
law, as added by chapter 118 of the laws of 1999, is amended to read as
follows:
3. Aggravated cruelty to animals is a felony[. A defendant convicted
of this offense shall be sentenced pursuant to paragraph (b) of subdivi-
sion one of section 55.10 of the penal law provided, however, that any
term of imprisonment imposed for violation of this section shall be a
definite sentence, which may not exceed two years] PUNISHABLE BY IMPRI-
SONMENT FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED SEVEN YEARS AND BY A FINE OF TWENTY
THOUSAND DOLLARS.
§ 4. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
section 353-g to read as follows:
§ 353-G. ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTRY. 1. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE
TERM "ANIMAL ABUSER" MEANS A PERSON OVER SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE WHO HAS
BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY OR MISDEMEANOR VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION OF
THIS ARTICLE OR OF THE COMPARABLE STATUTES OF ANOTHER STATE.
2. ANY ANIMAL ABUSER PHYSICALLY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THIS STATE
FOR MORE THAN TEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS SHALL REGISTER WITH THE COUNTY SHER-
IFF FOR THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE ANIMAL ABUSER IS LOCATED BEFORE THE END
OF THE ELEVENTH DAY IN THE STATE.
3. ANY PREVIOUSLY REGISTERED ANIMAL ABUSER SHALL REREGISTER WITH THE
COUNTY SHERIFF FOR THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE ANIMAL ABUSER IS LOCATED NO
LATER THAN TEN DAYS AFTER MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION WITHIN THE STATE.
4. WHEN AN ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTERS WITH THE COUNTY SHERIFF, THE ANIMAL
ABUSER SHALL PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
(A) THE LEGAL NAME AND ANY OTHER NAMES OR ALIASES THAT THE ANIMAL
ABUSER IS USING OR HAS USED;
(B) THE DATE OF BIRTH OF THE ANIMAL ABUSER;
(C) THE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OF THE ANIMAL ABUSER;
(D) THE CURRENT ADDRESS OR LOCATION OF THE ANIMAL ABUSER;
(E) THE PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT OF THE ANIMAL ABUSER;
(F) THE ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFENSE FOR WHICH THE ANIMAL ABUSER WAS
CONVICTED; AND
(G) THE DATE AND PLACE OF THE ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFENSE CONVICTION OF
THE ANIMAL ABUSER.
5. WHEN AN ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTERS WITH A COUNTY SHERIFF, THE SHERIFF
SHALL OBTAIN:
(A) A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE ANIMAL ABUSER AND A COMPLETE SET OF THE ANIMAL
ABUSER'S FINGERPRINTS; AND
(B) A DESCRIPTION OF ANY TATTOOS, SCARS OR OTHER DISTINGUISHING
FEATURES ON THE ANIMAL ABUSER'S BODY THAT WOULD ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING
THE ANIMAL ABUSER.
6. FOLLOWING AN ANIMAL ABUSER'S INITIAL REGISTRATION PURSUANT TO THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION, AN ANIMAL ABUSER SHALL ANNUALLY RENEW THE
ANIMAL ABUSER'S REGISTRATION WITH THE COUNTY SHERIFF PRIOR TO DECEMBER
THIRTY-FIRST OF EACH SUBSEQUENT CALENDAR YEAR FOR A PERIOD OF SEVEN
YEARS FROM THE ANIMAL ABUSER'S DATE OF CONVICTION OR RELEASE FROM INCAR-
CERATION FOR THE UNDERLYING VIOLATION OF THIS ARTICLE, WHICHEVER IS
LATER. AN ANIMAL ABUSER WHO IS CONVICTED OF A SUBSEQUENT FELONY OR
MISDEMEANOR VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS ARTICLE OR OF THE COMPA-
RABLE STATUTES OF ANOTHER STATE SHALL BE REQUIRED TO ANNUALLY RENEW SUCH
ANIMAL ABUSER'S REGISTRATION WITH THE COUNTY SHERIFF PRIOR TO DECEMBER
THIRTY-FIRST OF EACH SUBSEQUENT CALENDAR YEAR FOR THE REST OF THEIR
LIFE.
7. AN ANIMAL ABUSER WHO INTENTIONALLY OR KNOWINGLY FAILS TO COMPLY
WITH THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS, OR PROVIDES FALSE INFORMATION WHEN
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COMPLYING WITH THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION,
IS GUILTY OF A CLASS E FELONY.
8. EACH COUNTY SHERIFF SHALL MAINTAIN A LOCAL REGISTRY OF ANIMAL ABUS-
ERS IN THE SHERIFF'S JURISDICTION REQUIRED TO REGISTER PURSUANT TO THIS
SECTION.
9. THE COUNTY SHERIFF SHALL FORWARD ALL REGISTRATION INFORMATION
OBTAINED FROM ANIMAL ABUSERS TO THE NEW YORK STATE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SERVICES.
10. WITHIN TEN DAYS OF RECEIVING INITIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION FROM
AN ANIMAL ABUSER, THE COUNTY SHERIFF SHALL CONTACT EVERY RESIDENCE,
SCHOOL, HUMANE SOCIETY, ANIMAL SHELTER AND ANY OTHER BUSINESS WITHIN A
HALF MILE RADIUS OF THE ANIMAL ABUSER'S RESIDENCE OR LOCATION AND
PROVIDE THEM WITH THE ANIMAL ABUSER'S REGISTRATION INFORMATION, WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE ANIMAL ABUSER'S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.
11. THE NEW YORK STATE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES SHALL
MAINTAIN A CENTRAL REGISTRY OF ANIMAL ABUSERS REQUIRED TO REGISTER
PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. THE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF
ANIMAL ABUSERS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH INTERNET
ACCESS, TELEPHONE ACCESS, WRITTEN ACCESS AND IN-PERSON ACCESS. ALL OF
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN AN ANIMAL ABUSER'S REGISTRATION, WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE ANIMAL ABUSER'S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, SHALL BE MADE
AVAILABLE. RECORDS OF EACH ANIMAL ABUSER'S REGISTRATION SHALL BE MAIN-
TAINED FOR THE DURATION OF THE PERIOD IN WHICH THE ANIMAL ABUSER IS
REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED.
§ 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
completed on or before such effective date.