BILL NUMBER: S1784
SPONSOR: HINCHEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to requir-
ing property owners and lessors of certain properties that have been
vacated to inspect such property for abandoned animals
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this legislation is to require landlords to inspect
vacated properties to ensure no animals were left abandoned.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Section 373 of the Agriculture and Markets Law is amended by
a new subdivision 2-a.
Section 2: Effective Date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Often times when people are forced from their homes it is due to finan-
cial reasons or a change in lifestyle or re-location. These types of
reasons for vacating a home can occasionally lead individuals to make
hasty and desperate decisions for their pets. These types of decisions
can also have profound and sometime lethal consequences for their aban-
doned pets.
This legislation would require owners of real property to inspect
vacated properties to check to see that no animals were left abandoned
in the home. The bill would require the landowner to notify animal
control, police or SPCA in order for the animal to be removed or cared
for until such time as it can be removed. The legislation also clarifies
that the landlord is not deemed the owner of such animal and failure to
check for abandon pets will result in a fine to he paid into the animal
population control fund. Massachusetts passed a similar law in 2018.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2019-2020: S7119 Agriculture / A8841 agriculture
2021-2022: S4081-A Agriculture; Passed Senate
2023: S6365 (passed Senate) / A2881 (Agriculture Committee)
2024: S6365 (passed Senate) / A2881 (Agriculture Committee)
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
This legislation will have no local fiscal implications; any fines
collected will be deposited into the State's Animal population control
fund.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S1784: 373 agriculture and markets law