BILL NUMBER: S8510
SPONSOR: TEDISCO
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to regulat-
ing the operation of animal boarding kennels
 
PURPOSE:
To enact "The NYS Safe Pet Boarding Act."
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
§ 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "the NYS Safe Pet
Boarding Act."
§ 2. Legislative intent.
§ 3. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new article
26-D to read as follows:
ARTICLE 26-D REGULATION OF BOARDING FACILITIES
Section 440. Definitions.
§ 441. License required and inspection of facilities. Any person operat-
ing a boarding kennel shall be licensed by the department pursuant to
the provisions of this section. This section also describes in detail
the licensing process, and the commissioner's right to periodically
conduct unannounced inspections of such facilities at his or her
discretion.
§ 442. Personnel training requirements. Each boarding kennel licensed
pursuant to this article shall provide training to all staff members and
volunteers having direct animal care responsibilities. Such training
shall be provided within the first sixty days of employment and at least
annually thereafter. This section also covers training topics and
documentation.
§ 443. Recordkeeping and protocols. Each boarding kennel shall create
and maintain a record for each animal in their custody or possession
which shall minimally include:
(a)the name, address and telephone number of the owner of the animal
and, if the animal is delivered to the boarding kennel by someone other
than the owner, of the person leaving the animal for boarding, and addi-
tional contact information as the commissioner may require;
(b)the date of intake into and departure from the boarding kennel;
(c)basic descriptors including species, age, gender, physical
description including color, and the spay or neuter status at entry if
determinable with reasonable certainty;
(d) unique identifiers and any other identification associated with the
animal upon examination at entry, including but not limited to a tattoo,
a permanent official identification number as prescribed in section one
hundred twelve of this chapter or other identification tags, rabies tags
and numbers, or a microchip number, if present;
(e) any available behavioral or health history or information otherwise
obtained at intake, including bite history, and vaccination status as
follows:
(i)for dogs, rabies, distemper, and bordetella bronchiseptica; and
(ii) for cats, rabies, feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus,
and feline panleukopenia; and
(f)the provision of food and water and, if applicable, medications
administered during the animal's time under the care of the boarding
kennel.
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or regulation to the
contrary, records for each animal shall be maintained for not less than
three years from the date of the animal's departure from the boarding
kennel.
3. Nothing in this section shall preclude or otherwise supersede record
disclosure requirements prescribed in section sixty-seven hundred four-
teen of the education law or any requirement regarding the creation,
maintenance, or retention of veterinary medical records in state or
federal law or veterinary practice guidelines.
4. Each boarding kennel shall develop and maintain written protocols
sufficiently detailed to achieve and maintain the standards prescribed
in this section. These shall include, but not be limited to, the follow-
ing:
(a) Animal handling;
(b) Behavioral assessment;
(c) Enrichment and stress reduction;
(d) Management of bite/scratch cases; and
(e) sanitation.
5. Protocols established by each boarding kennel pursuant to this
section shall be reviewed annually and updated as necessary by desig-
nated administrative and managerial staff. Such protocols shall be made
readily accessible to appropriate staff and volunteers. 444. General
facility standards. 445. Animal housing. 446. Sanitation. 447. Board-
ing kennel management protocols. 448. Animal husbandry. 449.
Violations. 449-a. Waiving of requirements authorized 449-b. Applica-
tion. The provisions of this article shall not apply to boarding kennels
or facilities located on premises owned and operated as a duly licensed
veterinary practice.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This act seeks to address failures in state law to properly regulate pet
boarding kennels which came to light in the summer of 2025, with the
deaths of 21 dogs at a boarder in Argyle and with the murder of the
French Bulldog Gus at "A Time for Paws" in Halfmoon. This act would set
some minimum standards at the state level for oversight of boarding
kennels.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect eighteen months after it shall have become a
law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any
rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its
effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
effective date.

Statutes affected:
S8510: 16 agriculture and markets law