Dog News

New York Residents to Face Stiff Penalties for Leaving Dogs in the Cold

by Fred

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2.1.16 - NYS Laws

 

This month in Albany, New York, many bills pertaining to our pets and wildlife are set to be up for consideration soon.  One in particular seems to have a lot of support, and could be passed very quickly.

The measure will make leaving any pets outside for more than three hours in cold or very hot temperatures a misdemeanor.  Along with that there will be a $250 fine and the animal will be removed from the property.

Many of the stiffer penalties are coming after a situation that gained notoriety wherein a woman in Brooklyn, New York refused to let her two dogs into the house, and forced them to live in a shelter that was far from adequate for the conditions they were enduring.  Manhattan Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal thinks that current penalties are not stiff enough at all.

“It’s just common sense that when the temperature is below freezing and there [are] nearly 30 inches of snow on the ground, your dogs should be indoors, safe and warm,” she said.  “It’s clear that we must act to protect those at the mercy of thoughtless individuals.”

Rosenthal is also pushing legislation that would make the cosmetic practice of cat claw removal illegal in New York State, and a third bill seeks to end the killing of laboratory beagles.  This will be making labs that do use dogs put them up for adoption instead of euthanizing them.