Relates to requiring the commissioner to establish licensing and educational standards for individuals providing canine training for non-service and non-police dogs.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2826
SPONSOR: Zebrowski TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to requir-
ing the commissioner of agriculture and markets to establish licensing
and educational standards for individuals providing canine training for
non-service and non-police dogs
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
This bill would license entities who provide training to domestic
companion dogs in New York State.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill amends the agriculture and markets law by adding
a new section 113-a as it relates to empowering the department of agri-
culture and markets to establish a license for individuals provide basic
obedience courses.
Section two of the bill relates to the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
New York currently has no provisions in law to require the licensing and
regulation of businesses that provide dog obedience training. This
leaves pet owners, as consumers of these services, with little or no
information about the legitimacy of any person or entity that chooses to
call themselves a dog training expert.
In December of 2016, an Oceanside, New York dog training facility was
the focus of an investigation after several claims of animal abuse. An
employee of the facility was videotaped repeatedly poking a stick at a
caged dog. Other reports of dogs, including young puppies, being wound-
ed, beaten and mistreated at the same "school" are also being investi-
gated. The owner of the school, in a written communication to a local
newspaper, defended his actions by asking "Why is it abuse to hit a
dog?"
In the absence of any professional standards, unscrupulous individuals
can mislead unsuspecting dog owners, resulting in a lack of any real
training, or worse, permanent damage and/or abuse of the animal. This
bill will ensure that streamlined, consistent licensing practices are
put into place, while denying licensing to anyone previously convicted
of abusing an animal.
In addition to police officers, constables and peace officers, the bill
also allows for enforcement by professionals who specialize in detecting
animal abuse, including animal control officers, and officers and agents
of an incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to
animals(SPCA).
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.6107 of 2021-22,
A.1880 of 2019-20,
A.6735 of 2017-18.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2826
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to requir-
ing the commissioner of agriculture and markets to establish licensing
and educational standards for individuals providing canine training
for non-service and non-police dogs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
2 section 113-a to read as follows:
3 § 113-a. Obedience training. 1. The commissioner shall by rule or
4 regulation establish licensing and educational standards for individuals
5 providing basic obedience courses to non-service and non-police dogs and
6 their owners.
7 2. This section shall not apply to any dog that falls under subdivi-
8 sion nine, eighteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-five, twen-
9 ty-six or twenty-seven of section one hundred eight of this article.
10 3. No person who is convicted of a violation of section three hundred
11 fifty-one, three hundred fifty-three, three hundred fifty-three-a or
12 three hundred fifty-five of article twenty-six of this chapter may be
13 licensed to provide obedience training services under this section.
14 4. Licensees under this section are to maintain practices and facili-
15 ties in accordance with animal control provisions under articles seven,
16 twenty-five-b and twenty-six of this chapter and are subject to the
17 enforcement of such provisions, by any constable, police officer, peace
18 officer, dog control officer, animal control officer, or any officer or
19 agent of any duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to
20 animals as authorized under this chapter.
21 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06904-01-3
