NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A3545
SPONSOR: Gonzalez-Rojas
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
prohibiting the administration of psychoactive drugs to an animal in a
zoo in certain situations
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this legislation is to prohibit the use of psychoactive
drugs to force animals to procreate.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds amends the environmental conservation law by adding
section 11-0541, which prohibits the use of psychoactive drugs on
animals in zoos for the purposes of procreation.
Section 2 is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Psychoactive drugs have been utilized on animals in captivity for a
variety of issues. The use of these drugs on animals can have negative
implications on their behavioral health despite the justification of
zookeepers. In June 2021, it was reported that Johari, a female gorilla
was dosed with Prozac for her to allow a male gorilla to mate with her.
While the need for animals to procreate in order to sustain the ongoing
survival of their species is well founded, this cannot come at the
expense of animals' overall health. This legislation would prohibit the
use of psychoactive drugs on animals in order to force them to procre-
ate.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021: Reported to Environmental Conservation committee
2022: Reported to Environmental Conservation committee
 
STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3545
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 3, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GONZALEZ-ROJAS, EPSTEIN, COLTON, SEAWRIGHT,
MAMDANI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental
Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
prohibiting the administration of psychoactive drugs to an animal in a
zoo in certain situations
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a
2 new section 11-0541 to read as follows:
3 § 11-0541. Psychoactive drug administration to animals in a zoo.
4 1. A zoo shall not administer psychoactive drugs to an animal in its
5 care in order to allow another animal to procreate with such animal.
6 2. For the purposes of this section, a "zoo" means a facility where
7 non-native animals are housed, held, fed or provided for in any manner.
8 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04868-01-3