Take action on the important New York State and Federal animal legislation below:
Below is a summary of many of the animal protection bills pending before the New York City Council, the New York State Legislature, and Congress. We will update this list periodically as bills are introduced and amended.
2023 starts a new legislative session. We will update this section as bills are introduced.
Below is a summary of many of the animal protection bills pending before the New York State Legislature. Bills are continuously introduced and amended. To access current texts of the bills below, other bills affecting animals, and action taken on the bills: www.nyassembly.gov and www.nysenate.gov.
Select any of the catagories below to learn about current legislation:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Modernization Act 2.0. Eliminates federal mandate for animal testing of new drugs to establish the safety and effectiveness of drugs. This law will save the lives of many thousands of animals and reduce so much unnecessary pain and suffering. In addition to protecting animals, this legislation will allow scientists the flexibility to use more reliable methods than animal testing to more quickly and effectively bring new drugs to market.
Big Cat Public Safety Act. Prohibits (with limited exceptions) the breeding and possession of designated wildlife species (lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, or hybrids thereof), and the importing, exporting, transporting, selling, receiving, acquiring, and purchasing of such species in interstate or foreign commence. Continues to allow licensed exhibitors to have these species but on the condition that exhibitors do not allow any individual (with limited exceptions) to come into direct physical contact with the animals. This should put an end to the use of young lions and tigers (and other big cats) for photo and petting opportunities, a practice that has caused the breeding of lions and tigers who have ended up in roadside zoos where they are denied any quality of life.
Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act. Provides that no person shall possess, acquire, receive, transport, offer for sale, sell, or purchase a shark fin or a product containing a shark fin (with limited exceptions). Shark finning involves cutting off a shark’s fins, often while the shark is still alive, and discarding the shark’s body into the ocean where the shark is left to suffer and die.
Horse Protection Act. Increases funding for enforcement to provide for more inspections. The purpose of this extra funding is to curtail cruel training methods used by some trainers to enhance the gait of horses participating in horse shows.