2023 New York Laws › AGM - Agriculture and Markets › Article 26-C - Regulation of Animal Shelters › 423 - Recordkeeping and Protocols.

* §  423.  Recordkeeping  and  protocols. 1. Each animal shelter shall
examine an animal upon intake for unique identifiers and any other  form
of  identification  that  may  allow for reunification with an owner, as
prescribed  in  sections  one  hundred  seventeen  and   three   hundred
eighty-two of this chapter.
2.  Each  animal  shelter  shall create and maintain a record for each
animal in their custody or possession which shall minimally include:
(a) 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;
(b)  The name, address and telephone number of the person surrendering
an animal or from whom an  animal  is  seized,  and  additional  contact
information   as  the  commissioner  may  require,  or  the  address  or
cross-streets and city, town, or village where the animal was located or
found prior to intake, if known;
(c) The date of intake into and departure from the animal shelter;
(d) Whether the animal  was  adopted,  transferred,  redeemed  by  its
owner,  died  or  was humanely euthanized, and, if applicable, the name,
address, and phone number of the receiving individual or agency;
(e)  Basic  descriptors  including  species,  age,  gender,   physical
description  including  color, and the spay or neuter status at entry if
determinable with reasonable certainty;
(f)  Any  available  behavioral  or  health  history  or   information
otherwise   obtained  at  intake,  including  bite  history  and  rabies
vaccination status, when known; and
(g)  All   veterinary   and   behavioral   examinations,   treatments,
procedures,  or medications occurring during the animal's time under the
care of the shelter.
3. 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 animal departure.
4. Previous bite history shall be fully disclosed  in  writing  to  an
adopter,  transfer  partner,  or  reclaiming  owner  and provided in any
reports regarding the animal, as applicable.
5. Nothing in this  section  shall  preclude  or  otherwise  supersede
record disclosure requirements prescribed in section sixty-seven hundred
fourteen  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 guideline.
6.  Each  animal  shelter  shall  maintain  a record of its designated
foster  care  providers  that  shall  include  the   written   agreement
established  between  such animal shelter and such providers pursuant to
section four hundred thirty-two of this article, each  provider's  name,
address,  telephone number, email address if available, types of animals
for which the provider is willing to provide care,  inspection  reports,
and  current  number  of animals in the care of a designated foster care
provider. Such records shall be updated immediately  in  the  event  any
contact information for a given foster care provider changes.
7.  Each  animal shelter shall maintain summary records of their total
annual animal intake and dispositions by species, by source  of  intake,
and  by type of disposition. Such records shall be made available to the
commissioner upon request. The  commissioner  shall  make  such  records
available  to  the  public  upon  request pursuant to article six of the
public officers law.
8. Each animal shelter 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
following:
(a) animal handling;
(b) behavioral assessment;
(c) enrichment and stress reduction;
(d) management of bite/scratch cases; and
(e) sanitation.
9.  Each  animal shelter shall also develop and maintain the following
written  protocols,  approved  by  a  duly  licensed  veterinarian   and
sufficiently  detailed  to achieve and maintain the standards prescribed
in this article:
(a) nutrition and feeding;
(b) physical examination;
(c) emergency veterinary care;
(d) pain management;
(e) vaccinations;
(f) parasite control;
(g) anesthesia and surgery, if performed on-site by the organization;
(h) humane euthanasia; and
(i) outbreak management/control of infectious diseases.
10. Protocols established by each  animal  shelter  pursuant  to  this
section   shall  be  reviewed  annually  and  updated  as  necessary  by
designated administrative and managerial staff. Such protocols shall  be
made readily accessible to appropriate staff and volunteers.
* NB Effective December 15, 2025