S 2603: Includes use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument in the offense of aggravated cruelty to animals.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2603 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE January 21, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to includ- ing use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument as an aggravated cruelty offense The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 353-a of the agriculture and 2 markets law, as added by chapter 118 of the laws of 1999, is amended to 3 read as follows: 4 1. A person is guilty of aggravated cruelty to animals when, with no 5 justifiable purpose, [he or she] such person: 6 (a) intentionally kills or intentionally causes serious physical inju- 7 ry to a companion animal with aggravated cruelty; or 8 (b) with intent to kill or cause serious physical injury to a compan- 9 ion animal with aggravated cruelty, causes physical injury to a compan- 10 ion animal by means of a deadly weapon as defined in subdivision twelve 11 of section 10.00 of the penal law, or by means of a dangerous instrument 12 as defined in subdivision thirteen of section 10.00 of the penal law. 13 For purposes of this section, "aggravated cruelty" shall mean conduct 14 which: (i) is intended to cause extreme physical pain; or (ii) is done 15 or carried out in an especially depraved or sadistic manner. 16 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD06213-01-5