Relates to divorce and the consideration by the court of companion animals

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Relates to divorce and the consideration by the court of companion animals

Relates to divorce and the consideration by the court of companion animals Directs the court to consider whether the companion animal was acquired prior to or during the marriage; the basic daily needs of the companion animal; the party who generally facilitates veterinary care for the companion animal; the party who generally provides the companion animal with social interaction; the party who generally ensures compliance with state and local regulations regarding the companion animal; and the party who provides the greater ability to financially support the companion animal.

What This Bill Does

• Relates to divorce and the consideration by the court of companion animals Directs the court to consider whether the companion animal was acquired prior to or during the marriage; the basic daily needs of the companion animal; the party who generally facilitates veterinary care for the companion animal; the party who generally provides the companion animal with social interaction; the party who generally ensures compliance with state and local regulations regarding the companion animal; and the party who provides the greater ability to financially support the companion animal.

Limits and Unknowns

• This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Official Summary Text

Relates to divorce and the consideration by the court of companion animals
Directs the court to consider whether the companion animal was acquired prior to or during the marriage; the basic daily needs of the companion animal; the party who generally facilitates veterinary care for the companion animal; the party who generally provides the companion animal with social interaction; the party who generally ensures compliance with state and local regulations regarding the companion animal; and the party who provides the greater ability to financially support the companion animal.

Current Bill Text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8927

                                    I N  S E N A T E

                                    January 16, 2026
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary

        AN ACT to amend the domestic relations law,  in  relation  to  companion
          animals

          THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
        BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

     1    Section 1. Subparagraph 15 of paragraph d of subdivision 5 of  part  B
     2  of  section 236 of the domestic relations law, as amended by chapter 509
     3  of the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
     4    (15) (I) in awarding the possession of a companion animal,  the  court
     5  shall  consider  the  best  interest  of such animal, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
     6  LIMITED TO:
     7    (A) WHETHER THE COMPANION ANIMAL WAS ACQUIRED PRIOR TO OR  DURING  THE
     8  MARRIAGE;
     9    (B) THE BASIC DAILY NEEDS OF THE COMPANION ANIMAL;
    10    (C)  THE  PARTY  WHO  GENERALLY  FACILITATES  VETERINARY  CARE FOR THE
    11  COMPANION ANIMAL;
    12    (D) THE PARTY WHO GENERALLY PROVIDES THE COMPANION ANIMAL WITH  SOCIAL
    13  INTERACTION;
    14    (E)  THE  PARTY  WHO GENERALLY ENSURES COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL
    15  REGULATIONS REGARDING THE COMPANION ANIMAL; AND
    16    (F) THE PARTY WHO PROVIDES THE GREATER ABILITY TO FINANCIALLY  SUPPORT
    17  THE COMPANION ANIMAL.
    18    (II)  "Companion animal", as used in this subparagraph, shall have the
    19  same meaning as in subdivision five of section three  hundred  fifty  of
    20  the agriculture and markets law; and
    21    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.



         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD14173-01-5