[Adopted 7-23-1998 by L.L. No. 5-1998]
It is the intention of this article to prevent
cruelty to animals of any type and to regulate and control the treatment
of animals used or exhibited in any fairs, circuses, carnivals, exhibitions
or the like.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Includes living creatures, except a human being.
Includes every act, omission or neglect, whereby unjustifiable
physical pain or death is caused or permitted.
A.
No person shall torture, mistreat, cruelly or unnecessarily
beat, maim, mutilate or kill (not including euthanasia) any animal,
whether belonging to himself or another, nor shall any person instigate,
engage in or in any way further any act of cruelty to any animal.
The above, as refers to killing of animals, shall not apply to slaughterhouses
or poultry processing plants or authorized scientific tests and experiments
conducted in laboratories or institutions.
B.
It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to provide
any animal under his control with:
C.
It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator of
any fair, circus, carnival or exhibition to allow physical contact
between members of the general public and large cats, including lions
and tigers, or bears.
D.
The owner or operator of any fair, circus, carnival
or exhibition who knowingly allows cruelty to animals used or exhibited
in any such event shall also be responsible for such acts.
Any person, corporation, partnership or association
violating any provision of this article shall be deemed to have committed
an offense, and said violation shall be punishable by a fine of up
to $500 for each day said violation takes place and/or by imprisonment
for up to 30 days.
The provisions of this article are not to be
construed or intended to abrogate any of the prohibitions set forth
in the Agriculture and Markets Law with respect to the treatment of
animals.
