353-f. Companion animal piercing and tattooing prohibited. 1. No person shall pierce or cause to have pierced a companion animal unless such piercing provides a medical benefit to the companion animal. Such piercing shall be performed by a licensed veterinarian or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to ear tags on rabbits and cavies.
2. No person shall tattoo or cause to have tattooed a companion animal unless such tattoo:
(a) is done in conjunction with a medical procedure for the benefit of the companion animal and to indicate that such medical procedure has been done, provided that such tattoo is not for design purposes; or
(b) is done for the purpose of identification of the companion animal and not for design purposes, and such tattoo includes only such numbers and/or letters allotted by a corporation that, in the regular course of its business, maintains an animal tattoo identification registry.
3. For the purposes of this section, "tattoo" shall mean a mark on the body made with indelible ink or pigments injected beneath the outer layer of the skin.
4. Tattooing done in conjunction with a medical procedure for the benefit of a companion animal that indicates that such medical procedure has been done shall be performed by a licensed veterinarian or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
5. Any person who knowingly violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation punishable pursuant to the penal law.
Last modified: February 3, 2019