New York State passes law allowing emergency responders to remove distressed pets left in cars

WENY-TV:

Under the new law, firefighters and other emergency personnel will be allowed to remove pets from unattended cars under conditions that endanger the animals' health or well-being, such as extreme temperatures.

The law goes into effect immediately.

Schuyler Co. towns agree to work toward agreement with Humane Society

WENY News:

Schuyler County officials say they all have agreed to work toward an agreement to keep their animal control partnership in place with the Humane Society of Schuyler County.

This came after several towns – Montour, Dix, Hector, Catharine, Reading and Tyrone – had all voted to cancel their contract with the Humane Society and create a new agreement with a different animal control entity.

Read the full statement from the Humane Society and the towns here.

New guide clarifies laws on service animals

The New York City Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association have released a guide intended to clarify the legal rights and obligations of individuals and institutions in connection with the use of service animals in the state:

The “Guide to the Use of Service Animals in New York State” recognizes that various federal, state and local laws address service animal use in differing manners.

The Guide is intended to clarify the existing laws for: individuals with disabilities who use service animals; those who train service animals; and those who must accommodate them, such as employers, landlords, merchants and places of public accommodation. It also offers guidance to lawmakers, government officials, attorneys and the courts. The Guide provides a review of rights and remedies under comparative federal, state and local human rights laws. Its extensive endnotes likely will be cited by attorneys and judges.
The City and State Bar Associations have posted the Guide on their respective websites and they encourage the downloading, copying and distribution of the Guide throughout the state. Both associations expect to hold programs on how to apply the information in the Guide to situations of particular interest.

For more information, click here.