NY S05895

Moves animal cruelty offenses from the Agriculture and Markets Law into a new Title Q of the Penal Law (Article 280), creating a comprehensive criminal framework for offenses against animals including animal fighting, cruelty, endangering welfare, and animal abduction

Establishes animal cruelty in the first degree as a class D violent felony for intentionally killing or seriously injuring a companion animal, torturing any animal, or committing aggravated cruelty, with second degree animal cruelty remaining a class A misdemeanor

Creates new animal abduction offenses at three levels: third degree (class B misdemeanor) for restraining a companion animal, second degree (class A misdemeanor) for abducting one, and first degree (class D felony) when done for ransom, causing injury, or resulting in death

Upgrades penalties for harming service animals and police animals, making killing or injuring a police animal a class D felony (previously class A misdemeanor) and harming a service animal in the first degree a class D felony

Authorizes courts to order convicted animal abusers to forfeit their animals and prohibit them from owning, harboring, or having custody of animals (other than farm animals) for a period determined by the court