New York: Ask Your Legislators to Protect Animal Cruelty Victims!

Animal cruelty victims deserve justice in the courtroom. S.3525/A.5315, introduced by Senator Jamaal Bailey and Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal and co-sponsored by Senator Alessandra Biaggi, Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, and Assembly Member Fred Thiele, would create a Courtroom Animal Advocate Program (CAAP) in New York — ensuring more animal victims have a voice in legal proceedings.

S.3525/A.5315 provides for an advocate in criminal cases concerning the welfare or care of an animal. Courtroom Animal Advocate Programs allow advocates — supervised law students or volunteer lawyers — to advocate for animal victims in criminal cruelty cases.

Courtroom Animal Advocate Programs help the legal system reach fair outcomes that benefit animals. With the passage of S.3525/A.5315, New York will rise to the forefront of states working to ensure that animals who suffer criminal neglect and abuse are able to have an advocate speak on their behalf in court.

Please call your state legislators, then send follow-up emails, urging them to support and co-sponsor this important bill.

1. Call your state legislators. If you’re able to make a phone call, please do so as phone calls have a greater impact than emails. You can use this message: “As your constituent, I urge you to support and co-sponsor S.3525/A.5315, the Courtroom Animal Advocate Program.”
2. After calling, please send a follow-up email to your legislators using the form below. Personalizing your message will help it stand out.