§ 430 — Behavior

§ 430. Behavior. 1. Each animal shelter shall take measures, by way of\nwritten questionnaire, personal interview or other means deemed\nnecessary by the commissioner, to collect a behavioral history for each\nanimal in its custody or possession at the time of intake.\n 2. Routine care and handling of any animal in the custody or\npossession of each animal shelter, including the timing of feeding and\nsanitation procedures shall be performed on a regular daily schedule.\n 3. At least twenty minutes of positive social interactions, in\naddition to time spent providing feeding, cleaning, basic husbandry or\ncare with people shall be provided by each animal shelter on a daily\nbasis for any animal in such shelter's custody or possession except\nthose so poorly socialized to humans that such contact would be\nunpleasant, stressful or pose a safety risk to other animals or humans.\nDaily handling and positive exposure to people and other animals shall\nbe provided for any dog or cat less than four months of age, while\ntaking appropriate precautions to limit infectious disease. Positive\nsocial interactions shall include but not be limited to petting an\nanimal, walking, reward based training or interactive play with toys.\nTime spent providing basic husbandry and animal care shall not be used\nto offset the social interaction time requirements of this subdivision.\n 4. Each animal shelter shall provide each animal in its custody or\npossession opportunity for exercise and exploration in the following\nmanner:\n (a) all cats housed in a cage, kennel, or room that provides less than\neighteen square feet of floor space per cat for fourteen days or longer\nshall be permitted at least fifteen minutes per day at least five days\nper week outside of their primary enclosure to exercise and explore;\n (b) all dogs residing in the shelter for fourteen days or longer shall\nbe permitted time outside of their primary enclosure to exercise and\nexplore for at least twenty minutes per day five days per week; or\n (c) in the event such activities are not possible due to any animal's\nhealth, behavior, order of the commissioner or legal restriction, the\ncondition and reason shall be documented in such animal's medical\nrecord.\n 5. Each animal shelter shall implement additional measures for\nenrichment and stress reduction for any animal in its custody or\npossession showing persistent hiding, hostile interactions with other\nanimals, reduced activity, depression or social withdrawal, barrier\nfrustration or aggression, self-injurious behavior, repetitive non\ngoal-oriented movement, or stereotypic behaviors. Such measures shall be\ndocumented in such animal's medical record created pursuant to section\nfour hundred twenty-three of this article.\n 6. Use of aversive methods in animal training or behavioral\nmodification is prohibited except in reward-based method situations,\nwhere skilled application of the least aversive method that is expected\nto succeed may be appropriate.\n 7. Animal shelters may perform a systematic behavioral evaluation on\nanimals prior to rehoming or other placement. In the event such\nevaluations are performed, the following requirements shall apply:\n (a) staff performing such evaluations shall receive, in advance,\nadequate training in the performance and interpretation of the\nbehavioral evaluation or evaluations; and\n (b) documentation of the results of every behavior evaluation\nperformed shall be added to the animal's record created pursuant to\nsection four hundred twenty-three of this article.\n 8. Each licensed animal shelter shall fully disclose all available\ninformation regarding the behavior of any animal in its custody or\npossession prior to such animal's transfer to an individual or another\norganization as authorized pursuant to section three hundred\nseventy-four of this chapter. Such information shall include, but not be\nlimited to prior history, observed behaviors in the shelter, and the\nresults of any systematic behavioral evaluations performed.\n 9. Any animal in the custody or possession of a licensed animal\nshelter that is observed to be experiencing mental suffering or\nbehavioral deterioration shall be assessed and appropriately treated.\n