N.Y. Agriculture & Markets Law § 353-f: Companion animal piercing and tattooing prohibited

§ 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.