§ 106-31. Legislative intent.

A. 

This Board finds and determines that § 121 of the New York Agriculture and Markets Law imposes penalties for attacks by dogs on domestic animals such as domesticated sheep, horses, cattle, fallow deer, red deer, sika deer, whitetail deer raised under license from the Department of Environmental Conservation, llamas, goats, swine, fowl, ducks, geese, swan turkeys, confined domestic hare or rabbits, pheasants or other birds raised in confinement under license from the State Department of Environmental Conservation, when such animals are lawfully in a place.

B. 

This Board also finds and determines that such state legislation does not address dog attacks on other animals such as dogs and cats.

C. 

This Board further finds that the recent spate of animal attack incidents requires action that goes beyond present law.

D. 

Therefore, the purpose of this article is to impose penalties for dog attacks on either dogs or cats and to allow local animal control officers greater latitude to protect the public from vicious dogs.