* § 384. Special provisions related to the importation of dogs and cats into the state for sale, resale or adoption. 1. Any dog or cat imported into this state for the purposes of sale, resale or adoption shall be held by the consignee for a period of not less than forty-eight hours. Such dog or cat shall be vaccinated in accordance with § 2141 of the public health law and part sixty-five of the commissioner's rules and regulations.

2. If, during the holding period prescribed in subdivision one of this section, any dog or cat imported into the state for sale, resale or adoption exhibits signs of infectious, contagious, parasitic or communicable disease, including but not limited to coughing, sneezing, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody stool, such dog or cat must be isolated and examined by a duly licensed attending veterinarian immediately. Any dogs or cats that have been deemed exposed to such dog or cat must be quarantined, if necessary, under the direction of such attending veterinarian and held until such attending veterinarian declares them to be free of disease.

3. Any dog or cat passing through the state to points beyond, or brought into the state for temporary residence for purposes of exhibition, or which enters the state for delivery to research institutions, for fifteen days or fewer, shall be exempt from the provisions of this section, provided that such dog or cat is at all times properly restrained and under the immediate control of the owner or custodian, and that such dog or cat that is in the state for more than fifteen days is accompanied with proof of proper immunization against rabies. It shall be an affirmative defense to the offense of failure to have accompanied proof of proper immunization against rabies of such dog or cat, upon the presentation of proof that such dog or cat had in fact been immunized against rabies at the time of the infraction.

4. Violation of any provision of this section shall be a civil offense, for which a penalty of not less than one hundred dollars and not more than one thousand dollars for each violation shall be imposed. Any person licensed pursuant to article twenty-six-A or twenty-six-C of this chapter who violates any provision of this section may be subject to denial, revocation, suspension, or refusal of renewal of his or her license in accordance with the provisions of section four hundred twenty-one of this chapter.

* NB Effective December 15, 2025