2025 Legislative Update

Protecting a Veterinarians's License to Practice Veterinary Medicine

Senator Gianaris (S.3026) continues to sponsor legislation that would prohibit bark softening in dogs unless performed by a veterinarian where the procedure is medically necessary for a dog; this year, the Assembly gained a new sponsorof the bill: Assemblyman Dais (A.8551). NYSVMS strongly believes bark softening is a medical decision which shouldbe left to the sound discretion of fully trained, licensed,and state supervised veterinary professionals operating within appropriate standards of practice. Further, theposition of NYSVMS is to discourage bark softening unlessthe procedure is medically necessary for a dog, is a last alternative to euthanasia, or when the animal will be surrendered by the owner if the procedure is not performed.Therefore, NYSVMS believes the determination to performbark softening should be done on a case-by-case basiswhere specifics of a situation can be reviewed and evaluated,rather than placing an outright ban on the procedure altogether. S.3026/A.8551is updated compared to the originalversion of this legislation and the language includes many ofthe suggested amendments previously provided by NYSVMS.The Senate has passed this legislation each of the last three years, but the Assembly has not. NYSVMS will continueto monitor this issue moving forward and will oppose anyoutright ban on bark softening.

Protecting a Veterinarians's License to Practice Veterinary Medicine

Standalone bills that would impact a veterinarian’s use of xylazine were reintroduced again this session. The first, S.5421 (sponsored by Senator Skoufis), would designate xylazine as a Schedule III depressant. This bill has not moved since its introduction in 2023, and while it has historically had an Assembly sponsor, it was not picked up in that house in 2025. Another bill, carried by Senator Murray (S.4676) and Assemblymember Stern (A.5099), proposes adding xylazine to the list of controlled substances but allows for an exemption when used for veterinary medical purposes; this bill also did not move in 2025. Finally, S.7668-A/A.1248-B, sponsored by Senator Fernandez and Assemblymember Tapia, would prohibit the sale of more than 50 grams of xylazine per transaction in New York State for any use other than institutional, veterinary, or scientific purposes. This bill passed the Assembly for the third year in a row but again failed to pass the Senate. Xylazine continues to be a topic of discussion among lawmakers, and NYSVMS remains a resource to educate them about the distinction between illicit and veterinary use of xylazine, as well as ongoing federal efforts on this issue.