Drivers Who Hit Pets Must Pay Up, BK Lawmaker's New Bill Proposes

BROOKLYN, NY — Brooklyn State Sen. Andrew Gounardes has proposed a new bill that would make negligent drivers who hurt or kill pets pay higher fines, he said on Tuesday.

The new bill, aptly titled the “Protecting Animals Walking on the Street” (PAWS) Act, would increase fines for reckless drivers, who are currently fined $50 — the equivalent of a parking ticket — when they injure or kill a pet or service dog, Gournardes said.

“Over one million pets call New York home, and they play an important role in our lives, whether they be service animals, guide dogs, or just members of the family,” Gounardes said. “But right now, our traffic law treats them like disposable property. The PAWS Act recognizes the dignity and value of these nonhuman New Yorkers, and ensures our laws send a clear message to reckless drivers: paws your vehicle to let pets pass.”

If the PAWS Act gets signed into law, the new fines for drivers who injure or kill four-legged family members would climb up to $500 and give negligent drivers up to 15 days in prison, according to Gournardes, who sponsored the bill with Assemblymember Tony Simone.

The bill would also increase the fines when the driver leaves the scene without reporting the incident from $50-$100 to $200-$500 for a first-time offense and up to $750 for subsequent offenses. For service animals, the first-offense fee would be $250-$550, and subsequent offenses would cap out at $700.

“I walk my pup Radar on our streets every day. He is a member of my family and means the world to me. After learning about the horrific act of traffic violence committed against Ginia Bellafonte and her dog Chicky, the lack of accountability for that reckless driver showed me that something had to be done,” Simone said.

Right now, the bill is waiting to be voted on by the State Senate.