New York, NY – Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan) announced that her bill, A. 739, to ban tattooing and piercing of companion animals unless performed by a licensed veterinarian for identification or medical purposes only, passed the Assembly yesterday by a unanimous vote of 132-0.

“Once this bill becomes law, companion animals will no longer be subject to the selfish whims of their owners, who place vanity above the health and safety of their companion animals,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal. “I am pleased that my colleagues recognize the importance of this legislation, and voted unanimously to pass it.”

The bill, which is carried by Tom Libous in the Senate, is on third reading, and is expected to be successfully voted on before the end of session on June 19, 2014.

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal introduced the bill in July 2011, after hearing about a woman who was selling “gothic kittens” on the internet with piercings on their necks and down the length of their spines. The bill again gained momentum this year after a controversy erupted around a Brooklyn tattoo artist who tattooed his pit bull during a medical procedure.

“Tattooing and piercing of companion animals serves no purpose other than to satisfy the aesthetic predilections of the owner, and inflicts unnecessary pain on the animal, pain that they cannot understand or contextualize,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal. “I look forward to the Governor signing this bill into law.”

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal represents the 67th Assembly district, which includes the Upper West Side and parts of the Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen neighborhoods in Manhattan.