Transporting New York Livestock for More Than 28 Hours Without Rest

It is a crime in New York to transport animals for more than 28 consecutive hours without 5 hours of rest along with available food and water. See N.Y. Agric. & Mkts Law § 359.  If the owner or person in charge of the shipment provides written consent, then the livestock can be transported no more than 36 consecutive hours.  See id. An exception to this rule is where the driver is prevented from stopping due to storm or inevitable accident.

If you are a livestock owner in New York and plan on transporting animals across the country or to Mexico, plan for at least a 5 hour rest-stop.  Non-movement of the livestock trailer is not sufficient to constitute “rest” under New York law as livestock must also have food and water available during this period of time.