Starting next month animal shelters and rescue organizations will have to register with the state under a bill Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law Tuesday.

Under the new law, sponsored by state Sen. Phil Boyle, R-Bay Shore, nonprofit animal shelters and rescue organizations will now have to be licensed and inspected by the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Previously, only pet stores and home-based sellers of cat and dogs had to be licensed and inspected by the state.

The new law requires any non-governmentally run animal shelter or rescue group to proactively register with the Department of Agriculture and Markets, which costs $100 annually. Organizations that don't comply with the law, scheduled to begin in 19 days, would be charged with a civil penalty of between $100 and $1,000.

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