Per NYS Agriculture and Markets Article 26-C Regulation of Animals Shelters,
Effective December 15, 2025

Volunteer Training Requirements:
*Pursuant to article § 422 annual training must be provided to all volunteers having direct animal care responsibilities.

Accceptable training topics shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(a) humane handling techniques;
(b) infectious diseases commonly found in animal shelters;
(c) zoonotic diseases;
(d) animal cruelty;
(e) sanitation procedures;
(f) body language and normal behaviors for all species regularly handled;
(g) required documentation and data entry.

Complete documentation of training sessions shall be maintained for a period of not less than three years from the date of training completion. Such documentation shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(a) the date of training delivery and the date of completion;
(b) the topic or topics of the training session;
(c) the provider of the training and a list of training course attendees.