In October, 2025, an Animal Outlook investigator visited three live animal markets in New York City and two on Long Island—facilities located within residential neighborhoods. What we documented was a disturbing pattern of animal cruelty and potential disease risks that appear to violate New York’s sanitation laws.
Behind the storefronts of these markets, our investigator witnessed systematic abuse and neglect of chickens, ducks, and other birds, as well as rabbits, sheep, and goats. The conditions we documented raise serious concerns not only about animal welfare but also about public health and food safety in densely populated areas.
Our investigation uncovered widespread animal suffering that includes:
- Severe overcrowding: Chickens crammed into small wire cages with no room to move or spread their wings
- Untreated injuries: Birds with extensive feather loss, likely from pecking and stress
- Inhumane slaughter: Throat slitting of conscious birds in back rooms without proper stunning
- Rough handling: Workers roughly handling birds, throwing them, and piling them into shopping carts before taking them to the slaughter room
- Painful housing: Birds forced to stand on wire cage floors that injure their feet and prevent natural behaviors
- Deprivation: Birds removed from cages and left without access to food or water
- Exposure and suffering: Chickens huddled together, visibly shivering in damp conditions
- Disease risk: Multiple species—chickens, ducks, rabbits, and various breeds from different farms—housed in close proximity, creating conditions ripe for disease transmission
A whiteboard visible in footage lists the various species being sold—a stark reminder that these are living, feeling animals reduced to inventory items.
Public Health Concerns
This investigation also documented offensive odors emanating from these facilities, where workers routinely use public sidewalks and city drainage systems to wash away chicken blood and viscera.
Evidence gathered by the Humane Society of New York through Freedom of Information Act requests and reviewed by Animal Outlook reveals state regulators cited the City’s live markets for more than 2,000 violations between 2022 and 2025. These citations include the presences of rats, mice, and cockroaches, a lack of sterilization of equipment, dried blood accumulating in the killing area, storing of cages soiled with bird feces and feathers on sidewalks, and cleaning logs not matching the condition of markets, suggesting the possibility of fraud.
Despite these repeat violations and the issuing of fines, which typically run into the hundreds and low thousands of dollars, New York’s live markets continue to operate—a bloody stain on this great city.
A Path Forward: Legislative Action and Mayoral Authority
There is growing momentum in the New York State Legislature to address this crisis. Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal and Senator Luis Sepúlveda have introduced Bill A2421/S5017—landmark legislation that would prohibit the operation of establishments where animals are slaughtered or butchered for food. The bill would also establish a task force to comprehensively examine the public health risks and animal welfare concerns associated with live markets.
But we don't have to wait for legislative action. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has the authority and the responsibility to protect both animals and public health by shutting down these operations immediately. We cannot wait for another year of violations, another investigation, or another legislative session. The time to act is now.
Act Now to Help These Animals
- Contact Mayor Mamdani: Send New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani a message demanding he use his authority to shut down the city's live markets immediately
- Amplify this investigation: Share this investigation on social media to raise awareness
- Support our work: Help continue exposing farmed animal suffering through undercover investigations
Investigation Photos
