Preconsidered Res. No. 1798
Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign A.740/S.3753, which allows municipalities to regulate pet dealers as long as the law, rule, regulation, or ordinance is not less stringent than state law.
By Council Members Crowley, Lappin, Arroyo, Rose, Vann, Chin, Comrie, Dromm, Eugene, Jackson, James, Koppell, Lander, Mark-Viverito and Palma
Whereas, On January 9, 2013, A.740/S.3753, an act to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law and the General Business Law, in relation to the preemption of local laws, and to repeal section 400-a of the Agriculture and Markets Law and section 753-e of the General Business Law relating thereto, was introduced; and
Whereas, The Agriculture and Markets Law and General Business Law currently prohibit municipalities from regulating the sale of animals in pet stores; and
Whereas, Pet stores in New York are permitted to sell dogs and cats that have not been spayed or neutered; and
Whereas, The supply of adoptable pets in New York City exceeds the demand, resulting in thousands of animals being abandoned and euthanized; and
Whereas, In 2011, NBC New York has found that most of the puppies sold in New York pet stores are purchased from puppy mills; and
Whereas, The Humane Society estimates that there are at least 10,000 puppy mills in the United States that are producing up to 4 million puppies a year and that most of the puppy mills are unlicensed and unmonitored; and
Whereas, Puppy mills keep animals in cramped areas while breeding large numbers of dogs at the same time; and
Whereas, New York State allows puppy mills to operate as long as the animals are given food and water; and
Whereas, The Times Union recently conducted a special segment on the increase of puppy mills in upstate New York where a reporter found that the basic requirements of food and water are not being met by many puppy mills; and
Whereas, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus of the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan says the lack of government oversight helps to foster the environment necessary for unscrupulous puppy mill transactions; and
Whereas, According to Dr. Hohenhaus, puppies need to socialize with humans within the first 14 weeks of their lives or they will be at a high risk of developing behavioral problems and become unwanted pets; and
Whereas, Dogs rescued or purchased from puppy mills often have chronic ailments, skin and eye infections and rotten teeth; and
Whereas, Some of the dogs rescued or purchased from puppy mills are inevitably euthanized because they are very ill and unadoptable; and
Whereas, Allowing municipalities in New York State to set rules and regulations appropriate for their jurisdictions will create transparency around the operations of puppy mills and pet stores and help prevent dogs from unnecessarily being euthanized; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign A.740/S.3753, which allows municipalities to regulate pet dealers as long as the law, rule, regulation, or ordinance is not less stringent than state law.
LS# 4765
5/31/13
3:50 pm
FCC/JHC