Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia/Nancy Wong
The bill was approved by the Legislature in May.
By Forum Staff
The Companion Animal Care Standards Act, which requires that all entities—shelters and rescue facilities—be licensed by the Department of Agriculture and Markets, ensuring that the State’s homeless companion animals will live in safe and humane conditions, with proper cleaning, nourishment, and veterinary care, currently awaits Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature, State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach), the bill’s sponsor, noted on Tuesday.
The bill, which was approved by the Legislature in May, will:
- Require all personnel to have on-going training on the care of homeless companion animals.
- Require recordkeeping of animal records, including health and behavior.
- Ban dangerous and reckless methods of animal transport.
- Recognize the importance of foster care in animal sheltering, while requiring shelters and rescues to monitor and track all foster providers.
- Require all entities to have a clear, written, management structure that defines staff authority, reporting structure and responsibilities.
- Establish staffing requirements that are sufficient to feed each animal, clean enclosures and provide socialization and exercise.
- Require that the number of animals housed will not exceed the number of humane housing units available.
The effective date of the legislation would be three years after it is signed into law, allowing those organizations affected by the legislation ample opportunity to work to meet these new standards. For some it will mean physical upgrades with which the Companion Animal Capital Fund can assist. For others, it means upgrading current and/or creating new policies and procedures that will enhance the day-to-day care of New York’s homeless companion animals.
