NEW YORK CITY ACTION ALERT
New York City Council Resolution 497 calls upon the NYC Department of Education to help increase compliance with section 809 of the NYS Education Law which requires instruction in the humane treatment and protection of animals, the importance they play in nature, and the necessity of controlling the proliferation of animals which are subsequently abandoned and caused to suffer extreme cruelty. The resolution asks that the NYC Department of Education issue a memorandum to all NYC public schools notifying them of the humane education mandate in section 809. It also requires all elementary school principals to direct their teachers to comply with the humane education requirements in the law.
Please contact City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and your own councilmember and ask that they sponsor Resolution 497 to promote humane education in our schools. You may wish to mention that raising awareness about the humane treatment of animals will foster kindness and respect for all living beings and will result in a generation of more compassionate and empathetic people.
Contact Information : Speaker Quinn: Phone: 212-788-7210; Fax: 212-788-7207; City Hall, New York, New York 10007. You can also e-mail Speaker Quinn. Go to www.nyccouncil.info and click “Council Members,” and then under “Contact a Councilmember,” click Quinn.
For your own councilmember, go to www.nyccouncil.info and under “Quick Links,” click “Find My Council Member.” Contact information will follow.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Your Home or Your Pet?
HELP US PASS INTRO. No. 13!
A new bill has been introduced by NYC Councilman Tony Avella which states that once a landlord waives a NO-PET lease clause, a rental tenant can replace pets who have died or are no longer living in the apartment with another pet of the same species.
For those of you who have been following this issue, Intro. No. 13 is similar to Intro. No. 189-A from last year but its provisions now apply only to rental tenants. We consider this an important first step in protecting the rights of people to share their lives with companion animals.
TAKE ACTION NOW !!!
CONTACT THE FOLLOWING CITY COUNCILMEMBERS AND URGE THEM TO SUPPORT AND SPONSOR INTRO. NO. 13
1. Your NYC City Council Member. Find out who your NYC Council Member is by clicking www.nyccouncil.info and then clicking on “Constituent Center” or by calling the League of Women Voters at 212-725-3541.
2. Speaker Christine Quinn. phone: 212-788-7210; quinn@council.nyc.ny.us
3. Council Member Erik Dilan, Chair of the Housing & Buildings Committee. phone: 212- 788-7284; emdilan@council.nyc.ny.us
YOU MAY WANT TO MENTION THE FOLLOWING REASONS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY SUPPORT INTRO. NO. 13
-Tenants with well-behaved cats and dogs should not be forced to live in fear of having to choose between their homes and their pets.
-Numerous studies show the physical & emotional health benefits that we derive from having pets.
-It will open up homes for thousands of wonderful, adoptable cats and dogs who are needlessly killed at overburdened NYC-funded animal shelters each year.
Federal law already grants tenants in public housing the right to have pets.
Thanks for your help!
2. Speaker Christine Quinn. phone: 212-788-7210; quinn@council.nyc.ny.us
3. Council Member Erik Dilan, Chair of the Housing & Buildings Committee. phone: 212- 788-7284; emdilan@council.nyc.ny.us
YOU MAY WANT TO MENTION THE FOLLOWING REASONS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY SUPPORT INTRO. NO. 13
-Tenants with well-behaved cats and dogs should not be forced to live in fear of having to choose between their homes and their pets.
-Numerous studies show the physical & emotional health benefits that we derive from having pets.
-It will open up homes for thousands of wonderful, adoptable cats and dogs who are needlessly killed at overburdened NYC-funded animal shelters each year.
Federal law already grants tenants in public housing the right to have pets.
Thanks for your help!
Open Letter to New York City Councilmember Simcha Felder
The Humane Society of New York strongly requests that you withdraw your proposal to fine people for feeding pigeons in our city. While we support efforts to evaluate the pigeon population and its effects, we suggest that any solution to address the pigeon population be humane to the pigeons and the New Yorkers who appreciate these unfairly maligned birds. The maximum fine for a Class A misdemeanor is $1000 (section 80.05, Penal Law). Penalizing good-natured individuals who take pleasure in feeding birds, as if these people are criminals, is extreme. Rather, an advisory council should be established to make recommendations that consider the well-being of those New Yorkers who appreciate the birds, those who do not, and the birds themselves. A moderate approach might include, for example, birth control and habitat modification in certain areas.
Your report analogized the pigeon situation in New York City to that which existed in Trafalgar Square where feeding pigeons was a tourist attraction and where feeding was not only legal but actually encouraged. Thousands of birds in one location, landing on shoulders and heads, is not the situation in New York City. The same kind of drastic action to counteract decades of purposefully attracting pigeons in Trafalgar Square is not called for in our city. It is also important to note that even in your own paper, “Curbing the Pigeon Conundrum,” you mention that some of the more alarmist examples of danger that you raise, such as infrastructure damage and public health risks, are “widely exaggerated.”
Thus, as we see it, there is no immediate health threat or threat to our infrastructure. Rather, some people in our city dislike pigeons and consider them to be nuisances while others appreciate pigeons and some (far fewer in number) also enjoy feeding them. The issue then is how to reduce what some people believe to be nuisances created by pigeons in parts of our city. Recognizing that pigeons are not inanimate objects, any proposal affecting them must take into consideration the pigeons themselves. This may not seem important to those who disdain pigeons, but as a society that has laws to prohibit cruelty to all animals, including pigeons (section 353, Agriculture and Markets Law), and as a society that should promote compassion and tolerance, methods to deal with the pigeon population must be humane.
All too often people who dislike certain animals attempt to take the law into their own hands and abuse animals. We want to avoid this. The Humane Society of New York will support a dialogue among various groups interested in the “pigeon issue” in the hope of devising a plan to humanely control the pigeon population in certain areas of the city. In our opinion, people who feed pigeons within reason (not leaving excessive food behind) should not be treated as lawbreakers. There is so much garbage in this large city that one cannot blame the responsible pigeon feeders for the pigeon population. Small amounts of food fed to and immediately consumed by pigeons are not going to significantly affect the pigeon population. It is when people, whether they be those who like or dislike pigeons, act irresponsibly that problems are created.
We are calling for moderation and cooperation. At this juncture, we suggest that an advisory council be established to make suggestions for humane pigeon control where such control may be needed, not a heavy handed approach that will cause harm to animals and the people who care about them.
ACTION: Contact Councilmember Simcha Felder and ask that he withdraw his proposal to fine people for feeding pigeons.
District Office Address: 4424 16 th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11204
District Office Phone: 718-853-2704
District Office Fax: 718-853-3858
Legislative Office: 250 Broadway, 17 th Floor, New York, NY 10007
Legislative Office Phone: 212-788-7357
E-mail: felder@council.nyc.ny.us
Your report analogized the pigeon situation in New York City to that which existed in Trafalgar Square where feeding pigeons was a tourist attraction and where feeding was not only legal but actually encouraged. Thousands of birds in one location, landing on shoulders and heads, is not the situation in New York City. The same kind of drastic action to counteract decades of purposefully attracting pigeons in Trafalgar Square is not called for in our city. It is also important to note that even in your own paper, “Curbing the Pigeon Conundrum,” you mention that some of the more alarmist examples of danger that you raise, such as infrastructure damage and public health risks, are “widely exaggerated.”
Thus, as we see it, there is no immediate health threat or threat to our infrastructure. Rather, some people in our city dislike pigeons and consider them to be nuisances while others appreciate pigeons and some (far fewer in number) also enjoy feeding them. The issue then is how to reduce what some people believe to be nuisances created by pigeons in parts of our city. Recognizing that pigeons are not inanimate objects, any proposal affecting them must take into consideration the pigeons themselves. This may not seem important to those who disdain pigeons, but as a society that has laws to prohibit cruelty to all animals, including pigeons (section 353, Agriculture and Markets Law), and as a society that should promote compassion and tolerance, methods to deal with the pigeon population must be humane.
All too often people who dislike certain animals attempt to take the law into their own hands and abuse animals. We want to avoid this. The Humane Society of New York will support a dialogue among various groups interested in the “pigeon issue” in the hope of devising a plan to humanely control the pigeon population in certain areas of the city. In our opinion, people who feed pigeons within reason (not leaving excessive food behind) should not be treated as lawbreakers. There is so much garbage in this large city that one cannot blame the responsible pigeon feeders for the pigeon population. Small amounts of food fed to and immediately consumed by pigeons are not going to significantly affect the pigeon population. It is when people, whether they be those who like or dislike pigeons, act irresponsibly that problems are created.
We are calling for moderation and cooperation. At this juncture, we suggest that an advisory council be established to make suggestions for humane pigeon control where such control may be needed, not a heavy handed approach that will cause harm to animals and the people who care about them.
ACTION: Contact Councilmember Simcha Felder and ask that he withdraw his proposal to fine people for feeding pigeons.
District Office Address: 4424 16 th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11204
District Office Phone: 718-853-2704
District Office Fax: 718-853-3858
Legislative Office: 250 Broadway, 17 th Floor, New York, NY 10007
Legislative Office Phone: 212-788-7357
E-mail: felder@council.nyc.ny.us
Save Animals, Help Seniors
Intro. No. 751, introduced by Councilmember Maria del Carmen Arroyo, states that no person 62 years of age or older shall be denied occupancy in or be subjected to eviction from a multiple dwelling on the sole ground that such person has pets. The bill does not apply to animals who create nuisances. While the Humane Society of New York supports the right of all humane and responsible people to have companion animals, we understand that legislation is often incremental. Thus, although this bill applies to seniors only, it is a very crucial step in the right direction.
PLEASE contact the legislators listed below in support of Intro. No. 751.
You may wish to make the following points:
* Numerous studies indicate the health benefits, both physical and emotional, that many people derive from having pets
* More than twenty thousand dogs and cats were killed last year at Animal Care and Control in New York City, many because of no-pet restrictions
* In order to reduce euthanasia, we need to promote the adoption of homeless animals and reduce the number of animals surrendered to animal shelters. No-pet clauses reduce adoptions and increase the surrender of animals
* Congress already recognized the importance of pets to many people by passing legislation giving people who live in public housing the right to have pets
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please urge these councilmembers to support Intro. No. 751 and to ensure that a hearing is held soon.
It may be easier to mail or fax your letter, but if you want to e-mail it, here are the directions. The councilmembers get so many e-mails that they have made it more difficult to e-mail them directly.
To e-mail, please go to the City Council’s website at www.council.nyc.gov, click “councilmembers,” and click the councilmembers’ names listed below. On Speaker Quinn’s page, you need to click “Contact Speaker Quinn” just above her office locations in order to get to her e-mail page. The others say “e-mail address” and when you click that, you can write a message.
Council Speaker Christine QuinnPhone: 212-788-7210, 212-564-7757 (leave a message at each # if you can)Fax: 212-788-7207
Councilmember Erik Martin Dilan Chair of the Housing & Buildings CommitteePhone: 212- 788-7284Fax: 212-227-5636
Councilmember Maria del Carmen Arroyo the bill’s sponsor and Chair of the Aging Committee.
Please thank her for her sponsorship and urge her to get a hearing on this humane legislation.
Phone: 718-402-6130, 212-788-7384Fax: 212-788-8920
Your New York City Council Member Find out who your NYC Councilmember is by clicking www.council.nyc.gov and then clicking “Council Members.”
All council members may also be written to at City Hall, New York, NY 10007
Thank you
PLEASE contact the legislators listed below in support of Intro. No. 751.
You may wish to make the following points:
* Numerous studies indicate the health benefits, both physical and emotional, that many people derive from having pets
* More than twenty thousand dogs and cats were killed last year at Animal Care and Control in New York City, many because of no-pet restrictions
* In order to reduce euthanasia, we need to promote the adoption of homeless animals and reduce the number of animals surrendered to animal shelters. No-pet clauses reduce adoptions and increase the surrender of animals
* Congress already recognized the importance of pets to many people by passing legislation giving people who live in public housing the right to have pets
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please urge these councilmembers to support Intro. No. 751 and to ensure that a hearing is held soon.
It may be easier to mail or fax your letter, but if you want to e-mail it, here are the directions. The councilmembers get so many e-mails that they have made it more difficult to e-mail them directly.
To e-mail, please go to the City Council’s website at www.council.nyc.gov, click “councilmembers,” and click the councilmembers’ names listed below. On Speaker Quinn’s page, you need to click “Contact Speaker Quinn” just above her office locations in order to get to her e-mail page. The others say “e-mail address” and when you click that, you can write a message.
Council Speaker Christine QuinnPhone: 212-788-7210, 212-564-7757 (leave a message at each # if you can)Fax: 212-788-7207
Councilmember Erik Martin Dilan Chair of the Housing & Buildings CommitteePhone: 212- 788-7284Fax: 212-227-5636
Councilmember Maria del Carmen Arroyo the bill’s sponsor and Chair of the Aging Committee.
Please thank her for her sponsorship and urge her to get a hearing on this humane legislation.
Phone: 718-402-6130, 212-788-7384Fax: 212-788-8920
Your New York City Council Member Find out who your NYC Councilmember is by clicking www.council.nyc.gov and then clicking “Council Members.”
All council members may also be written to at City Hall, New York, NY 10007
Thank you
Bill to Promote Humane Education in Secondary Schools
SUPPORT A. 6126 TO PROMOTE HUMANE EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
AA. 6126 requires that instruction in the humane treatment and protection of animals be taught in secondary schools (middle and high schools). This instruction must include educating students on the principles of kindness to and respect for animals and observance of laws and rules pertaining to the humane treatment of animals. Currently, humane education must only be taught in elementary schools.
All too often we hear about animal abuse committed by youngsters. This legislation, if enacted, would promote compassion towards all living beings and, hopefully, will result in a decrease in violence and cruelty to animals. Youngsters also have a natural curiosity about animals and lessons in the humane treatment of animals will give students an opportunity to discuss their interests and concerns.
For the past six years, the Humane Society of New York, in conjunction with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, has sponsored a humane essay contest for young students. Thousands of very heartfelt essays have been submitted, showing a genuine interest in the welfare of animals.
Fostering a humane ethic is so important and A. 6126 does just that.
Please contact the following legislators and urge them to support A. 6126. We will update this alert once the bill is introduced in the NY Senate. (Bills must pass both houses of the legislature and signed by the governor in order to become law.)
CONTACT INFORMATION
*Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the Assembly. Telephone: 212-312-1420, 518 455-3791; Fax: 212-312-1418; E-mail: speaker@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: LOB 932, Albany, NY 12248*Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, Chair of the Education Committee. Telephone: 718-784-3194 (Woodside), 718-456-9492 (Ridgewood) and 518-455-4851 (Albany); Fax: 518-455-3847; E-mail: nolanc@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: LOB 838, Albany, NY 12248*Your local assemblymember. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your assemblymember, go to www.assembly.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
Thanks for your help!
AA. 6126 requires that instruction in the humane treatment and protection of animals be taught in secondary schools (middle and high schools). This instruction must include educating students on the principles of kindness to and respect for animals and observance of laws and rules pertaining to the humane treatment of animals. Currently, humane education must only be taught in elementary schools.
All too often we hear about animal abuse committed by youngsters. This legislation, if enacted, would promote compassion towards all living beings and, hopefully, will result in a decrease in violence and cruelty to animals. Youngsters also have a natural curiosity about animals and lessons in the humane treatment of animals will give students an opportunity to discuss their interests and concerns.
For the past six years, the Humane Society of New York, in conjunction with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, has sponsored a humane essay contest for young students. Thousands of very heartfelt essays have been submitted, showing a genuine interest in the welfare of animals.
Fostering a humane ethic is so important and A. 6126 does just that.
Please contact the following legislators and urge them to support A. 6126. We will update this alert once the bill is introduced in the NY Senate. (Bills must pass both houses of the legislature and signed by the governor in order to become law.)
CONTACT INFORMATION
*Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the Assembly. Telephone: 212-312-1420, 518 455-3791; Fax: 212-312-1418; E-mail: speaker@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: LOB 932, Albany, NY 12248*Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, Chair of the Education Committee. Telephone: 718-784-3194 (Woodside), 718-456-9492 (Ridgewood) and 518-455-4851 (Albany); Fax: 518-455-3847; E-mail: nolanc@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: LOB 838, Albany, NY 12248*Your local assemblymember. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your assemblymember, go to www.assembly.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
Thanks for your help!
Bill to Prohibit High School Students from Harming or Killing Animals
Support A. 3467 and S. 3751 To prohibit high school students from harming or killing animals
A. 3467, introduced by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, and S. 3751, introduced by Senator Thomas Duane, prohibits high school students from performing harmful projects on vertebrate animals. These bills also require teachers to inform students of their right not to perform dissection on animals and to be offered an alternative project. Currently students who have a moral or religious objection to dissection have the right to opt out of dissection but there is no requirement in the law for teachers to inform the students of this right.
Despite the fact that high schools must obtain a waiver from the NYS Department of Education before students can perform harmful vertebrate animal projects, only four waivers in 12 years have ever been applied for and only after we contacted the schools whose students performed the projects.
In one New York high school, students raised and then killed chickens. No waiver was sought. When the Humane Society of New York became aware of the project from United Poultry Concerns, we immediately contacted the NYS Department of Education and the school. The school stated that they were not aware that a waiver was required. Based on our own visits to science fairs and visits by other individuals, we are aware of several other high school projects involving harm and death to vertebrate animals. Examples include exposing animals to smoke, then killing the animals to study the heart, testing cancer drugs on animals, inducing epilepsy, implanting electrodes in rats’ brains, and more.
The bottom line is that animals should not be harmed or killed for high school science projects. A. 3467/S. 3751, if enacted, would remove the unworkable waiver language and substitute the language from the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search rules (formerly Westinghouse) which do not allow high school students to perform invasive vertebrate animal projects. Those rules were adopted in 1969 after a sparrow was blinded as part of a high school student’s project.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please ask the following legislators to support these bills:
For A. 3467:
*Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the Assembly. Telephone: 212-312-1420, 518 455-3791; Fax: 212-312-1418; E-mail:speaker@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: LOB 932, Albany, NY 12248*Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, Chair of the Education Committee. Telephone: 718-784-3194 (Woodside), 718-456-9492 (Ridgewood) and 518-455-4851 (Albany); Fax: 518-455-3847; E-mail: nolanc@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: LOB 838, Albany, NY 12248*Your local assemblymember. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your assemblymember, go to www.assembly.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
For S. 3751:
*Senator Malcolm Smith: Senate Majority Leader. Telephone: 518-455-2761; Fax: 518-455-2816; E-mail: masmith@senate.state.ny.us; Address: 909 LOB, Albany, NY 12247
*Your local state senator. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your state senator, go to www.senate.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
Thanks for your help!
A. 3467, introduced by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, and S. 3751, introduced by Senator Thomas Duane, prohibits high school students from performing harmful projects on vertebrate animals. These bills also require teachers to inform students of their right not to perform dissection on animals and to be offered an alternative project. Currently students who have a moral or religious objection to dissection have the right to opt out of dissection but there is no requirement in the law for teachers to inform the students of this right.
Despite the fact that high schools must obtain a waiver from the NYS Department of Education before students can perform harmful vertebrate animal projects, only four waivers in 12 years have ever been applied for and only after we contacted the schools whose students performed the projects.
In one New York high school, students raised and then killed chickens. No waiver was sought. When the Humane Society of New York became aware of the project from United Poultry Concerns, we immediately contacted the NYS Department of Education and the school. The school stated that they were not aware that a waiver was required. Based on our own visits to science fairs and visits by other individuals, we are aware of several other high school projects involving harm and death to vertebrate animals. Examples include exposing animals to smoke, then killing the animals to study the heart, testing cancer drugs on animals, inducing epilepsy, implanting electrodes in rats’ brains, and more.
The bottom line is that animals should not be harmed or killed for high school science projects. A. 3467/S. 3751, if enacted, would remove the unworkable waiver language and substitute the language from the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search rules (formerly Westinghouse) which do not allow high school students to perform invasive vertebrate animal projects. Those rules were adopted in 1969 after a sparrow was blinded as part of a high school student’s project.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please ask the following legislators to support these bills:
For A. 3467:
*Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the Assembly. Telephone: 212-312-1420, 518 455-3791; Fax: 212-312-1418; E-mail:speaker@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: LOB 932, Albany, NY 12248*Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, Chair of the Education Committee. Telephone: 718-784-3194 (Woodside), 718-456-9492 (Ridgewood) and 518-455-4851 (Albany); Fax: 518-455-3847; E-mail: nolanc@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: LOB 838, Albany, NY 12248*Your local assemblymember. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your assemblymember, go to www.assembly.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
For S. 3751:
*Senator Malcolm Smith: Senate Majority Leader. Telephone: 518-455-2761; Fax: 518-455-2816; E-mail: masmith@senate.state.ny.us; Address: 909 LOB, Albany, NY 12247
*Your local state senator. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your state senator, go to www.senate.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
Thanks for your help!
Bill to Include Wildlife in Felony Animal Cruelty Law
SUPPORT A. 6077 AND S. 2425 TO INCLUDE WILDLIFE IN FELONY ANIMAL CRUELTY LAW
Two swans were fatally beaten and stabbed in the Bronx. A Canadian goose was strangled in Hamburg. A red hawk was set on fire, tied to a bicycle and dragged down the street on Long Island. A baby goose was beaten to death with a hockey stick in Potsdam. Birds were trapped and crushed to death on Long Island. In West Eaton, state highway workers reported seeing a car speed up and swerve to hit a fawn, while the occupants of the car were laughing as they sped by. In Staten Island, a peacock was beaten to death.
New York’s felony animal cruelty law did not apply to any of this cruelty since the animals tortured were not companion animals.
A. 6077, introduced by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, and S. 2425, introduced by Senator Frank Padavan, would expand New York’s felony animal cruelty law by making it applicable to wildlife.
CONTACT THE LEGISLATORS LISTED BELOW AND URGE THEM TO SUPPORT A. 6077 and S. 2425
For A.6077:
Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, Assembly Speaker. Telephone: 212-312-1420 or 518-455-3791; Fax: 518-455-5459; E-mail: speaker@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: 932 LOB, Albany, NY 12248
Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, Chair of the Codes Committee. Telephone: 518-455-4477; Fax: 518-455-4599; E-mail: lentolj@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: 632 LOB, Albany, NY 12248
Assemblyman William Magee, Chair of the Agriculture Committee. Telephone: 518-455-4807; Fax: 518-455-5237; E-mail: mageew@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: 828 LOB, Albany, NY
Your local assemblyperson. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your NYS asssemblymember, go www.assembly.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
For S. 2425:
Senator Malcolm Smith, Senate Majority Leader. Telephone: 518-455-2761; Fax: 518-455-2816; E-mail: masmith@senate.state.ny.us; Address: 909 LOB, Albany, NY 12247
Senator Darrel Aubertine, Chair of the Agriculture Committee. Telephone: 518-455-2761; Fax: 518-426-6946; E-mail: aubertin@senate.state.ny.us; Address: 903 LOB, Albany, NY 12247
Your local NYS Senator. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your NYS senator, go to www.senate.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
Tell the legislators that you want them to support A.6077 and S. 2425. You may wish to mention:
There have been many documented cases of sadistic cruelty to wildlife. There is no justification to exclude wildlife from New York’s felony animal cruelty law. Wildlife is particularly vulnerable. These animals are outdoors, unsupervised, and at the mercy of all of us
Felony cases are given much more attention by our courts and the penalties are greater than in misdemeanor cases
There is a nexus between cruelty to animals and violent crimes against people Thanks for your help!
Two swans were fatally beaten and stabbed in the Bronx. A Canadian goose was strangled in Hamburg. A red hawk was set on fire, tied to a bicycle and dragged down the street on Long Island. A baby goose was beaten to death with a hockey stick in Potsdam. Birds were trapped and crushed to death on Long Island. In West Eaton, state highway workers reported seeing a car speed up and swerve to hit a fawn, while the occupants of the car were laughing as they sped by. In Staten Island, a peacock was beaten to death.
New York’s felony animal cruelty law did not apply to any of this cruelty since the animals tortured were not companion animals.
A. 6077, introduced by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, and S. 2425, introduced by Senator Frank Padavan, would expand New York’s felony animal cruelty law by making it applicable to wildlife.
CONTACT THE LEGISLATORS LISTED BELOW AND URGE THEM TO SUPPORT A. 6077 and S. 2425
For A.6077:
Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, Assembly Speaker. Telephone: 212-312-1420 or 518-455-3791; Fax: 518-455-5459; E-mail: speaker@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: 932 LOB, Albany, NY 12248
Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, Chair of the Codes Committee. Telephone: 518-455-4477; Fax: 518-455-4599; E-mail: lentolj@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: 632 LOB, Albany, NY 12248
Assemblyman William Magee, Chair of the Agriculture Committee. Telephone: 518-455-4807; Fax: 518-455-5237; E-mail: mageew@assembly.state.ny.us; Address: 828 LOB, Albany, NY
Your local assemblyperson. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your NYS asssemblymember, go www.assembly.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
For S. 2425:
Senator Malcolm Smith, Senate Majority Leader. Telephone: 518-455-2761; Fax: 518-455-2816; E-mail: masmith@senate.state.ny.us; Address: 909 LOB, Albany, NY 12247
Senator Darrel Aubertine, Chair of the Agriculture Committee. Telephone: 518-455-2761; Fax: 518-426-6946; E-mail: aubertin@senate.state.ny.us; Address: 903 LOB, Albany, NY 12247
Your local NYS Senator. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your NYS senator, go to www.senate.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
Tell the legislators that you want them to support A.6077 and S. 2425. You may wish to mention:
There have been many documented cases of sadistic cruelty to wildlife. There is no justification to exclude wildlife from New York’s felony animal cruelty law. Wildlife is particularly vulnerable. These animals are outdoors, unsupervised, and at the mercy of all of us
Felony cases are given much more attention by our courts and the penalties are greater than in misdemeanor cases
There is a nexus between cruelty to animals and violent crimes against people Thanks for your help!
Ban on Canned Hunting
A. 6788, introduced by Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, and S. 3223, introduced by Senator Carl Kruger, would ban canned hunts.
Canned hunts are hunts that occur in areas where the animal has no reasonable chance of escaping. Usually animals who are accustomed to human handling are used in canned hunts so they do not even attempt to escape their killers. Some of these animals are from zoos, others from circuses, and still others are bred in captivity.
It has been reported that lions raised as pets who end up at canned hunt facilities would lick the hands of hunters before being shot. In another widely reported case, a ram stood still as arrows were repeatedly shot at the defenseless animal.
Currently, New York State law prohibits canned hunts in areas of 10 acres or less. The canned hunting facilities in New York are much larger than 10 acres so the law has been ineffective.
A. 6788 and S. 3223 would amend the law by banning canned hunts regardless of the acreage.
Please contact the legislators listed below to urge them to support A. 6788 and S. 3223.
Tell them that canned hunting is not a sport. It is unjustifiable cruelty and senseless killing that should be prohibited by law. The current law is not good enough. The issue is not the size of the facilities, but the fact that the animals have no means of escape and often make no effort to escape because of previous human contact. Remind them that just a couple of years ago the tame animals at New York’s Catskill Game Farm were auctioned off to the highest bidders and it is very likely several of the Catskill Game Farm animals ended up at canned hunts.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For A. 2612:
Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, Assembly Speaker. Telephone: 518-455-3791; E-mail: speaker@assembly.state.ny.us; Fax: 212-312-1418; Address: LOB 932, Albany, NY 12248
Your local assemblyperson. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your NYS asssemblymember, go www.assembly.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
For A. 2612:
Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, Assembly Speaker. Telephone: 518-455-3791; E-mail: speaker@assembly.state.ny.us; Fax: 212-312-1418; Address: LOB 932, Albany, NY 12248
Your local assemblyperson. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your NYS asssemblymember, go www.assembly.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
For S. 3223:
Senator Malcolm Smith, Senate Majority Leader. Telephone: 518-455-2761; Fax: 518-455-2816; E-mail: masmith@senate.state.ny.us; Address: 909 LOB, Albany, NY 12247
Senator Antoine Thompson, Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee. Telephone: 518-455-3371; Fax: 518-426-6969; E-mail: athompso@senate.stat.ny.us; Address: 615 LOB, Albany, NY 12247
Your local NYS Senator. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your state senator, go to www.senate.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
Thanks for your help!
Senator Malcolm Smith, Senate Majority Leader. Telephone: 518-455-2761; Fax: 518-455-2816; E-mail: masmith@senate.state.ny.us; Address: 909 LOB, Albany, NY 12247
Senator Antoine Thompson, Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee. Telephone: 518-455-3371; Fax: 518-426-6969; E-mail: athompso@senate.stat.ny.us; Address: 615 LOB, Albany, NY 12247
Your local NYS Senator. If you do not know the name of or contact information for your state senator, go to www.senate.state.ny.us. In your letter, fax, call, or e-mail, please mention that you are a constituent and include your address in written correspondence.
Thanks for your help!
New York State Bills Signed Into Law/2008
Below is a listing of key animal related bills that have been signed into law this year by New York State Governor Paterson. While these bills address important humane issues, in many instances they need to be strengthened to provide animals with greater protection. The Humane Society of New York will continue to work for the passage of more stringent animal protection legislation that effectively prevents cruelty to all animals.
Animal Irritancy Tests, A. 7402-B, S. 3528-A. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Rosenthal and Senator Padavan. Prohibits manufacturers from testing cosmetics and household products on animals when an alternative test method has been scientifically validated and recommended by the Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) and adopted by relevant federal agencies or programs within an agency responsible for regulating the specific product or activity for which the test is being conducted. California has a similar law.
Slaughter, A. 246-B, S.5920-A. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Clark and Senator Padavan. Places a moratorium on the operation of establishments where animals are slaughtered for food within a 1500 foot radius of a residential dwelling in a city with a population of one million or more. Existing facilities may still operate. Additional bills and other actions to ban/regulate these establishments are being considered.
Animal Fighting Spectators, A. 10092-A, S. 6466-A. Sponsored by Assemblyman Kavanaugh and Senators DeFrancisco, Larkin and Nozzolio. Makes being a knowing spectator at an animal fight a violation. More than 16 states make it a felony to be a knowing spectator and many states make it a misdemeanor. Thus, this bill, while a step forward, needs to be further strengthened.
Animal Response Teams, A. 9715-A, S. 7184-A. Sponsored by Assemblyman Timothy Gordon and Senator Saland. Authorizes the commissioner of Agriculture and Markets to establish state and county animal response teams to support the prevention of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from emergencies and disasters affecting animals in New York State. Allows for the appointment of volunteers to such teams and further states that the commissioner shall be responsible for training the teams to ensure response during emergencies and disasters.
Task Force on Slaughter of Non-Ambulatory Animals, A. 3689-B, S. 8409. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Markey and Senator Young. Provides for the establishment of a task force to examine, evaluate and determine the most effective state actions to prevent the slaughter of animals who are unable to walk on their own due to illness or injury (referred to as downed animals). The legislature did not pass more effective legislation to prohibit slaughterhouses, stockyards, auction market agencies, or dealers from buying, selling or receiving a downed animal. The bill that did not pass stated that such facilities shall not hold a downed animal without taking immediate action to humanely euthanize the animal or humanely remove the animal for veterinary treatment.
Junior Hunting, A. 11033, S. 8228. Sponsored by Assemblywoman DelMonte and Senator Volker. Provides that 14 and 15 year olds can hunt deer and bear. This bill also allows minors under the age of 12 to assist licensed trappers. The Humane Society of New York and other humane organizations opposed this legislation which was supported by the NYS Department of Environment Conservation.
* We will continue to work for passage of humane legislation during the 2009 session, including supporting bills to make intentional cruelty to wildlife a felony, ban canned hunting, promote humane education, end horse slaughter, allow pets in housing, and much more.
Animal Irritancy Tests, A. 7402-B, S. 3528-A. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Rosenthal and Senator Padavan. Prohibits manufacturers from testing cosmetics and household products on animals when an alternative test method has been scientifically validated and recommended by the Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) and adopted by relevant federal agencies or programs within an agency responsible for regulating the specific product or activity for which the test is being conducted. California has a similar law.
Slaughter, A. 246-B, S.5920-A. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Clark and Senator Padavan. Places a moratorium on the operation of establishments where animals are slaughtered for food within a 1500 foot radius of a residential dwelling in a city with a population of one million or more. Existing facilities may still operate. Additional bills and other actions to ban/regulate these establishments are being considered.
Animal Fighting Spectators, A. 10092-A, S. 6466-A. Sponsored by Assemblyman Kavanaugh and Senators DeFrancisco, Larkin and Nozzolio. Makes being a knowing spectator at an animal fight a violation. More than 16 states make it a felony to be a knowing spectator and many states make it a misdemeanor. Thus, this bill, while a step forward, needs to be further strengthened.
Animal Response Teams, A. 9715-A, S. 7184-A. Sponsored by Assemblyman Timothy Gordon and Senator Saland. Authorizes the commissioner of Agriculture and Markets to establish state and county animal response teams to support the prevention of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from emergencies and disasters affecting animals in New York State. Allows for the appointment of volunteers to such teams and further states that the commissioner shall be responsible for training the teams to ensure response during emergencies and disasters.
Task Force on Slaughter of Non-Ambulatory Animals, A. 3689-B, S. 8409. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Markey and Senator Young. Provides for the establishment of a task force to examine, evaluate and determine the most effective state actions to prevent the slaughter of animals who are unable to walk on their own due to illness or injury (referred to as downed animals). The legislature did not pass more effective legislation to prohibit slaughterhouses, stockyards, auction market agencies, or dealers from buying, selling or receiving a downed animal. The bill that did not pass stated that such facilities shall not hold a downed animal without taking immediate action to humanely euthanize the animal or humanely remove the animal for veterinary treatment.
Junior Hunting, A. 11033, S. 8228. Sponsored by Assemblywoman DelMonte and Senator Volker. Provides that 14 and 15 year olds can hunt deer and bear. This bill also allows minors under the age of 12 to assist licensed trappers. The Humane Society of New York and other humane organizations opposed this legislation which was supported by the NYS Department of Environment Conservation.
* We will continue to work for passage of humane legislation during the 2009 session, including supporting bills to make intentional cruelty to wildlife a felony, ban canned hunting, promote humane education, end horse slaughter, allow pets in housing, and much more.
List of Bills Pending Before Congress
Below is a list of several bills pending before Congress. Please contact your representative and two US Senators to urge them to support these bills. To see texts of any of the bills, go to www.thomas.gov and type in the bill number.
For contact information for your two US Senators and your Representative (congressman/woman) you can call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 or go to www.senate.gov and www.house.gov or www.congress.org . Have your 9 digit zip code ready. Additionally, letters may be sent to your US Senators and Representative to the following addresses:
The Honorable (name)
US Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable (name)
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
H.R. 891: Dog and Cat Fur Enforcement Act
Labeling: This bill requires all fur products to be labeled regardless of the value of the fur. Currently, labeling is not required if the value of the fur is $150 or less.
Bans Sale of Raccoon dog fur: This bill bans the sale of fur from raccoon dogs. Raccoon dogs are killed in China, sometimes skinned alive, and their fur is then used in garments. The Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000 prohibits the export, import, manufacture, or sale of products made with dog and cat fur. However, this law does not protect raccoon dogs. Between 1.5 million to 4 million raccoon dogs are killed in China each year for their fur.
H.R. 3029: Bear Protection Act
This bill prohibits the import, export and interstate trade in bear parts. Bear parts are used in Asian medicines and are in increasing demand. To meet this demand, poachers are killing bears and selling the parts at huge profits. While trade in bear parts is illegal in many states, a federal law is needed to provide for more effective enforcement. It has been reported that law enforcement officers in the US have uncovered dead bears in our forests with only their gallbladders and paws removed. Videotapes of poaching also show the brutality involved in killing the bears.
H.R. 2193: Animal Welfare Accountability Improvement Act
Bans Using Animals in Sales Demonstrations: This bill prohibits the use of live animals for training, demonstrating, or marketing medical devices to sales representatives.
Increases Fines: Fines for violations of the Animal Welfare Act, the main federal law regulating the care of animals used laboratory experiments and tests, would be increased.
Reporting to Congress Reinstated: The US Department of Agriculture would be required to submit a report to Congress detailing its enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act and make recommendations for legislation to improve administration of the Act and the transportation of live animals in air transportation.
H.R. 661: Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act
Those animals who are too injured or sick to stand on their own are often pushed, prodded, pulled, kicked and dragged to move them to slaughter. H.R. 661 addresses this cruelty in the following ways:
Requires Euthanasia of Downed Animals: This bill requires all non-ambulatory livestock in interstate and foreign commerce to be immediately euthanized.
Strengthens Inspection Requirements: Provides that USDA inspectors may not pass through inspection any non-ambulatory livestock or the carcass or any part of the carcass of such livestock.
H.R. 2711/S. 2422: Computer Assisted Remote Control Hunting Act
This legislation would ban Internet hunting. This means hunting through the use of a computer or other equipment which allows a person to remotely control the aiming and discharge of a weapon to kill or injure an animal while not in the physical presence of the targeted animal. Internet hunters pay a fee, select an animal, and click the mouse to fire the rifle. 34 states have laws banning this practice.
H.R. 2964/ S. 1498: The Captive Primate Safety Act
This legislation would ban the interstate and foreign commerce of primates for use as pets. These animals are often subject to abuse and neglect in the pet trade. While able to be handled as infants, when primates grow they become more difficult to handle. The result is that some of these animals end up at roadside zoos where they are kept in small cages and improperly cared for; others are confined in homes where their lives become barren and isolated.
H.R. 3829: Sportsmanship in Hunting Act
This legislation would prohibit the transport or possession of a confined exotic animal for the purpose of allowing the killing or injuring of the animal for entertainment or for the collection of a trophy. The purpose of this legislation is to prevent what has been termed “canned hunting,” the hunting of animals who are confined in areas from which they cannot avoid hunters. Often the animals are accustomed to human handling or feeding and do not even make substantial attempts to escape. These animals are shot, often at close range, just so the shooter can have the dead animal as a trophy.
H.R. 3327 and H.R. 3219: Federal Dog Protection Act
These bills would strengthen the federal dogfighting laws to include stiff penalties for those who are spectators at dogfights and for those who train or transport animals for dog fighting.
H.R. 3663: Protect American Wildlife Act
This legislation would establish additional prohibitions on the shooting wildlife from aircrafts. In the last seven years, about 700 wolves have been shot and killed from aircraft. The aerial shooting of wolves has taken place in Alaska, for example, in order to boost the moose and caribou population for hunters.
H.R. 1726: Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act
This legislation would prohibit the federal government from purchasing meat, dairy products or eggs for use in the military, prisons, schools and other federal programs unless the animals were provided with adequate space to stand, lie down, turn around completely and fully extend all limbs or wings, provided daily access to adequate food and water, and provided with adequate veterinary care. The legislation also states that the animals may not have been forced fed.
For contact information for your two US Senators and your Representative (congressman/woman) you can call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 or go to www.senate.gov and www.house.gov or www.congress.org . Have your 9 digit zip code ready. Additionally, letters may be sent to your US Senators and Representative to the following addresses:
The Honorable (name)
US Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable (name)
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
H.R. 891: Dog and Cat Fur Enforcement Act
Labeling: This bill requires all fur products to be labeled regardless of the value of the fur. Currently, labeling is not required if the value of the fur is $150 or less.
Bans Sale of Raccoon dog fur: This bill bans the sale of fur from raccoon dogs. Raccoon dogs are killed in China, sometimes skinned alive, and their fur is then used in garments. The Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000 prohibits the export, import, manufacture, or sale of products made with dog and cat fur. However, this law does not protect raccoon dogs. Between 1.5 million to 4 million raccoon dogs are killed in China each year for their fur.
H.R. 3029: Bear Protection Act
This bill prohibits the import, export and interstate trade in bear parts. Bear parts are used in Asian medicines and are in increasing demand. To meet this demand, poachers are killing bears and selling the parts at huge profits. While trade in bear parts is illegal in many states, a federal law is needed to provide for more effective enforcement. It has been reported that law enforcement officers in the US have uncovered dead bears in our forests with only their gallbladders and paws removed. Videotapes of poaching also show the brutality involved in killing the bears.
H.R. 2193: Animal Welfare Accountability Improvement Act
Bans Using Animals in Sales Demonstrations: This bill prohibits the use of live animals for training, demonstrating, or marketing medical devices to sales representatives.
Increases Fines: Fines for violations of the Animal Welfare Act, the main federal law regulating the care of animals used laboratory experiments and tests, would be increased.
Reporting to Congress Reinstated: The US Department of Agriculture would be required to submit a report to Congress detailing its enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act and make recommendations for legislation to improve administration of the Act and the transportation of live animals in air transportation.
H.R. 661: Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act
Those animals who are too injured or sick to stand on their own are often pushed, prodded, pulled, kicked and dragged to move them to slaughter. H.R. 661 addresses this cruelty in the following ways:
Requires Euthanasia of Downed Animals: This bill requires all non-ambulatory livestock in interstate and foreign commerce to be immediately euthanized.
Strengthens Inspection Requirements: Provides that USDA inspectors may not pass through inspection any non-ambulatory livestock or the carcass or any part of the carcass of such livestock.
H.R. 2711/S. 2422: Computer Assisted Remote Control Hunting Act
This legislation would ban Internet hunting. This means hunting through the use of a computer or other equipment which allows a person to remotely control the aiming and discharge of a weapon to kill or injure an animal while not in the physical presence of the targeted animal. Internet hunters pay a fee, select an animal, and click the mouse to fire the rifle. 34 states have laws banning this practice.
H.R. 2964/ S. 1498: The Captive Primate Safety Act
This legislation would ban the interstate and foreign commerce of primates for use as pets. These animals are often subject to abuse and neglect in the pet trade. While able to be handled as infants, when primates grow they become more difficult to handle. The result is that some of these animals end up at roadside zoos where they are kept in small cages and improperly cared for; others are confined in homes where their lives become barren and isolated.
H.R. 3829: Sportsmanship in Hunting Act
This legislation would prohibit the transport or possession of a confined exotic animal for the purpose of allowing the killing or injuring of the animal for entertainment or for the collection of a trophy. The purpose of this legislation is to prevent what has been termed “canned hunting,” the hunting of animals who are confined in areas from which they cannot avoid hunters. Often the animals are accustomed to human handling or feeding and do not even make substantial attempts to escape. These animals are shot, often at close range, just so the shooter can have the dead animal as a trophy.
H.R. 3327 and H.R. 3219: Federal Dog Protection Act
These bills would strengthen the federal dogfighting laws to include stiff penalties for those who are spectators at dogfights and for those who train or transport animals for dog fighting.
H.R. 3663: Protect American Wildlife Act
This legislation would establish additional prohibitions on the shooting wildlife from aircrafts. In the last seven years, about 700 wolves have been shot and killed from aircraft. The aerial shooting of wolves has taken place in Alaska, for example, in order to boost the moose and caribou population for hunters.
H.R. 1726: Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act
This legislation would prohibit the federal government from purchasing meat, dairy products or eggs for use in the military, prisons, schools and other federal programs unless the animals were provided with adequate space to stand, lie down, turn around completely and fully extend all limbs or wings, provided daily access to adequate food and water, and provided with adequate veterinary care. The legislation also states that the animals may not have been forced fed.
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