New York is poised to become the first city in the nation with an office dedicated to animal welfare issues.
The City Council is expected to pass legislation on Wednesday that would establish the Office of Animal Welfare. The measure, sponsored by Councilman Justin Brannan, already has the support of Mayor de Blasio.
“They say the greatness of a society and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated,” Brannan (D-Brooklyn) said. “That’s why, in a truly humane city, animals cannot be treated as an afterthought.”
The legislation allows the city to determine where the new animal agency will be located, either within an existing department or the mayor’s office.
Municipal offices, like the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice or the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, are smaller than regular departmental agencies, like the Departments of Education and Transportation. The offices have less funding and fewer staff – the new Office of Nightlife, for instance, has just four full-time employees and an annual budget of $446,000.
The director of the new office will help coordinate how critters are regulated and managed across multiple city programs and agencies, along with recommending budget priorities and providing outreach and education on the humane treatment of animals.
The director will also advise City Hall on issues related to shelters, animal abusers, population control, licensing and permitting, exotic creatures, rental horses, dangerous dog regulations, boarding kennels, pet shops, zoos, disposal of dead beasts, wildlife management, and any sterilization, euthanizing and immunization of animals.
At least one person will work in the office, although it is not clear how much it would cost, because the legislation allows the de Blasio administration to set staffing levels, a Brannan spokesman said.
“By establishing this office, the first of its kind in the nation, New York will lead the way as a city that not only cares about, but prioritizes animal welfare,” Brannan said. “Animal-related issues will no longer be relegated to a disorganized, bureaucratic morass of city agencies.”
