The following is the complete text of the press release issued by the Manhattan Borough President re the CACC

News

Manhattan Borough President
RUTH MESSINGER
Municipal Building, 1 Centre Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10007

Immediate Release
July 22, 1997
Contact: Jill Grossman (212) 669-8147

Manhattan Borough President Reiterates Call for Animal Care Agency Overhaul

Manhattan Borough President Ruth W. Messinger today called on the Department of Health for a long-awaited response to her concerns on the treatment of animals by the city-contracted Center for Animal Care and Control (CACC).

"It is my concern that the CACC's definition of 'controlling' the city's animals too often means killing them, and does not sufficiently concentrate on animal care," said Ms. Messinger. "While in a city as large as New York, euthanizing some stray and abandoned animals may be unavoidable, the CACC's destruction of some 60,000 dogs and cats each year is extreme. Since its inception in 1995, the agency has not undertaken any positive steps aimed at reducing the number of unwanted animals on the streets."

In a May 22nd letter to Dr. Benjamin A. Mojica, Acting Health Commissioner, Ms. Messinger asked a number of important questions which, to date, remain unanswered:

  • Why hasn't the CACC aggressively pursued a public advertising and education program to make New Yorkers more aware of the importance of spaying and neutering their animals?
  • Does the City plan to establish adoption storefronts and mobile vans to facilitate the adoption of the animals through the CACC?
  • Why does New York City spend only 67 cents per capita on animal welfare, while the national average is $1.18?
  • Why doesn't the CACC sterilize all the animals lucky enough to be adopted before they leave the shelters, instead of leaving it up to the adopters, who comply less than 20 percent of the time?

"Under this administration, the CACC shelters remain overcrowded and unsanitary, the animals do not receive proper care or exercise, are often 'lost' in the system, and killings are not carried out humanely," Ms. Messinger said.

"Mayor Giuliani once again demonstrated his intolerance for independent thinking on the part of his appointees last month when he summarily fired two CACC Board members who had testified before the City Council -- under subpoena and under oath -- regarding CACC's seemingly careless operation and management He then appointed a city manager with very little shelter experience to the position of CACC Interim Director, illustrating his uncaring and cavalier attitude toward both CACC staff and New York City's animals.

"It is time for the CACC to be overhauled from top to bottom, and for information about planned changes to flow freely."