The following is the response to
the Animals Vote NYC questionnaire
from Democratic Mayoral Candidate
ALAN HEVESI
Livi French, Coordinator
Animals Vote NYC
Dear Livi French,
Thank you for contacting me about animal rights and protection in
Protecting our City's animals is not a new issue for me. As Comptroller, I conducted an audit of the Center for Animal Care and Control (CACC) to ensure that the City's animal protection dollars were being well spent. As you may know, the CACC contracts with the City's Department of Health to provide animal care and control services to the five boroughs. In general, our audit found that the CACC is fulfilling its mandate, however, we can do more to protect and care for our city's animals. During the audit, my office recommended that CACC require individuals adopting dogs to submit applications for dog licenses. We also suggested that the Department of Health forward all donations received with licenses to CACC, or else inform pet owners that their donations are not going to the CACC. That way, more money will be available to help protect our city's animals.
As Mayor, I will work to ensure that our City is treating its animals in an effective and humane way. To prevent animal overpopulation, I will aggressively promote programs to spay and neuter animals. I will also continue to monitor the CACC not only to ensure that its funds are well spent but also to ensure that it is providing effective, high-quality care and custody for neglected animals. Under the Hevesi administration, the adoption of stray animals will also be promoted.
As a longtime cat owner myself, I am committed to ensuring that
Sincerely,
Alan G. Hevesi