TESTIMONY
Peter Vallone Jr., Paul Vallone's brother, makes a statement on his father and the renaming of the animal care center
0:08:38
·
5 min
- Reflects on the legislative history starting from the year 2000 with his family's involvement, including his mother's and father's contributions to the cause.
- Details the passage and setbacks of legislation requiring a shelter in every borough, culminating in challenges, lawsuits, and eventual veto by the mayor.
- Highlights the personal dedication of the Vallone family to the cause, leading to the passing of an Animal Abuse Registry and the reintroduction of the shelter bill.
- Expresses gratitude toward the NYC Council for naming the shelter after his father as a tribute, showcasing the emotional significance of the cause to his family and the community.
UNKNOWN
0:08:38
First, we'll hear from Peter Malone Junior.
Peter Vallone Jr.
0:08:43
Thank you.
0:08:45
Mister Giuliani, I've heard about his smile and my lack of a smile about five thousand times in the last month, and it's a 100% true.
0:08:52
I am smiling today though, and I am speaking before my god daughter because I've learned in a very short time that never to follow.
0:09:01
Leah, when she speaks.
0:09:03
She's in foreign law schools.
0:09:04
She's already probably a better attorney than the rest of the rest of the family.
0:09:08
And you'll hear from her after me.
0:09:10
Thank you, Claire Schulman.
0:09:13
I'm sorry.
0:09:13
Claire Schulman.
0:09:14
I meant chair Schulman.
0:09:15
They came out.
0:09:15
Claire Schulman.
0:09:18
It's fine.
0:09:19
Never realized that.
0:09:20
Speaker Adams, Giuliani, all the council members that came out today as a former chair.
0:09:26
I'm the the public safety committee.
0:09:28
I'm very impressed with the turnout and the promptness and doesn't I know how rarely that happens.
0:09:34
But I'm also speaking on behalf of my father, he wanted really wanted to be here today.
0:09:41
He's in the hospital.
0:09:43
And my brother-in-law, they would both both be here.
0:09:47
So I'm testifying today as a former council member.
0:09:51
I wanna let you know a little bit about the legislative history that got us all today because it is very interesting.
0:09:58
But I'm testifying mostly as a proud, older brother, and uncle and godfather.
0:10:06
So this fight for shelters in every borough started in 2000.
0:10:12
And right in this room, my mother testified probably right over there.
0:10:16
There was a picture of the table that's over there usually with her testifying at it.
0:10:21
And speaker, my father, introduced Bill requiring a shelter in every barrel.
0:10:27
Mom testified, and last night at 10 PM, my daughter, Casey, found my mother's testimony and took a picture and sent it over to me.
0:10:37
So I'm just gonna give a little portion of it.
0:10:40
She said, right here in this room, for every daughter cat adopted, 4 are euthanized, 40,000 are killed each year.
0:10:47
This is a crisis and strong measures have to be taken.
0:10:50
The pounds, shelters, and humane societies are overwhelmed.
0:10:53
The law you are considering is a major up in the right direction to reverse this terrible trend.
0:10:58
The shelter program will provide a full service shelter in every borough and will allow for humane adoptions and ensure clean and safe environment for the animals and for those that administer to them.
0:11:11
Speaking of those that administer to them.
0:11:12
I know some of the animal rights advocates are here today.
0:11:15
They were very helpful throughout this.
0:11:16
Michelle Villagomez, it's still around.
0:11:18
I think she's testifying.
0:11:19
She worked with my brother and myself and my dad back in the day, and very pleased that they're here in support.
0:11:28
So the bill passed and the shelter was being built in every bar.
0:11:31
It was built in 3 bars, but it was never built in Queens, and it was never built in the Bronx.
0:11:36
So a lawsuit was bought by many people including those same animal race advocates to try to force the mayor to build the the the shelters.
0:11:46
Rather than building the shelters on the day of a stated meeting 2 weeks before the loss it was going to be decided in court and and was obviously going to be decided in the in the council's favor.
0:12:01
He prevailed upon the speaker who shall not be named, but rhymes with Finn, who passed the bill that day to eliminate the requirement for a shelter in every borough.
0:12:13
And and so I've found out about it that they have stated and couldn't stop it, obviously.
0:12:21
I put the bill back in later on, it never moved, obviously.
0:12:24
And that was that.
0:12:29
So we we kept up to fight the entire family.
0:12:34
And with Paul's help in 2013, I I proposed in the Council passed an Animal Abuse Registry, which is now 1st of its type in the entire country, being copied worldwide.
0:12:46
And in fact, the mayor vetoed that too, and he vetoed that right before termites took place.
0:12:52
So we actually didn't even have time to override the veto.
0:12:55
So 2013, 14, actually, because Paul Malone is elected.
0:13:01
First thing he does is gets the new council to override the mayor's veto of the animal abuse registry, and that's why we have that today.
0:13:11
And second thing he does is reintroduce the shelter in every barrel bill.
0:13:17
Didn't move for the 1st 4 years.
0:13:19
But then Corey Johnson became speaker.
0:13:21
And he and Paul were very close.
0:13:24
They worked together very closely and Paul.
0:13:26
Corey said, what's your priority?
0:13:28
Paul said, this bill, the animal, shelter, and every barrel.
0:13:32
Bill.
0:13:35
And here we are.
0:13:37
In word, naming the shelter after the person most responsible for it.
0:13:46
And I can't think of a better tribute to him.
0:13:50
In fact, this is the city council's idea.
0:13:54
You guys came up with it, and we are hugely thankful that you did that and are doing that today.
0:14:04
And I'm going to yeah.
0:14:07
I'm I'm smiling to money, but it's hard through through the tears as I think of of I think a happy pool would be right now.
0:14:13
Especially to see his family here and to hear his door to testify.
0:14:17
So that's what I wanna hear.
0:14:18
So I'm going to now finish up.
0:14:20
Thank you for all your time and effort.
0:14:22
And go to my gosh.
0:14:24
I'll be a balloon.
