Q&A
Animal cruelty enforcement and NYPD-ASPCA partnership
1:20:59
·
143 sec
Alexandra Silver, Director of the Mayor's Office of Animal Welfare, explains the current structure of animal cruelty enforcement in New York City. She discusses the partnership between the NYPD and the ASPCA, which has been in place for 10 years.
- The entire NYPD is now responsible for enforcing animal cruelty laws, replacing the previous system where the ASPCA was solely responsible
- The ASPCA partners with the NYPD, providing expert support and veterinary forensics for animal cruelty cases
- An Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad has been created under the NYPD's Detective Bureau
- The Mayor's Office of Animal Welfare collaborates with these entities but does not have direct enforcement powers
Justin Brannan
1:20:59
Okay.
1:21:03
And the effort for the cruelty Could you explain a little bit?
1:21:07
I don't know if this was for for Alex or maybe DOE, but for the the animal cruelty and law enforcement.
1:21:15
So I know they disbanded that original NYPD unit, right, that used to go out, the one they had the TV show about.
1:21:26
It's a great show.
Alexandra Silver
1:21:28
So this year, we actually we actually marked the 10th anniversary of the partnership between NYPD and ASPs and the ASPCA.
Justin Brannan
1:21:37
Right.
Alexandra Silver
1:21:37
So previous to the current structure, the ASPCA was responsible for the entire city humane law enforcement.
1:21:48
And now we have the entire police department of New York City that can and is responsible for enforcing animal cruelty.
1:21:57
Right.
1:21:57
But they partner, and I don't know if the ASPCA is gonna speak to this today, but they partner with their experts.
1:22:04
So animal cruelty victims will be taken that are in part of cases will be taken to the ASPCA, where they have a veterinary forensics team that will work with them.
1:22:15
So it's a very close partnership between the ASPCA and NYPD, but we have the NYPD And then as part of this partnership, what was created was the animal cruelty investigation squad
Justin Brannan
1:22:25
Mhmm.
Alexandra Silver
1:22:26
Which is a unit under the detectives bureau focused on animal cruelty.
1:22:31
So that's an advancement.
1:22:34
You know, we just have more resources at our disposal now.
Justin Brannan
1:22:36
And how does your office collaborate with them?
Alexandra Silver
1:22:39
How does my offs what?
1:22:40
I'm sorry.
Justin Brannan
1:22:40
Could collaborate with them.
Alexandra Silver
1:22:42
Oh, so, you know, ideally, everyone, we need to get the word out that if anyone is concerned about animal abuse or neglect to report it, to 311 or 911 if it's in progress.
1:22:52
So the office of Animal Welfare is not meant to be the place where you go because we have a system in place, but what the office can do is certainly follow-up if something seems like it's not working.
1:23:02
If you're not getting the attention in.
1:23:04
I always ask people, you know, send me the 311 service request number.
1:23:07
I can follow-up.
1:23:08
And I'm frequently in touch with the animal cruelty investigation squad at NYPD, asking them questions, seeing what we if we need to look into something.
1:23:19
On that.
1:23:19
But I, you know, the office does not have enforcement powers itself.
