Q&A
Discussion on spay/neuter requirements and DOHMH enforcement
0:44:07
·
164 sec
Council Member Schulman questions DOHMH officials about the enforcement of Local Law 59 of 2011, which requires free-roaming cats to be spayed or neutered. The discussion reveals that while DOHMH enforces the law, they don't have specific data on requests for proof of sterilization or violations issued.
- DOHMH finds compliance when they ask for proof of sterilization
- The department doesn't currently collect comprehensive data on spay/neuter requests
- DOHMH doesn't believe they need additional resources for enforcement
Lynn C. Schulman
0:44:07
So now I wanna talk about Spaying and neutering for a little bit.
0:44:11
Local law 59 of 2011 requires that all free free roaming cats with owners be spared or neutered to reduce the feral cat population and requires owners to submit proof of sterilization upon request by DOHMH.
0:44:25
Under the law owners may be find between $250 $500 for letting their unsterilized cats roam free.
0:44:31
Is DO HMH in full compliance with the requirements of this law?
Corinne Schiff
0:44:37
The health department does enforce that that local law.
0:44:42
So when we observe a cat that appears to be an outdoor cat, we will ask the owner for information about Spain Neuter status for that animal.
0:44:54
Yes.
Lynn C. Schulman
0:44:55
How many requests for proof of sterilization has DOH MH filed in the past year?
Corinne Schiff
0:45:01
We don't have that data.
Lynn C. Schulman
0:45:09
Do you not collect it?
Corinne Schiff
0:45:12
We collect the information only where we have issued a summons for failing to comply.
0:45:20
And in the instances where we have done that enforcement, we have found compliance.
0:45:24
And so we do not have the data on on having asked for the information.
Lynn C. Schulman
0:45:30
Is there a reason for not doing that?
0:45:32
Or is there a funding issue, staffing issue, It
Corinne Schiff
0:45:37
has not been part of our protocol to to document that in a way that we can pull the data.
Lynn C. Schulman
0:45:42
But we'll we'll revisit that.
0:45:45
What circumstances would trigger a request by DOH MH for proof of sterilization?
Corinne Schiff
0:45:51
So these are typically inspections where we are responding to a complaint or we're doing a rabies investigation.
0:46:00
And so we will be out in the community making observations.
0:46:04
And if we do see a cap, that appears to be an owned cat that is allowed to roam outdoors.
0:46:11
We will ask the owner for that information.
Lynn C. Schulman
0:46:15
What how many notices let's See if you do this.
0:46:18
How many notices of violation has DHMH issued in the past year?
Corinne Schiff
0:46:23
For this circumstance, you mean?
Gale A. Brewer
0:46:24
Mhmm.
Corinne Schiff
0:46:25
So we have when we have conducted these inspections and made those observations about the cat and asked the owner, we have found that cat to have been altered, and so there had not been we have not issued violations.
Lynn C. Schulman
0:46:40
So so none.
0:46:42
Now come out, folks, please be quiet.
Corinne Schiff
0:46:46
We right.
0:46:47
That is right.
0:46:47
We've found we have found compliance, and so we have not issued violations.