AGENCY TESTIMONY
NYC Health Department's role in animal welfare and support for Introduction 1018
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162 sec
Corinne Schiff, Deputy Commissioner for Environmental Health at the NYC Health Department, testifies about the department's responsibilities in animal welfare and expresses support for Introduction 1018, which aligns local law with new state law banning the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits from pet shops.
- The Health Department oversees various animal-related activities, including permitting and inspecting facilities, issuing dog licenses, and managing the city's animal population through a contract with Animal Care Centers (ACC).
- A new ACC shelter opened in Queens, with plans for full-service shelters in every borough by the end of 2026.
- The department supports Introduction 1018 but wants to work with the council to assess if some provisions are still necessary.
Corinne Schiff
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Good morning.
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Chair Schulman, members of the health committee and council members, Brandon, Holden, and Brewer.
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My name is Karim Schiff, and I'm the Deputy missioner for environmental health at the New York City Health Department.
0:32:31
On behalf of Commissioner Vassan, thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
0:32:35
The health department is charged with overseeing a range of animal related activities.
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We permit and inspect facilities such as animal shelters, grooming facilities, pet shops, boarding establishments, and animal exhibitions.
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We conduct training on small animal handling, issues state mandated dog licenses, investigate animal nuisance complaints, animal bites, and dangerous dog incidents.
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Fund low cost spay neuter services, monitor wildlife and domestic animals for rabies, and undertake rabies prevention activities.
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The health department is also responsible for managing and caring for the city's population of owners surrendered abandoned homeless and lost animals.
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The department carries out these responsibilities by contracting with ACC to provide services, Miss Weinstein, described in her testimony.
0:33:23
We were excited to celebrate the opening of the beautiful Paul, Avolon Queen's Animal Care Center, which huge chair along with ACC, the Valone family, health commissioner, veteran services commissioner, mayor's office of animal welfare, and so many other ACC supporters.
0:33:39
Opening the 1st full service animal shelter in Queens was a major milestone in the city's efforts to upgrade our animal shelter facilities, and it was especially meaningful to be there with the Valone family, longtime champions of ACC to honor Paul Malone.
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By the end of 2026, the city expects to have a full service shelter operating in every borrow.
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ACC is a national leader in animal welfare, and I want to thank Ms.
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Weinstein and ACC staff for their hard work for New York City.
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This is a mission driven organization with staff deeply devoted to the welfare of animals and to helping people find and keep their pets.
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I'll now turn to introduction 1018.
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The legislation under consideration today.
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The department appreciates the intent of this bill as we understand it, which is to align local law with the new state law banning the sale of Dodds cats and rabbits from pet shops.
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The council had already prohibited pet shops from selling rabbits as well as guinea pigs and banned the sale of dogs and cats supplied by certain dealers.
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Many of the changes proposed in the bill will help the department enforce this new state prohibition when it goes into effect later this year, and we support those changes.
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We would like to work with the council to assess whether some of the bills provisions such as those addressing the source of dogs and cats available for sale are still necessary.
0:34:57
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
0:34:59
We're happy to take your questions.