PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Anne Levin, Representative of Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition
3:46:42
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123 sec
Anne Levin, representing Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition, presents data highlighting the inadequacy of New York City's traditional shelter system in addressing the cat population crisis. She emphasizes the vast number of cats suffering on the streets and the inability of current systems to effectively manage the problem.
- Only 2% of the estimated 500,000 outdoor cats were helped by the shelter system in 2023
- Over 2.3 million kittens are born on the streets each year, with 1.7 million dying before reaching 6 months
- Individual and small group rescuers are trying to fill the gap but are overwhelmed and lack sufficient support
Anne Levin
3:46:42
Hi.
3:46:42
My name is Anne Levin.
3:46:44
I represent Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition, which operates the Brooklyn Kat Cafe and the BBC Rescue Clinic.
3:46:51
Today, I'm gonna share the numbers that show that the existing traditional shelter system that we've all been hearing about in New York City does not adequately address the needs of the city's existing cat population despite all of our efforts.
3:47:04
To illustrate, according to the data reported as shelter animals count, in 2023, a total of 18,566 cats were taken in by participating shelters and rescue groups.
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This does not include the large number of cats helped by individual and small rescued.
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Just over 9.5000 were stray cats, in other words removed from the outdoors.
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The rest were owners, re homing or transfers from other shelters.
3:47:30
This means that in 2023, the existing New York City shelter system was able to help less than 2% of the over 500,000 cats suffering on the streets.
3:47:40
At this city, we are failing the over 500,000 outdoor cats suffering on the streets, the over 2,300,000 kittens born on the streets each year.
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And over 1,700,000 kittens that die before they reach 6 months on our streets.
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These cats affect every single community in the city from animal lovers to residents who see the cats, nuisance behaviors, and See them reproducing, starving, and suffering on their doorsteps.
3:48:08
The traditional shelter system and current adoption rates are not and will never be sufficient to solve the New York City cat crisis for good.
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Individual and small group rescuers have stepped up and try and fill the gap.
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However, with little financial help, extremely limited access to affordable veterinary care, and no municipal support, we are constantly overwhelmed by the numbers, the death, and the suffering.
3:48:30
Please hear our concerns, recognize the magnitude of the cat crisis in the city and include individual rescuers and small rescue rescue groups in the discussion of implementation of systemic humane solutions to the New York City cat crisis.