PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by April Lang, Member of Intake Team at KittyKind
5:07:34
·
108 sec
April Lang, a member of KittyKind's intake team, highlights several critical issues facing animal welfare in New York City. She shares examples of people struggling with pet care due to financial constraints and lack of resources, emphasizing the urgent need for affordable veterinary services and pet-friendly housing.
- A woman nearly had to give up her ill cat due to treatment costs but was saved by financial assistance from AMC.
- A family ended up with over 30 unfixed cats because they couldn't afford spay/neuter services.
- A rescuer faced challenges due to reduced availability of low-cost spay/neuter appointments.
- A couple had to consider giving up their three cats due to lack of affordable pet-friendly housing.
April Lang
5:07:34
Yes.
5:07:35
Hi there.
5:07:36
My name is April Lang.
5:07:37
And as a member of the Kitty Kind intake team, I received many heartbreaking requests for help from people wanting to relinquish their animal family members or finding abandoned animals on the streets.
5:07:50
And I just wanted to highlight a few examples of the issues that the city is currently facing that we have experienced.
5:07:57
A woman wanted to give up her newly ill cat because she couldn't afford the treatment that her vet recommended.
5:08:03
We suggest that she reach out to the AMC and apply for financial assistance.
5:08:08
She did.
5:08:09
And without that financial help, her cat would have died.
5:08:13
A family who started out with a male and a female cat and because they couldn't afford the cost of St.
5:08:19
Neuter ended up with over 30 additional unfixed cats in their apartment.
5:08:25
Then there's a long time cat rescuer who for years made sure cats and their kidneys who gave birth and back yards in her neighborhood got spayed and neutered and discovered that the low cost clinic in her area had pulled back the number of stay nooder appointments they had been offering due to a veterinarian shortage.
5:08:44
Without the ability to arrange those appointments, more kittens would be giving birth in her neighborhood.
5:08:51
A couple who were moving wanted to give Well, they they wanted to give up their 3 cats.
5:08:57
They really didn't want to, but they had they needed to give up their 3 cats because they couldn't find an affordable apartment that was pet friendly.
5:09:06
The need is great.
5:09:08
For high volume and low cost, Spain Rooter services, affordable vet care, and pet friendly housing.
5:09:16
Without these three things, the animals and the people in our city will continue to suffer.
5:09:21
Thank you.