PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Farrah Goff, Cofounder of 10 Lives Rescue
4:13:03
·
96 sec
Farrah Goff, cofounder of 10 Lives Rescue, advocates for increased affordable spay/neuter services in New York City, particularly in underserved areas like East Harlem and Upper Manhattan. She highlights the lack of local, affordable veterinary care options and the challenges this poses for pet owners and rescuers in these communities.
- Emphasizes the need for affordable spay/neuter services in East Harlem and Upper Manhattan, where no options currently exist
- Describes the difficulties of transporting animals to distant affordable clinics in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx
- Suggests including plans for an affordable veterinary care center in the proposed business improvement district for East Harlem and Upper Manhattan
Farrah Goff
4:13:03
Thank you.
4:13:05
My name is Sarah, and I am a cofounder of a cat rescue called 10 Lives Rescue in New York.
4:13:10
I am here to advocate for the city to increase the number of affordable spay neater services for pet owners and rescue especially in underserved communities.
4:13:17
We've heard a lot today about Brooklyn and the Bronx, but my rescue focuses their efforts in East Harlem and Upper Manhattan, where there are absolutely no options for folks to spy or new to their animals affordably.
4:13:28
Oftown, we joke that we are a small, but determined group of dedicated animal lovers and rescuers.
4:13:33
The nearest option for affordable vet care or spay annuter services is in the Bronx, and the 2nd nearest options are in Queens and Brooklyn, which is unfeasible for many individuals.
4:13:43
Just 2 weeks ago, my cofounder and I spent collectively 6 hours on a single day outside of our day jobs, driving a car full of cats to and from their stay appointments in Brooklyn because it was the only affordable and available option.
4:13:54
While helpful and important, this is not a sustainable option for the thousands of individuals who live up town and wish to care for their animals.
4:14:01
East Harlem is also where the Manhattan ACC is located.
4:14:04
While the new animal care centers that are opening up will offer a clinic, the existing location does not offer this.
4:14:10
Despite the hyper local option for people to adopt a new pet, there are no affordable local options where people can take these new family members to get continuing care.
4:14:19
The neighborhood has seen an increase in the amount of friendly dumped animals outside in addition to the feral cat populations.
4:14:24
Currently, there's advocacy to implement a business improvement district in East Harlem and Upper Manhattan separately or in or together to help revitalize these neighborhoods and in including plans for an affordable veterinary care center is vital to the health and development of these communities.