PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Molly Caldwell, Independent Rescuer from East New York
4:26:49
·
108 sec
Molly Caldwell, an independent cat rescuer from East New York, testifies about the overwhelming cat population problem in her area and the need for city-provided, low-cost spay/neuter and veterinary care services. She emphasizes that private citizens and rescues shouldn't bear the sole responsibility for addressing the city's cat crisis.
- Caldwell has spent thousands of dollars and countless hours caring for abandoned and feral cats over 10 years
- She urges the city to develop multiple low-cost, high-volume spay/neuter and veterinary services in all five boroughs
- Caldwell suggests looking at successful models like Flatbush Cats for cost-efficient, neighborhood-specific solutions
Molly Caldwell
4:26:49
Hi.
4:26:50
Thank you for having this hearing.
4:26:52
My name is Molly Caldwell, and I'm an independent rescuer in district 42 in East New York.
4:26:58
I'm a small business owner, a homeowner, and a core member of the New York City cat rescue alliance that John Lynn started.
4:27:06
I've been doing cat rescue for over 10 years.
4:27:08
I concentrate on my own block and my neighbors who need help.
4:27:12
East New York is overflowing with cats, whether injured, skinny, pregnant, fully ridden, dumped, or sick, unfixed cats have multiple litters a year, and those cats have more cats.
4:27:23
The cycle continues because people are either ignorant of the Spay Nuder laws can't afford to care for or don't have access to low cost Spay Nuder and vet care, and rescuers can't keep up with the need.
4:27:36
Over the years, I've spent 1000 of dollars of my own money, and countless hours caring for friendly abandoned cats and feral community cats.
4:27:43
I'm lucky and grateful for the network of rescuers who help me when I can't manage, but I or any other private citizen shouldn't have to rely on other private citizens or private rescues to solve our city's cat crisis.
4:27:58
There's a lot more to this conversation than the time limit allows, but a good place to start is high volume, low cost, Spain Neuter, and veterinary care provided by the city.
4:28:07
There are several organizations that spoke earlier such as Flatbush cats who have built small neighborhood specific cost efficient models that could be replicated.
4:28:17
You have a vast wealth of experience, knowledge, and creativity right here at your fingertips, I urge you to use this wonderful resource to develop multiple low cost high volume spay neuter and veterinary services in all five boroughs of New York City, and I would add to that more than one in a in a in a burrow.
4:28:35
Thank you.