PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sarah Hauser, Animal Welfare Advocate
6:55:24
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157 sec
Sarah Hauser, an experienced animal welfare advocate, provided testimony on the current challenges facing animal rescue and care in New York City. She highlighted the impact of the pandemic on animal welfare and the urgent need for government support.
- Emphasized the strain on the animal rescue system due to increased animal populations and reduced spay/neuter services during the pandemic
- Pointed out the rising costs and decreased availability of veterinary care, affecting shelters, rescues, and pet owners
- Called for government funding for high-volume, low-cost spay/neuter services and affordable veterinary care to support rescuers and pet owners
Sarah Hauser
6:55:24
Hi.
6:55:25
My name is Sarah Hauser, and I'm happy to be able to share with you today.
6:55:30
I've worked with animals and shelters and rescue environments for many years, sharing modalities such as tea touch and Reiki combined with socialization techniques specializing in fearful and feral cats.
6:55:46
These environments have spanned several boroughs and many neighborhoods I've worked with animals in larger shelters, with individual rescuers, with fosters, and in vet offices.
6:55:58
I also work with people and their rescued pets in their homes.
6:56:01
And these experiences have allowed me to see the animal rescue world from many perspectives, and to see how the current situation is impacting so many people and animals.
6:56:14
The pandemic started a chain reaction of crises in the animal rescue and animal care.
6:56:20
A world already so stressed, overworked, underpaid, and overwhelmed.
6:56:28
And during this time periods, Faye Nudi was pretty much on hold resulting and a huge increase in the population of animals that need help.
6:56:38
And during this time, so many people lost their jobs resulting in more people having to surrender their pets as they could no longer care for them.
6:56:48
A many vet offices closed or have been taken over by large corporations whose priorities may not be as well oriented as private practices, and the remaining vets not run by these corporations are overworked.
6:57:03
And the prices of sorry?
6:57:06
Prices of vet care have risen, and the rising prices, unless availability of reasonably priced vet care, are impacting shelters, rescues, and pet parents.
6:57:19
The whole system is overwhelmed in every way, and so many individual rescuers who I know are working tirelessly now more than ever stretched weight past their limits often paying for everything out of their own pockets.
6:57:33
The NYC Animal Rescue community deserves support and funding to continue the important work that they do.
6:57:40
We need the New York City government to allocate funding for high volume, low cost, bay nooder, and affordable veterinary care for anyone in need.
6:57:49
Help the rescuers, to help the animals, and help pet parents to be able to keep their pets.
6:57:55
Pets are our family, and we want everyone to be able to afford to care for them, and keep them in their homes.