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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Marilyn Galfin, Advocate from Voices for Shelter Animals, on Animal Welfare and Shelter Crisis
6:02:53
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139 sec
Marilyn Galfin from Voices for Shelter Animals testifies about the urgent need for increased funding and comprehensive reforms to address the homeless animal and shelter crisis in New York City. She emphasizes that current allocations are insufficient and calls for a wide range of initiatives to improve animal welfare and reduce euthanasia rates.
- Advocates for significantly more funding for spay/neuter programs, veterinary care, pet food banks, and shelter improvements
- Highlights the need for better staffing, training, and adoption processes at Animal Care Centers (ACC)
- Calls for the creation of a Department of Animal Welfare, an Animal Welfare Committee on the city council, and stronger animal welfare laws
Marilyn Galfin
6:02:53
Marilyn Galpin, Voices for Shelter Animals.
6:02:55
The homeless animal crisis and shelter crisis is out of control.
6:02:59
We need the city to step up to the plate and make a serious investment to help save these animals' lives and take the burden off of rescues, shelter workers, advocates, and members of the public.
6:03:08
$1,500,000 though of a start is not nearly enough to address spay and neuter needed for cats and also dogs.
6:03:15
Funding must support not only rescue organizations but also individuals doing TNR and low income New Yorkers.
6:03:21
With an estimated 60,000 to 130,000 unsterilized dogs and up to a million cats on the street, we need millions more dollars to make a real impact.
6:03:29
We need more low cost of free veterinary care for low income New Yorkers.
6:03:32
Economic euthanasia is on the rise and no one should be forced to surrender a pet especially into a kill shelter, forgo vet care or euthanize a beloved pet simply because care is unaffordable.
6:03:43
A pilot pet food bank initiative is great but we need more than 1,000,000 to help keep people and pets together.
6:03:48
The city must invest in microchipping for your low cost behavior training, mandated humane education, emergency medical funds, and more.
6:03:55
The ACC is in the state of emergency and keeps closing its doors to intake.
6:03:59
The DOH needs to fund emergency overflow spaces for big dogs, build decompression rooms, and give money to ACC to hire staff, not wait for volunteers and to provide humane care.
6:04:10
It is the horrific shelter environment, not the animals, that's the problem.
6:04:14
The animals shouldn't pay with their lives.
6:04:16
In 2024, ACC destroyed five ninety dogs and six ninety two cats.
6:04:21
Most were adoptable and treatable.
6:04:23
This is not humane euthanasia.
6:04:25
This is killing.
6:04:26
We need money so that ACC can hire expert behaviorists and trainers who understand animal behavior in shelter settings, expand adoption hours, increase mobile and virtual adoptions, and offer more forced orientations.
6:04:38
Money is needed for strong outreach and public ad campaigns to bust the myths about bully breeds, challenge the stigma around shelter pets, and raise awareness of resources already available that can prevent surrenders and abandonment.
6:04:51
If New York City is serious about animal welfare and truly being humane, it must invest in real solutions with real funding.
6:04:57
We need a Department of Animal Welfare, we need an Animal Welfare Committee on the city council and we also need to reform the city the shelter system by passing strong animal welfare laws that protect all the animals of the city and get them enforced.
6:05:10
Animals lives matter and they are worth it.