General

This is a first protest this year at Saratoga.  Stand with other animal advocates to protest the brutal business of horse racing. Click on the Protest Facebook Page for details and for details/dates of all protests organized by Horseracing Wrongs during Saratoga’s 6-week racing season. Email info@nyshumane.org if you have additional questions.

Read the May 18, 2016 article in The Times Herald Record.

New York State Humane Association strongly supports this ban and is very much opposed to declawing of cats.

Please let the sponsors know that you support their  bills and want to see them move through for an Assembly and Senate vote. Click their names for contact information.

A.1297 – Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal

S.5084 – Senator Joseph Griffo

“Conversations with Mocha” is a series of videos sponsored by New York State Humane Association and hosted by Pat Valusek, president of NYSHA. Mocha and Pat are speaking with various people in the community who are involved with the protection and care of animals. (Granted that Mocha makes limited contribution to the discussions and, in fact, frequently has to be removed from the taping, she is definitely part of the hosting partnership.)

Available:

• youTube.com – please remember to subscribe and request notification when a new video is uploaded
• This website

NEW PUBLICATION BY NYSHA!
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ANIMAL ABUSE AND HUMAN VIOLENCE
By NYSHA Board Member, Harold Hovel, Ph.D.

Animal cruelty is linked directly or indirectly with every type of violent crime and even with most non-violent crime. Human beings would benefit enormously if fighting animal cruelty (investigating, prosecuting) were taken seriously. Many human lives would be saved and much human suffering would be prevented.  PDF available to download.

Governor Cuomo has signed this bill (A.7207/S.5320) into law requiring the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets to work with the Municipal Police Training Council and the Division of Criminal Justice Services to develop training and training materials regarding the enforcement of the animal cruelty laws for police, and also to provide written and electronic information regarding the cruelty statutes for police agencies and officers, and district attorneys.

This is very important because even though police are mandated to enforce Article 26 of the Agriculture and Markets Law (encompassing the majority of New York’s anti-cruelty laws), most of their training focuses on Penal and Criminal Procedure Laws. Currently, provisions related to animals are not routinely taught in academies.

Now, thanks to passage of this bill, law enforcement will have the training needed to more effectively handle cases of animal cruelty, creating better outcomes for the animals and people of New York State.

New York State Humane Association

Please Take Action Now to Protect Animals!

Be a voice for animals today!!  Call Governor Andrew Cuomo at (518) 474-8390  or (888) 570-6848.  You can say, “I support Bill A.7207/S.5320 and request that Governor Cuomo sign this important bill into law.”

For years, the New York State Humane Association (NYSHA), along with other advocacy groups and concerned citizens, have been stressing that animal cruelty statutes in New York State are difficult to locate and not widely understood. This has resulted in ineffective enforcement and prosecution in cases involving animal cruelty and abuse.

A critical measure aimed at addressing this issue, introduced by Assemblyman Bill Magee and Senator Patty Ritchie (A7207/S5320), passed both houses of the NYS Legislature this year.  This bill will require the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets to work with the Municipal Police Training Council and the Division of Criminal Justice Services to:

• develop training regarding enforcing animal cruelty laws for police,
• create materials about laws involving animals for law enforcement agencies and district attorneys, and
• provide written and electronic information regarding the cruelty statutes for police agencies, officers, and district attorneys.

Please remember to call today.
If law passes, New York State will provide animal cruelty materials/training on animal cruelty statutes to police officers.

Thank you!

UPDATE! GREAT NEWS!
This bill was signed into law requiring the development of training and training materials regarding the enforcement of the animal cruelty laws for police and information regarding the cruelty statutes for law enforcement personnel. October 2015

In case you missed this letter to the editor of the New York Times from Matt Bershadker, President and Chief Exec., A.S.P.C.A. New York, Dec. 9, 2014 re: the banning of carriage horses on the NYC streets.

 To the Editor:
Re “A Proposal Whose Effects Might Not Be as Good as Its Intentions” (About New York column, Dec. 3):

Jim Dwyer assumes that placing former New York City carriage horses in more natural and appropriate homes would dim the prospects of homes for needier horses. But both groups deserve safe and humane homes, and we should be doing everything in our power to help them both.

These two goals are not mutually exclusive. To suggest that helping one group of horses in need might harm another creates a dangerous hierarchy that is inhumane.

As a staunch equine advocate for nearly 150 years, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals believes that all horses in crisis — from those suffering because of homelessness to those laboring in the unnatural and dangerous conditions of New York City streets — deserve our full protection.

We look forward to working with Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council to get carriage horses off city streets. We are also committed to partnering with rescue networks to find humane placement for any former carriage horse in need of a home and will continue to support horses across the country through legislation, rescue and grants.

MATT BERSHADKER
President and Chief Exec., A.S.P.C.A.
New York, Dec. 9, 2014

On Monday historic legislation to ban horse carriages will officially be introduced in the City Council! Join us! Representatives from the Animal Legal Defense Fund and NYCLASS will be on the steps of City Hall to support Mayor de Blasio’s bill that will ban the horse carriage industry. We need all hands on deck to support passage of this bill.

When:
Monday, December 8th, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Where:
260 Broadway
New York, NY 10007

Instead of shopping at amazon.com switch to smile.amazon.com. The prices are identical but Amazon will give .5% of the purchase price to a charitable organization of your choosing – we’re hoping you’ll choose New York State Humane Association!  Thank you for your support!