Legislation alert from Neighborhood Cats

from Neighborhood Cats - for NY residents:

Please take a moment to send a copy of the email below to your Assembly Member ASAP!!!! You can find your assembly member's name and then contact info by going to http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/

Enter your zip code, then click on the name that appears. Email is in the righthand column. If you can, please also make a phone call.

In short, we need to defeat a bill that is up for a vote imminently - A. 11492 would, in a backhand way, make it illegal for any municipality to fund a TNR program unless the Legislature specifically passes a bill to allow it. Action is needed now to stop this!!

Please copy and paste the letter below and add your name and address at the bottom. thank you!!!

Bryan Kortis
Executive Director
Neighborhood Cats
212-662-5761
www.neighborhoodcats.org

LETTER:

Dear Assemblymember ___________,

I'm writing concerning A.11492, which may be up for a vote today!

Yesterday, the Senate passed a bill that would amend Agriculture &Markets Law section 374 to essentially say that "notwithstanding" the language dictating that shelters can only release cats for adoption or owner redemption, the city of Elmira can run a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program.

TNR is a method for reducing and managing feral and stray cat populations through sterilization and vaccination for rabies. It is endorsed by The Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA and many other leading animal welfare organizations.

This bill tells municipalities unequivocally that it is illegal for them to fund a TNR program without an express exemption in the statute. This is extremely harmful because it codifies an interpretation of section 374 that is questionable at best and it does this to the detriment of any locality in the state (other than Elmira) that either currently helps to fund, or plans to help to fund a TNR program.

This will damage TNR programs currently funded by NY municipalities and could significantly dampen the growth of TNR state-wide. Please help us defeat its passage in the Assembly!!

Respectfully from your constituent,
[Your name]
[Your address]