Brooklyn's Bark and Play Doggie Day Care Busted for Alleged Animal Cruelty

Wow.

ASPCA Arrests Manager of Brooklyn Dog Boarding Facility
http://www.aspca.org/pressroom/press-releases/082610.html

Citysearch Reviews – Bark and Play
http://brooklyn.citysearch.com/profile/45239332/brooklyn_ny/bark_play.html

Anyone board their dogs at this (now closed) facility? What were your thoughts?

Another Pet Food Recall: Merrick Pet Food 'Beef Squares'

Another Recall -- Merrick Pet Food 'Beef Squares'
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm221198.htm

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm221198.htm

Samonella risk, not just for pets, but for people handling the food too.

Dog Licensing Changes May Mean Changes In Spay/Neuter Programs

Short backgrounder for everyone who may not know: dog licensing fees, in part, went to a general state fund to help pay for low or no-cost spay/neuter services.

I'm still slogging through the legal-ese of this (if there are any lawyers out there reading this feel free to chime in) but it *appears*, after reading this several times, that the following is going to change come the end of this year:

1.) Cities, towns, and other municipalities throughout New York will now be responsible for administration of their dog licensing procedures. (Previously, the Department of Agriculture and Markets pretty much did this for everyone.)

2.) HOWEVER -- the above excludes New York ('cities over two million' in population) BUT New York WILL have to do some fiddling with it's licensing law.

3.) The above-mentioned fiddling sounds very much like it WILL affect how spay/neuter programs are funded AND administrated. For example, more local spay/neuter clinics, including mobile clinics, may benefit from the change in the law. (See excerpt of law, below.)


Feel free to double-check or debate my interpretation from the source material below. If I get a chance this week I'll try to make a few calls to nail down with more clarity what this all means:


New York State Animal Population Contol Changes – Effective January 1st, 2011
http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/AI/Guidance%20Document_APCP.pdf

Key Excerpts of Above Document:

While the existing legislative intent of the program remains the same, the new statute contains several significant changes of importance to local governments, municipal shelters and animal welfare organizations. The most important of these is the transformation of the APCP from a state‐operated voucher/veterinary reimbursement program to one that authorizes the chosen administrative entity to disburse grants to eligible spay/neuter programs.

The administrative entity will not have authority to award funding through the APCP to New York City programs. Provisions in Part T (pages 33‐34) explicitly authorize New York City government to administer its own Animal Population Control Program, separate and apart from the new statewide APCP.

For the really ambitious readers (and leagle beagles out there...please chime in with commentary)

Actual Language of the Law:
http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/AI/Dog_Licensing_59.pdf


From actual law:
The depart- 46 ment shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to establish an
47 animal population control program including, but not limited, to creat-
48 ing clinics or mobile units where such services shall be performed and
49 establishing criteria for pet owner eligibility to use such services.

Iam and Eukaneuba Food Recall; Update On NYC Pet Housing Law

Few quick late-summer updates for you: (if you're not automatically directed to them via click, just cut-and-paste into browser)

Iams and Eukaneuba have expanded recalls for certain dry foods:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pg-expands-voluntary-limited-recall-of-specialized-dry-pet-foods-due-to-possible-health-risk-99668369.html

Good, Comprehensive Resource via Brooklyn Animal Foster Network and others on current NYC Pet Law in terms of housing matters. I particularly like this one because it fills in a few situations people may not be aware of when it comes to companion animals. Just saying you have a 'companion animal' doesn't give you a free pass. For example, yes, you can have a 'companion animal' for medical and psychological reasons, but be prepared to give up lots of privacy over your condition--including to your landlord--if you go this route. Also, just because an animal is considered by you to be a 'companion animal' doesn't mean your neighbors can't complain that it is being a 'nuisance' (barking, biting, etc.). It also doesn't mean you can call your pot-bellied pig a 'companion animal'; animals considered illegal within NYC borders are not covered by the law.


Good stuff in this booklet; I suggest every NYC resident download and keep it for reference, remembering your particular situation may differ and that you may still have to shell out a sizable chunk of money to be represented by a lawyer specializing in pet law.

http://www.brooklynanimalfosternetwork.org/Keeping%20Your%20Pet%20in%20a%20NYC%20Apartment.pdf

Of course, pet law and pet housing matters have been a particular focus of
New York Tails Magazine since our beginings in 2002, and there's lots of great information in our archives and from our legal contributor, pet law expert Karen Copeland:

http://www.newyorktails.com/legal.htm
http://www.newyorktails.com/archives.htm http://www.newyorktails.com/petfriendlyapartments.htm
http://www.newyorktails.com/archives.htm#legal