Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals: 2022 Annual Report

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

As New York City adapted to a new “post-pandemic normal,” the Alliance continued in 2022 to focus on helping New York City pet owners connect with critical services and resources to care for their pets. Many pet owners faced unprecedented challenges in acquiring routine and urgent healthcare for their pets.

These challenges stemmed primarily from the sluggish recovery of programs designed to assist lower income pet owners, particularly those programs that provide free or low-cost spay/neuter services. A nationwide shortage of veterinarians and other veterinary personnel prevented some programs from reopening following COVID lockdowns, and forced others to severely curtail their activities. Waitlists of six months or more for affordable spay/neuter services became the norm – a situation that continues into the present.

Meeting the need for accurate, up-to-date information.

The Alliance has continued to be a consistent and reliable source of information and guidance for New York City pet owners.

Through our informational phone line, our website, and hundreds of emails and phone calls, the Alliance helped untold numbers of pet owners connect with critical services, including affordable spay/neuter, medical care, sources of free pet food, legal assistance, surrender prevention programs, community cat assistance, and other animal-related resources.

Throughout the year we used our blog, Out of the Cage, to inform and motivate our readers on pet-related topics, such as emergency preparedness for pets and people, where to seek help for low-cost pet care, responsible pet ownership, and families with pets experiencing domestic violence.

Working with the City of New York

We continued to collaborate with our valued partners on the Animal Planning Task Force (APTF) of NYC’s Emergency Management, working alongside our colleagues to develop solutions to existing and emerging challenges facing NYC’s pets and their people.

In 2022 we strengthened our collaborative relationship with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare. This valuable rapport allows the Alliance to provide historical context to assist the Office of Animal Welfare in tackling some of the new and ongoing challenges facing the city’s animal welfare community, while providing the Alliance with an effective partner in addressing concerns of our constituents.

Advocating for NYC’s Animals and People

Alliance volunteer Matt Wildman continued to manage the Alliance’s Tenant Advocacy Program, assisting pet owners facing challenges with their landlords concerning keeping their pets in their home. Since 2015, the program has helped over 350 pet owners keep their pets. These include private renters, coop owners, New York City Housing Authority residents, and residents in Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelters.

When the number of abandoned guinea pigs exploded in New York City, the Alliance supported legislation to prohibit New York City pet stores from selling guinea pigs. In 2022 alone, Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) took in

more than 600 guinea pigs, placing a tremendous burden on the shelters’ overwhelmed staff. In December, Steve Gruber, the Alliance’s Director of Communications, testified at a hearing before the New York City Council’s Committee on Health in support of Intro 4 to ban the sale of guinea pigs in New York City pet stores. The Council approved the bill, which became effective in 2023.

As a member of the Lights Out Coalition, we continued in 2022 to advocate for animal friendly legislation. The previous year, in concert with our partners on the Coalition, we helped gain a victory for migratory birds with the passage of lights out legislation that will save the lives of thousands of birds each year. We continued to press for legislation to expand on that success, as well as gain traction for other animal friendly measures in New York City.

When a class of fifth grade students at the East Village Community School decided to focus their spring Service Learning Project on ways to help struggling pet owners keep their pets, they reached out to the Alliance. We arranged for a speaker to meet with the class, answer their questions, and provide guidance in developing their project strategy.

We also continued in our role as a bridge, connecting donors of pet food and pet supplies with animal shelters, rescue groups, and pet owners –allowing us to steer donations to appropriate and needy recipients. Our supporters continue to be our lifeblood.

We are so grateful to our dedicated supporters who recognize the importance of our unique role in NYC’s animal community and our commitment to NYC’s animals and the people who love them. Since our founding in 2003, private support has fueled our success, as the Alliance receives no government funding.

We invite you to support our efforts to make New York City a thriving community for companion animals, homeless animals, community cats, and the people who care about them. We hope you will continue to follow our activities on our blog, our website, and Facebook

Jane Hoffman, President Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals

2022 REVENUE

2022 OPERATING EXPENSES