Relates to community based initiatives for the purpose of trapping, neutering, vaccinating and returning feral cats to the area from which they were trapped.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9487
SPONSOR: McDonald TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in
relation to community based initiatives for the purpose of trapping,
neutering, vaccinating and returning feral cats to the area from which
they were trapped
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: This bill would authorize up to twen-
ty percent of the animal population control program fund balance to be
utilized for grants, to eligible entities working in coordination with
community based initiatives, for the purpose of trapping, neutering,
vaccinating and returning feral cats to the area from which they were
trapped.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1 amends subdivision 1 of
section 117-a of the agricultural and markets law, as amended by section
11 of part T of chapter 59 of the laws of 2010, by adding a new subdivi-
sion 10 which would authorize twenty percent of the Animal Population
Control Program fund balance annually for grants to eligible entities,
in coordination with community-based initiatives, for the purpose of
trapping, neutering, vaccinating and returning, to the area from which
they were trapped, feral cats as defined by the environmental conserva-
tion law.
Section 2 provides that such provisions shall not apply to community-
based initiatives operated in coordination with an eligible entity as
defined in subdivision eight of this section, which allows entities that
do not have a county animal population control program to apply for
funds from the Animal Population Control Program fund for the sole
purpose of providing low-cost spay and neuter services in their service
area.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION: The New York State Animal Population Control Program
serves Upstate and Long Island, providing grants to local governments
and eligible not-for-profit organizations for low-cost, low-income
spay/neuter initiatives and services directly related to such programs.
Operated by the ASPCA at no cost to the state, the APCP funds viable,
effective and high-impact programs each year to help communities manage
homeless animal populations and serve areas of great need, as well as
projects reaching more remote and less served populations.
Unfortunately, the APCP does not provide sufficient authority to award
grants for the management of "Trap-Neuter-Return" or "TNR" feral cat
programs. As the only proven humane and effective method to manage feral
cat colonies, these systems can have enormous value to a community At
least 15 other state-sponsored animal population control programs -
including those in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Delaware
- authorize the use of spay/neuter funds to cover the costs of viable
TNR programs.
Once considered unconventional, TNR is now generally accepted as a
viable and effective population control tool. Successfully practiced in
thousands of communities and in every landscape and setting, Trap-Neu-
ter-Return programs humanely trap feral cats - which cannot be social-
ized to live with humans safely - and take them to a veterinarian to be
neutered, vaccinated, and eartipped. After recovery, the cats are
returned to their colony. Kittens of feral cats that can be socialized
to people may be adopted into homes.
Grounded in science, TNR stops the breeding cycle of feral cats and
therefore improves their lives. Historically, the ineffective and costly
"catch and kill" approach was used to control feral cat populations, but
history has now demonstrated the futility of attempts to permanently
clear an area of cats because of the scientifically-documented phenome-
non known as the "vacuum effect." In basic terms, whenever cats are
removed, new cats move in to take advantage of the now-available
resources (like food and shelter), or the surviving cats left behind
breed to capacity. Under TNR, the returned cats act as placeholders,
preventing intact cats from moving into the area. The cats being
returned via TNR have significantly reduced nuisance behaviors (spray-
ing, noise from mating and fighting) and are better community neighbors
than the intact cats who would otherwise fill that space if there were a
vacuum. As a result, there is robust support for TNR both at the grass-
roots level and within traditional political structures.
This legislation is consistent with the statutory purpose of this
program, especially since its reinvention as a grants initiative in
2010. The bill would simply authorize a small percentage of funds avail-
able through the APCP each year to be used to support the collaborative
work of humane societies, animal welfare organizations and animal shel-
ters with community-based TNR initiatives so they may improve the quali-
ty of life for feral cats in a given area, and improve the character of
that community for its residents. This in turn supports sound public
health policy by proactively reducing the risk of rabies and other
zoonotic diseases."
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: None.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: Twenty percent of the Animal Population Control
Program fund balance will be allocated for the purposes of awarding
grants for the management of "Trap-Neuter-Return" or "TNR" feral cat
programs.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.
