Ending the Need to Kill
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THE DOG PROJECT aims to
end the need to kill dogs, first on Long Island, then nationally. The full name
of our all-volunteer, tax-exempt organization is The Dog Project and Cat
Project, Inc., and we are beginning to work with cat overpopulation.
Based on discussions with expert
individuals and organizations, nationally and internationally, and with
innumerable dog and cat owners and responsible breeders, and our experiences in
North Hempstead and on Long Island, we are proposing specific practical steps we
believe will help end the need to kill dogs and cats. We've avoided the extremes
on both sides in our desire to encourage solutions. Together, all of us can
end the very costly, brutal and irrational practice of carelessly causing the births of
too many dogs and cats. To compound the problem we set up elaborate,
expensive
procedures to round up the "surplus" dogs and cats, imprison them,
feed
them and kill lots of them. Let's have intelligent, effective legislation passed
now in North Hempstead and then team up to work on what each of us can do to
help dogs and cats who give so much. SEE PROPOSED LEGISLATION BELOW.
1) All dogs and cats of any and all
ages sold by, adopted from or transferred by any and all sources in North
Hempstead, public and private, other than by breeders licensed by the Town of
North Hempstead, must be spayed or neutered by properly licensed veterinarians,
and the dogs or cats must be medically certified as having been spayed or neutered
before they can be sold to, adopted out to or
transferred to any individual or entity of any kind.
2) Any individual, group,
organization or entity breeding a dog or cat in the Town of North Hempstead
for the purpose of sale, adoption or transfer to another party must first
obtain a numbered annual breeding license from the Town of North Hempstead, at
an annual cost currently set at $500, and the number of such breeding license
shall prominently be displayed on all advertising and promotion and on the
premises of the breeder. Each licensed breeder is permitted one litter per
breeding dog or cat during a calendar year with no additional fee. For each
subsequent litter of that breeding animal in the same calendar year, the
breeder will pay a fee of $500 to the Town of North Hempstead. Each litter
will have a license number that shall prominently be displayed in all
advertising and on the premises of the breeder.
3) Any store or other
establishment, organization or shelter, public or private importing or causing
to be imported into North Hempstead any dog or cat from Nassau (outside of the
Town of North Hempstead) or Suffolk Counties (NY), must pay to the Town of
North Hempstead a fee of $250 per such animal; from all other areas a fee of
$500 per animal. This fee does not apply to dogs and cats adopted from public
animal shelters in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Breeders licensed by
the Town of North Hempstead may apply to the Town of North Hempstead for
hardship permission to bring a limited number of approved dog or cat breeding
stock into North Hempstead without paying such fees. The Town may also grant a
waiver of such a fee in individual, unusual cases upon application from an
entity for importation of a dog or cat involving special humane rescue or
purpose.
4) It is illegal for any store,
individual, entity or organization in North Hempstead to mistreat, improperly
care for or intentionally cause injury to any dog or cat. Aside from necessary
euthanasia by public entities or by private entities so authorized by the Town
of North Hempstead, no individual, group or organization shall intentionally
cause the death of any dog or cat.
5) Enforcement of all of the above
provisions shall be by properly authorized Town personnel, animal control
personnel, law enforcement personnel and by Town authorized organizations for
this purpose, such as the SPCA and other organizations.
6) Penalties for violation of any
part of this law shall start at $1000. per violation, escalating to $5000. per
violation upon the third violation, and additionally, possible revocation of
all licenses and permits to operate a pet-related business, shelter or breeding
establishment upon the fourth violation.
7) No Town of North Hempstead funds
shall be used to pay for any costs associated with this law. An annual budget
for such costs shall be established each year and when such funds are in
place, the terms of the law shall be operative and shall be enforced. These
funds will be raised by private contributions, grants, donations of services,
all fines and fees resulting from this law, and other such means. For example,
each taxpayer can be given the opportunity on his or her tax form to
voluntarily contribute a nominal amount to help fund this legislation to end
the need to kill dogs and cats.
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