New York City Council holds hearing on options to control overcrowding in animal shelters

LOWER MANHATTAN (WABC) -- The New York City Council held a hearing on Friday to find ways to control the overcrowding of animal shelters across the five boroughs.

Recently, the city has seen a surge in people dropping of pets for adoption after seeing the opposite during the pandemic. And as a result, shelters across the city are overcrowded with pets that need a home and conditions are not the best.

Risa Weinstock, CEO of Animal Care Centers of New York City (ACC), says financial issues such as pet restrictions or fees for people renting homes, a shortage of vets and vet techs and lack of resources -- affordable spay and neutering -- have all factored into to the overcrowding.

"Animal shelters nationally are navigating many post-COVID challenges that are dramatically and negatively impacting animal welfare," she said. "Adoption alone will not stop these issues or alleviate the strain on our shelters."

Weinstock added less than a month after a new $75 million animal care center opened in Queens, it was already operating at more than 200% capacity.

"We are looking at creative ways to house these animals. The intake far outweigh the physical cage space in any of the care centers," Weinstock said.

City Council members pointed out to the ACC's $33.5 million budget and how it's being spent and whether it's enough to solve the overcrowding.

A new bill was introduced to members that would ban the sale of dogs and cats in retail stores throughout the city.

"We've got a serious upstream problem, right?", acknowledged Councilman Justin Brannan. "So instead of pulling people out of the river, let's go upstream and figure out why they're falling in. And that's what's happening right now with our animals in the city of New York."

Right now there are about 800 animals in Animal Care Centers of New York City (ACC) shelters.

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