Animal rescue concerned about new law
LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Companion Animal Standards Care Act will take effect December 2025. The law will essentially hold smaller rescue organizations to the same standards of upkeep as larger established shelters on amenities like animal bedding, transportation, behavioral record keeping and mandatory training.
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Maggie Blodgett, Co-Vice President of Out of the Pitts, a rescue organization, says provisions in the bill which call for sanitation, housing, and record keeping on pet behavior, may be unrealistic for smaller shelters.
“I do believe we will absolutely survive it, we are blessed with the people we have. unfortunately a lot of other smaller rescues without the means and the knowledge that we have will not” Blodgett said.
Maggie is concerned about expectations like keeping the name address and phone number of people who bring dogs to them for rescue. She says dog owners who are mistreating animals may be reluctant to provide that information. Maggie added that other requirements may be hard to meet.
“Air qualities, inspections, our volunteers need state mandated training every year. So it’s just..taking away from the time that we can spend doing the actual rescue.” Maggie told us.
Shelter organizations tend to have more staffing, and sometimes government funding. Rescue organizations are all volunteer based and rely on donations. She says small shelters told the late Cydney Cross who founded out of the Pits that they won't survive these regulations especially because of the finances it takes to meet such standards.
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“And Cydney told me before she passed that rescues have told her come 2025 they're done, they don't have the volunteers that we do, they can't meet the standards” Blodgett said. “A fine and maybe the state's eyes is cheap, to get our attention, but to a rescue it could be half of the year's fundraising budget”, she added.
Maggie’s urging the state to consider the provisions of the bills and questions it’s effectiveness.
“Come talk to us, let’s see if we can get into agreement about the safety of animals and reach an agreement. In a sum, please tell me what this does to save animals. I don’t see it” she said.
NEWS 10 in contact with the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets who handles these issues for comment on Out of the Pitt’s concerns. We also reached out to a large organization, The Mohawk Hudson Hudson Humane Society, who did not want to comment.