By Hank Russell
Two Assembly members from Long Island joined 14 other assembly members in signing a letter calling on Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) to provide funding for two animal welfare initiatives. The first would be an additional $5 million in appropriations for the Companion Animal Capital Fund (CACF) and the other being the establishment of a $2.5 million Animal Crimes Fund.
Daniel Norber (R,C-Great Neck) — who posted the letter on his Facebook page — and Ari Brown (R-Cedarhurst) co-signed the letter. “Shelters across our state are often the last line of defense for abused or neglected homeless animals. It is so important we provide them with the resources they need to care for these animals so they can continue their work in our communities. I am committed to seeing that these initiatives are fully funded and that New York continues to protect animals and the organizations dedicated to their care,” said Norber.
Since the 2017 state budget, the CACF has given grants to more than 70 organizations. The passage of the Companion Animal Care Standards Act for Shelters and Rescues allowed rescue groups outside the state to apply for capital grants of $20,000 to $500,000 with a 10% match.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced she has allocated $5 million to the CACF. “[W]e believe the Assembly should match this funding level for a total funding of $10 million in the upcoming budget,” the assembly members wrote in their letter.
They also emphasized the need for the Animal Crimes Fund, citing a rolling survey from the New York State Animal Protection Federation. Of the 47 cases detailed in the survey, the cost to care for animals involved in crimes was $4,426,250; the shelters who took in these animals only received $795,337 in restitution — 18% of the total cost.
“These animals can’t just be put in a closet and taken out as evidence when needed in a case,” the letter said. “Holding live evidence comes at a significant cost. The shelters provide veterinary care, food, enrichment and a clean, dry place for the animals to stay.”
The signatories noted that many of these shelters “work hand in hand” with the authorities with some having their own law enforcement divisions.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney — whose Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team (BEAST) team and the Suffolk County Police Department collaborate on “Operation Bloodhound” to ensure that all laws and court mandates pertaining to animal cruelty prosecutions are strictly enforced — supports these initiatives.
“From my office’s first-hand experience in prosecuting these horrific offenses, the costs of care for the numerous shot, stabbed, burnt, starved, and otherwise tortured victims of animal cruelty can be utterly overwhelming for our partners in rescue,” Tierney said.
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, Tierney announced the initial results of Operation Bloodhound back in January. Members of law enforcement engaged in dozens of compliance actions against individuals who either had been accused of or had previously been convicted of animal cruelty-related offenses. The Suffolk County Police Department’s Warrant Squad additionally assisted in the apprehension of multiple defendants who had active warrants for not showing up to court to face charges of alleged animal neglect or abuse.
BEAST detectives arrested four convicted animal abusers for failing to renew their registration for Suffolk County’s Animal Abuse Offender Registry, as required by Suffolk County Local Law. Three of those four defendants had pleaded to engaging in dogfighting in their prior case, as previously reported by LILP.
In addition, BEAST detectives also conducted numerous unannounced spot-check visits of defendants’ homes to ensure that they were in compliance with their criminal court sentences or orders, as LILP previously reported. During one of the visits, a Calverton woman was found in possession of eight dogs and was accordingly arrested for eight counts of criminal contempt for violating a court order that prohibited her from possessing additional animals while her animal cruelty case was pending.
Ass also reported by LILP, a Mastic Beach man was arrested for four counts of criminal contempt after investigators found him in possession of four cats in violation of a court order that prohibited him from owning or possessing animals for 10 years after a conviction on a prior animal neglect case. That defendant was also charged with not registering for the Suffolk County’s Animal Abuse Offender Registry.
“These victims have no friends, family, or health insurance that can provide for them in their time of need – we are truly their only hope for recovery,” Tierney said. “Let it never be a matter of money.”
Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) said he supported the initiatives, but provided no futrher comment.