We animal-loving New Yorkers are in trouble!

THE COURTS HAVE EXPANDED THE RIGHTS OF LANDLORDS, COOP BOARDS, AND SOME CONDO BOARDS TO ENFORCE A NO-PET CLAUSE FOR EACH ANIMAL A PERSON OBTAINS! That is, even if you already have a cat or a dog, it does not mean you automatically have the right to replace one who has passed away or is no longer living in your apartment.

THERE IS A SOLUTION: NYC Councilwoman Melinda Katz has proposed Intro. No. 189-A. It states that once a landlord or board waives the NO-PET clause in a person's lease, the tenant can replace a pet who has died or is no longer living in the apartment with another pet of the same species. Furthermore, if the tenant had more than one pet at any one time since July 1995, such tenant can still maintain that same number of animals in the apartment.

SUPPORT INTRO. No. 189-A!

Note: Intro. No. 189-A does not protect people whose pets create a "nuisance."

IMPORTANT UPDATE ON INTRO 189-A!
By Mary Max

Intro. No. 189-A's (The NYC Pet Law) will have a "final hearing" before the Housing and Buildings Committee on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14th at 1PM, CITY HALL CHAMBERS, 2nd FLOOR. A press conference on the City Hall Steps will precede it at 12:30pm. PLEASE DO ALL YOU CAN TO ATTEND!

A "final vote" before the "entire" City Council is set for WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15th at 1:30PM, CITY HALL CHAMBERS, 2nd FLOOR. AGAIN, PLEASE DO ALL YOU CAN TO ATTEND!

If you can only attend one day, it is best that you attend on Wednesday, December 15, at 1:30 pm.

It is also important to call, fax, e-mail, and even surface mail Mayor Bloomberg's office and urge him (politely but firmly) to SIGN INTRO. No.189-A INTO LAW. He needs to know how important this bill is to so many pet and their people throughout New York City.

How to contact Mayor Bloomberg by mail:
Office of Mayor Michael Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
Phone: (212) 788-3000 (ask for the comment line)
Fax: (212) 788-2460

To email the Mayor go to: http://nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html

About Intro 189-A

The very best thing you can do to help get this law passed, once and for all, is to attend the hearing, especially the one on Wednesday, December 15 at 1:30pm, which is when the council will vote whether to pass the bill or not. If we make City Hall and "standing room only" venue with our presence this will send a powerful message to the entire Council about how important this bill is.

If you can't come to the vote, please forward this message to a pet-loving neighbor, friend or relative. And, please contact Mayor Bloomberg as well as your local City Council member to let them know you support this bill 100 percent!

To find out who your city council member is, go to the council's website: http://www.council.nyc.ny.us or call the council at 212-788-7100. And/or, call, write or email speaker Gifford Miller and urge him to back Intro 380. His phone number is 212-786-7210 and his email is miller@council.nyc.ny.us. Or write him at: Speaker Gifford Miller, Council of the City of New York, 250 Broadway, NY, NY. You can also call, write or email Council member Madeline Provenzano, Chair of the Housing and Buildings Committee and let her know you back this bill. Phone: 212-788-7375 or email: provenzano@council.nyc.ny.us

A special note from New York Tails: Please send a big "thank you" to one of the many tireless crusaders behind this bill, Elinor Molbegott, legal counsel for the Humane Society of New York and a great friend to New York Tails readers. You can send her a note of support at the Humane Society of New York, 306 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022; phone her at (212) 752-4842; or e-mail her at elinorm328@aol.com. The biggest thank you you could give her, however, would be to attend the meeting.

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