The most important and largely uncovered story of New York City’s Animal Care and Control (NYCACC) remains this: in a time of widespread tragedy when animal care services were sorely needed in New York City, NYCACC abandoned its mission and closed up shop. They are, quite simply, no longer fit to hold a contract performing animal control services to the City of New York, and they are now quite likely the largest limited admission publicly funded waste of tax money in the United States.
When the storm hit, NYCACC shut down its locations, and rightfully so: during the storm and in the immediate aftermath conditions in some areas were quite dangerous. However, their facilities remained closed to the public for several days after the storm, at the time of greatest need. Even now, 10 days after the storm, NYCACC continues to turn the public away and to limit their intake simply because they’re not capable of doing the job.
Today I visited three facilities of NYCACC. Manhattan, one of three full service facilities, appears to be largely open for business. The doors were unlocked with no signage posted warning the public to stay away.
At another full service facility, Brooklyn, signs were still posted warning of locked doors and limited intake.
Taken 11/8, 12:30pm. Posted on the front gate of Brooklyn NYCACC.
Finally, I visited the Bronx receiving center – despite its huge population and need for services, the Bronx does not warrant a full service shelter, just a storefront for pets to be dropped off at. In a bustling and busy area largely unaffected by hurricane devastation, the Bronx center remains closed for no evident reason. Employees loiter inside, clustered around the desk chatting away while the door stays locked and the holding cages behind them are empty.
Bronx NYCACC Receiving Center, 11/8 1:10pm.
Closed Bronx NYCACC receiving center, 11/8 1:10pm.
Can you imagine if, in the wake of a major disaster, the police closed up shop? If the fire department announced that they would only provide “limited service” for fighting fires? NYCACC has simply refused to do the job that New York pays them to do, and as such should have their contract terminated immediately. Enough is enough – when they’re open they’re killing, mistreating and abusing animals, and when there’s a state of emergency, they’ve closed up shop.
NYCACC today began to fundraise, claiming to need the money for the care of the smallest hurricane victims of NYC. One of the funds they encourage contributions to claims that:
Click image for associated NYCACC web page.
Except, of course, that they do – and today, in the Bronx, they are not taking animals at all. They’ve gone limited admission because it’s easier not to do their jobs than it is to save animals – have you seen their huge post-hurricane adoption event with discounted rates, specials, a big splash? Hey, me neither. Their claim to be “open admission” is now nothing more than a sham. At the city’s time of greatest need, they closed up shop.
It’s time to throw ‘em out.
