Ulster County Executive Hein (seated) signed the local law today
as advocates looked on. (L-R) Tom Delaney,
local pet breeder; Legislator Jennifer Schwartz-Berkey; Legislator
Ken Ronk; Coco & Christine DeBoer,
President of For Paws of Ulster County; Brian Shapiro, New York
State Director of the Humane Society
of the United States; Kirstie Gholson, Animal Abuse Advisory Task
Force Member;
Legislator Hector Rodriguez, Minority Leader
KINGSTON – Ulster County Executive Michael Hein signed into law
a measure that sets a minimum standard of care for pet sellers in the
county and prohibits the sale of pets to persons who are listed on the
county’s animal abuse registry.
Hein called animal abuse and neglect “unconscionable,” and
said the community has “an obligation to stand up for those that
cannot defend themselves.”
He called the measure “a common-sense law” to help combat
animal abuse, “preventing the proliferation of ‘puppy mills,’
and providing meaningful consumer protections.”
“The humanity of a society is defined by how we treat out companion
animals – the defenseless pets that many residents depend on for
comfort and protection and that rely on us for their safety and security,”
said County Legislature Chairman Kenneth Ronk.
Brian Shapiro of Saugerties, New York State director of The Humane Society
of the United States said Ulster “now has an effective law that
creates much better standards for dogs and cats that are bred locally
as pets.”
The new law builds on the county’s other pet protection efforts
including the county dog park in New Paltz, the county’s anti-tethering
law, the domestic violence prevention safe pet boarding program, a humane
feral cat program and the county’s Animal Abuse Registry.
