KINGSTON, N.Y. – After this past weekend’s search of a property of an AKC registered dog breeder in Gardiner by the Ulster County SPCA and New York State Police revealed five dogs being kept in absolutely horrific conditions, Ulster County Executive Mike Hein has called upon the Ulster County Legislature to once again take up the matter of passing a responsible breeders law. Such a law was proposed by the County Executive last July but blocked by a small faction of Legislators in committee and prevented from reaching the floor of the Legislature for a vote.
“It was deeply disturbing to watch a critical law being irresponsibly blocked. That law was designed to protect the animals in our community and address the exact kind of appalling conditions found by the Ulster County SPCA this past weekend,” said Ulster County Executive Mike Hein. “After recent conversations, I am hopeful that the current Chairman of the Ulster County Legislature, Ken Ronk, who has been a strong advocate of animal rights as well as a supporter of our multiple animal protection initiatives and the sponsor of last year’s breeders law, will do everything in his power to prevent yet another tragic case of avoidable abuse and I thank him for his actions to date. Preventing animal abuse is a non-partisan issue and I am also urging Legislators from both sides of the aisle to recognize the severity of this issue, act swiftly and decisively and pass this needed law to ensure that not one more animal is forced to suffer in a nightmare that we have the ability to prevent. I also want to thank and commend Adam Saunders and his team at the Ulster County SPCA for their tireless work in protecting the voiceless and taking immediate action to rescue the pets who were victimized by this tragedy.”
"The UCSPCA's most recent case clearly illustrates the foresight in Mike Hein's proposal last year suggesting inspections of registered breeders,” said Ulster County SPCA Executive Director Adam Saunders. “Most, by far, are responsible and do a fine job. Sadly, a few allow their operations to deteriorate for reasons I can only guess at. This legislation would allow us to prevent animals from wallowing in the misery displayed in the media with recent events."
The breeders law was part of Ulster County Executive Mike Hein’s comprehensive animal abuse prevention initiative which also included: creation of an anti-animal abuse task force, an animal abuse registry, anti-tethering law, pet sheltering for victims of domestic violence, humane feral cat program and the count-wide dog park in New Paltz. Despite a strong showing of public support at a public hearing, the Laws and Rules Committee of the Ulster County Legislature declined to forward the law to the full Legislature for an up or down vote, and instead referred the law back to committee where no further action was taken.
