Letter to Mayor de Blasio with Suggestions for Providing Equal Access to Opportunities for the City’s Residents and Animals through the OneNYC Plan

SUMMARY

The Animal Law Committee (Lori Barrett, Chair) sent a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio to offer its ideas in response to the mayor’s OneNYC campaign, which has asked, “How can we make our city better and stronger for our shared future?” The campaign seeks suggestions on how to improve the future of New York City in terms of growth, sustainability and resiliency, with a special focus on equity. The letter addresses three areas in which the de Blasio administration could help level the playing field for New Yorkers and provide equal access to opportunities for the city’s residents and animals: (1) providing humane education in New York City schools, (2) offering vegetarian or vegan meal options in city institutions, and (3) improving access to sheltering for domestic violence victims with pets.