Residents of Yonkers, NY are concerned and deeply affected by the the overwhelming number of abandoned, abused and neglected cats and kittens in our city. Mayor Mike Spano has been aware of this issue and consciously mismanaged this crisis for over a decade.  However, the Mayor remains more concerned with providing large tax breaks and commuter benefits to the newly built Lions Gate Studios, as opposed to negotiating a clause in their contract that would require them to give back to the city they're reaping so many benefits from by contributing to a low cost spay/neuter and wellness clinic.  

      For many of us, these animals matter.  Some residents’ TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return – to humanely and compassionately trap these cats and kittens and take them to be spayed/neutered and vaccinated), and do our best to find them homes.  We fund this care with our own money.  Some animals come up to you crying, begging for help.  They get abused, kicked and beaten, sometimes while giving birth.  The Mayor’s refusal to properly address this issue continues to exacerbate the suffering.  It only takes two unspayed/unneutered cats/kittens for those two to become fifty or more by the end of the year due to the number of babies a female can have.  They freeze in the winter, suffer in the summer heat and struggle to find food, water and a kind hand all year long.  The Residents of Yonkers are lobbying for the following:

1.     Institute a low cost spay/neuter and veterinary clinic and TNR Program/Team;

2.     Implement an educational outreach program on the importance of Spay/Neuter;

3.     Implement a city wide ban on all animal breeding; and 

4.     Include a Yonkers Humane Law Enforcement.

      People are disheartened at seeing suffering, sick and dead animals when they walk out their door.  The Toby Project, which is sporadically contracted, isn’t working, and the Yonkers Animal Shelter is consistently full.  The animals at the Shelter languish cooped up in cages. They need to be in a common room in their natural state: playful and healing from whatever wounds they've had to endure.

      We need a leader that cares about our animal life to publicly stand against animal cruelty and lead this city with unity and compassion not greed and indifference.  If Spano refuses to stand against animal cruelty, then he needs to step down.  Lastly, Lions Gate needs to give back to our community by implementing the above.  Big corporations should not be allowed to benefit off of our good city without giving back.