Important Information for NYCHA Residents with Pets
Since May 2009, when the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) imposed a new and extremely restrictive pet policy affecting thousands of pet owners living in NYCHA buildings, the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, the ASPCA, and Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C) have worked together to disseminate accurate information to pet-owning NYCHA residents about what they can do to protect their rights to keep their pets under the 2009 rules.
A memo explaining to residents the steps they need to take to protect their rights and how to obtain legal help if they need it was issued jointly by the Mayor's Alliance, the ASPCA, and AC&C and has been periodically updated over the past year. The memos, available in English, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese, have been posted on the three organizations' websites, and also have been available at AC&C shelters.
An updated flyer (in the four different languages) was recently released, and is available on the NYCHA Dog Owning Tenants' Rights page of our website. The information also is available on the ASPCA website and soon will be available on the AC&C website, and at their shelter locations.
The Mayor's Alliance is continuing to work closely with AC&C to identify pets surrendered by NYCHA residents who in fact were not required to give up their pet. Whenever possible, these pets are being returned to their families.