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Home > The Alliance in the News > 2002–2003 Alliance News Items > Person of the Month: Jane Hoffman
Person of the Month: Jane Hoffman by Laura Blackwell, The Manhattan Pet Gazette April 2003 Jane Hoffman has been the President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals since its inception in 2002. The Alliance acts as a liaison between city government and a coalition of 35 animal rescue groups and shelters operating throughout New York City. The coalition and the Mayor's Alliance are working together to reduce the number of cats and dogs put down in NYC shelters. Improving the lives of animals is nothing new for Ms. Hoffman. She has been a founding member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York's Committee on Legal Issues Pertaining to Animals. The Committee, which formed in 1990, is one of the first animal law committees in the country. Her long and distinguished career includes work at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Handy Associates and now in private practice specializing in executive compensation and estate planning. On a more personal note, Jane lives in New York City with her partner Ellen Celnik, four dogs and more cats than she will admit to. Recently MPG had an opportunity to ask Ms. Hoffman a few questions: How and when did the Mayor's Alliance first form? When Mayor Bloomberg was elected to office, the New York City Bar Association asked if the Animal Law Committee wanted to send a report to the Mayor's Transition Team on the numerous untapped opportunities that existed in New York City to improve policies regarding animals — changes that would also have the potential to reap enormous benefits for the City. The Committee jumped at the chance. Our report had covered several topics but the one that resonated with the Mayor's Office was the section on animal care and control. The Office of Operations called and invited us to meet with them to discuss our report in greater detail. Several more meetings followed. We went with a three-inch thick binder of background information complete with dossiers on innovative leaders and programs nationwide in the animal sheltering community, city resources that might be helpful to saving more lives — all of this was so the City could see that we wouldn't have to reinvent the wheel. To their credit, they totally got behind our suggestions. Once it became evident that the City was seriously committed to this and that the leading shelters and rescue groups were on board, the Animal Law Committee's work was done and the Mayor's Alliance for NYC Animals was just beginning. Why did you take on the enormous responsibility of heading the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals? Having been a member of the ABCNY Animal Law Committee that met with the City and brought together the shelters and rescue groups it seemed logical for me to continue on as the President of the Alliance. Also a lot of things coalesced that made this project seem doable — the growth of the no kill movement, the support of other no kill coalitions around the country, the new administration in City Hall which embraces public-private partnerships with creative solutions to city problems and the existence of Maddie's Fund. Could you tell us about Maddie's Fund? First I would suggest that people check out the Maddie's Fund website at www.maddiesfund.org. Basically, Maddie's Fund's mission is to help create a no kill nation by funding community collaborations that are committed to reducing and eventually eliminating the killing of cats and dogs in shelters by increasing spay/neuter surgeries and increasing adoptions of healthy cats and dogs. How is NYC progressing towards a no kill city? The Alliance is a coalition of over 35 Participating Organizations which includes the Center for Animal Care and Control. The Participating Organizations are committed to reducing the number of adoptable cats and dogs in the NYC shelters. The Alliance has partnered with the Veterinary Medical Association of NYC to submit a joint Maddie's Fund grant application which we hope will result in the infusion of 16 million dollars into NYC over the next five years. This will go a long way to helping the Alliance achieve its goals. What is the biggest challenge that the Alliance faces? Reaching our goal of making NYC a no kill city by the year 2008 — which means saving the 12,000 to 14,000 adoptable cats and dogs that we estimate are killed each year in the NYC shelter system simply because there are not enough homes for them. It should be unacceptable to all New Yorkers that adoptable cats and dogs are killed in NYC shelters simply because there are not enough homes for them. What is most rewarding about your work? Working with the wonderful people from the shelters and rescue groups that are doing the hard work in the streets making a difference for thousands of NYC cats and dogs…and feeling like we are going to make a difference. How can New Yorkers help in your efforts? Adopt, Donate and Volunteer! Adopt a Little New Yorker today! Adopt your first, next, or another cat or dog from a shelter or rescue group — go to the Alliance website to find a list of our participating organizations — you can search by borough. If you can't adopt a cat or dog right now, donate money and/or your time to The Mayor's Alliance or your local rescue group or shelter — dogs need to be walked, cats need to be brushed and played with… And if, and when, you do adopt a four legged family member be a responsible pet owner — make it legal — get a license for your dog, walk him or her on a leash, get some training for you and your dog, take your animals to a vet for regular check-ups, and most importantly spay or neuter all your pets. To learn more about The Mayor's Alliance for New York City's Animals visit their website at:
Copyright © 2003 The Manhattan Pet Gazette
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