Pet nannies outlawed in New York

Фото: Depositphotos

In New York, pet lovers and those who care for them in the absence of owners are in a difficult situation because of a little-known law.

The health department prohibits anyone from taking money to care for animals if they do not have a license. In addition, the department warned that users of the popular application Rover break the law.

Rover allows pet owners to search and select qualified dog sitters in the area, while the owners are on vacation or in the office.

“The laws are outdated,” said Chad Bacon, 29, an animal groomer for hire in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. “If you are qualified and can provide the service, I don’t think you should be fined,” he added.

Bacon, a former zoo worker and wildlife researcher, signed up to the app to somehow make ends meet while he was looking for a job. However, it all came down to the fact that caring for animals became his main job, which he earns a living.

The law prohibits walking, feeding and caring for animals for money if there is no license for a nursery that is not issued to individuals and homes.

Thomas Merrill, the General Counsel of the Department of Health, last October sent a letter to DogVacay.com, which the company has since bought Rover, warning that its users are breaking the law, and asked the company to demand confirmation of a license before adding users. The application did not do this.

After the requests of the Ministry were not fulfilled, no full-scale punishments followed, but in November and December last year two residents were punished for violations in caring for pets without a license. The amount of fines started from $ 1000.

“If you have a 14-year-old child who is paid to feed his cats, is that also illegal?!” the general counsel said indignantly Rover John Lapham.

The company has 95 000 pet owners registered in the city and 9 000 people caring for animals that have earned $ 4,1 million over the past year.

Some owners believe that using the services of pet nannies is cheaper and easier than sending a dog to the kennel. Others prefer to give their pet to someone's house, and not to keep him in a cage most of the day.

Representative of the Department of Health Julien Martinez said that the ban is justified by public health problems.

“To ensure the health and safety of pets and reduce public health risks, the New York City Health Code requires certain businesses (pet boarding facilities and kennels) to obtain approval from the Department of Health and comply with necessary regulations,” he said. “We also conduct inspections of these facilities to ensure the safety of the animals.”

But the city council chairman, Corey Johnson, said he was shocked to learn that pets were outlawed and plans to draft a bill to resolve this issue.

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