Bodega shops - small convenience shops, usually owned by a family - are a staple in New York City. And pet cats are a staple when it comes to bodega shops!
Approximately 30-40% of bodegas in NYC have "a resident cat," which is charming for tourists and residents alike. Not only that, but these cats help to keep the shops clean by preventing rodent infestations! It's really a win-win.
But so far, bodega cats actually aren't actually fully permitted under NYC laws.
That's why City Councilmember Keith Powers is introducing a new bill to legalize bodega cats and keep them safe! Sign the petition to urge NYC to pass this bill!Right now, bodega cats exist in a sort of "legal gray area" in which they're both not overtly prohibited, but they're also in violation of the city's health regulations for convenience stores. That leaves these wonderful animals in limbo, where their futures and rights are uncertain.
Powers's new bill would explicitly legalize having bodega cats, as long as the animals are vaccinated and neutered, and the shop has been certified as compliant with health inspections. It would register the animals through a formal process, and in that way, provide them with legal safeguards.
As Powers explained, bodega cats "are everywhere in New York City, and they have been everywhere since as far as I remember back to my childhood. I think these well-intentioned bodega owners want to come forward and propose a way to get them legal."
Sign the petition in support of bodega cats! Urge The New York City Council to approve and pass new legislation to legalize the practice of having rodent-killing cats in bodega stores.