NYC Council approves pilot program for air-conditioned ‘pet harbors’ outside of Brooklyn shops
Via Flickr
Pets in Brooklyn may soon be able to wait more securely outside for their owners. The New York City Council on Tuesday approved a bill that asks the city to create a program for “pet harbors” on sidewalks next to commercial establishments. This will allow pet owners, for a fee, to leave animals in the climate-controlled, enclosed container, for no longer than an hour as they shop or get a cup of coffee.
As reported by the New York Post, the bill comes a few years after the city’s transportation department sent a cease-and-desist letter to DogSpot, a smart dog house company. The Department of Transportation had opposed the bill because it said the city’s growing population places a strain on sidewalks already.
Introduced by Council Member Rafael Espinal, the legislation requires the shelters to be no more than three feet from the building and not block the sidewalk. They also cannot be chained or bolted to the ground and must be removed overnight.
Espinal called the pet harbors a win-win for businesses, dog owners, and dogs. “Instead of supporting the innovation of a woman-owned business and a Brooklyn-manufactured business, New York City took a backwards approach by removing all pet harbors without warning,” Espinal said in a statement to the Post.
“It’s our city’s job to create an environment where small businesses can thrive, and this pilot program will do just that.”
The details on which establishments will have the shelters and who will run them has not yet been made clear. According to the bill, the pilot program will be in place for at least one year.
[Via NY Post]
RELATED:
