North Haven First Selectman to Continue Leading Legislative Taskforce on Humane Treatment of Animals

Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Len Fasano (R-North Haven) and State Representative David Yaccarino (R-North Haven), are pleased to announce that North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda will continue to lead the legislative task force that is studying the humane treatment of animals in municipal and regional animal shelters.

First Selectman Freda has served as chairman since the task force was established in 2014 pursuant to Public act 14-205 and he will be appointing the members of the task force in accordance with the membership criteria in the public act. The task force has played an important role in facilitating discussions between advocates for animals, municipalities and members of the legislature. Under Freda’s direction, members of the task force will continue to engage in discussions on how to improve care of animals at our municipal shelters and provided for the humane treatment of all animals in our communities. Members will focus on the following topics and report their findings and recommendations to the legislature:

1. Recommendations for the establishment of standards for the humane treatment of animals in such shelters;
2. existing education and training standards for animal control officers on current license laws;
3. rules and regulations regarding and penalties for abuse;
4. the development of a system to track persons who have been convicted of animal abuse in order to prevent such persons from acquiring animals from shelters in other municipalities or states;
5. the establishment of standards for such shelters to use when evaluating potential adopters for such animals;
6. the establishment of rules and responsibilities for volunteer groups that work with such shelters and animal control officers; and
7. the creation of a framework to coordinate the efforts of local humane organizations with volunteer groups, foster groups and municipal and regional animal shelters.

Meetings will be held in the legislative office building beginning in August 2017.

For more information please contact Selectman Freda at 203 239-5321 x760.