Resolution calling on the New York City Housing Authority to eliminate pet policy restrictions based solely on a dog’s breed, weight, and the number of pets in a household, while maintaining its pet registration requirements

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Res. No. 549 ..Title Resolution calling on the New York City Housing Authority to eliminate pet policy restrictions based solely on a dog’s breed, weight, and the number of pets in a household, while maintaining its pet registration requirements ..Body By Council Members Farías, Epstein and Aldebol Whereas, The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is home to about 1 in 16 New Yorkers, including more than 76,000 residents aged 62 and older; and Whereas, NYCHA’s pet policy allows a household to own one dog or one cat, prohibits any dog whose adult weight is more than 25 pounds, and bans the following three breeds: Doberman Pinscher, Pit Bull and Rottweiler; and Whereas, NYCHA further requires every household with a dog, cat, or assistance animal to register the animal with NYCHA within 30 days of acquiring the animal; and Whereas, The National Institute on Aging has stated that the number of adults ages 65 and older is growing and that older adults are at higher risk of social isolation and loneliness due to changes in health and social connections such as the loss of family and friends; and Whereas, The National Institute on Aging has also stated that loneliness and social isolation are associated with a higher risk of health problems such as heart disease, depression, and cognitive decline; and Whereas, Having a pet provides structure and a routine for an older adult by keeping them busy in daily activities such as regular meals, walks, and play time; and Whereas, The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has stated that breed specific restrictions are an ineffective way to provide public safety and that targeting specific dog breeds fails to address the root cause of aggressive pet behavior such as dog bites; and Whereas, The AVMA has also stated that breed specific bans can create a false sense of security since owners of restricted dog breeds may avoid licensing and veterinary care, such as rabies vaccinations, out of fear that their animals will be reported and removed; and Whereas, Research published in Scientific Reports, a peer reviewed academic journal, found that size is also a poor proxy for behavior and that large dogs are not usually violent while many small dogs can show higher tendencies of having anxiety; and Whereas, NYCHA’s pet policy already permits a household to keep a reasonable number of other animals, such as birds, fish, hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs, but restricts that same household to a single dog or cat, a limitation that is not placed on other pets; and Whereas, A registration requirement remains a valuable tool that allows NYCHA to hold owners accountable for their animals’ behavior on its property, to enforce its conduct, sanitation and nuisance standards against a pet that may cause a problem, and respond to health and safety concerns and should be retained even if breed, weight and numeric limits are removed; and Whereas, Removing breed specific prohibitions, weight caps, and one pet limits, while preserving the pet registration requirements, would provide NYCHA residents with the benefits of pet companionship, promote responsible pet ownership, and support NYCHA’s health and safety standards; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York Calls on the New York City Housing Authority to eliminate pet policy restrictions based solely on a dog’s breed, weight, and the number of pets in a household, while maintaining its pet registration requirements. JLC LS 24032 7/9/2026

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