Eve, here. Despite his young age, Mamdani regularly displays political genius, such as showing up at City Hall one day and offering to officiate a wedding. Providing New York City residents with affordable pets seems like a no-brainer…except it costs a fraction of the cost on an already strained budget. Some people may point out that you shouldn’t have a pet if you can’t afford it. But the flip side of that is that many people are experiencing short-term financial difficulties, and if the city eased that situation it would be able to retain them rather than kick them out.
Another hurdle not mentioned in the article is private equity’s rent-to-own mentality, which extends to the pet industry as well. They have gained enough market power not only in veterinary services, but also in food, veterinary supplies, and testing to drive up the cost of pet care. Indeed, private equity is also targeting veterinary chains, so finding ways to lower the cost of spaying and neutering and perhaps other veterinary care could help pet owners. But the effect will be to blunt the scope of rentierism.
From America’s Economic Freedom 2024:
Economic Liberties’ comments focused on the alarming consolidation of the veterinary industry by corporations and private equity firms, which now control 30 to 50 percent of all veterinary hospitals in the United States, up from less than 10 percent a decade ago. This rapid “roll-up” strategy, in which small practices are secretly acquired by large corporate groups, has resulted in significant price increases (up to 100% in some cases) for routine veterinary services, while reducing competition and quality of service. Corporate and private equity-backed chains also employ non-compete agreements to limit veterinarians’ free practice, contributing to a national veterinarian shortage that leaves pet owners with fewer options and higher bills.
From S&P Global in 2024:
Private equity and venture capital investment in the pet care, food and supplies sector grew 659% year-over-year in 2023, with announced deal value reaching $2.89 billion, the highest annual amount since 2019, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.
And private equity remains bullish on pets. From the 2025 Capstone:
Pet humanization trends and demographic tailwinds continue to drive spending in the pet sector. Premiumization still exists as pet owners choose higher quality products and services that reflect their spending habits. Additionally, younger consumers have been shown to be more likely to spend money on pets. According to the Harris Poll, Gen Z (ages 13-28) reports spending an average of $6,103 annually. 1 Millennials (ages 29-44) follow with an average annual spending of $5,150, $953 less than the age group that spends the most. The older two generations essentially include Gen Z, with Gen Demand in this sector is expected to grow structurally due to the consumer appetite of the younger generation, increasing customer lifetime value across the industry.
It’s true that dogs and cats that eat meat have a high environmental impact, and some may object to New York City’s efforts to help their owners.
From Katie Honan, reporter for THE CITY and co-host of the podcast FAQ NYC. First published on THE CITY on February 25, 2026
Alison Kaplan adopted Kitty Bear, who was found in a dumpster in the Bronx. Credit: Provided by Alison Kaplan
Mayor Zoran Mamdani’s broad affordability policy should be extended to four-legged New Yorkers with funding for low-cost veterinary services that could help overburdened shelters, a new proposal from animal rights activists says.
Voters for Animal Rights and Flatbush Cats, a nonprofit that also provides affordable veterinary care, last month released policy proposals for the new administration focused on ways to improve care for lame New Yorkers.
Their pitch comes as the mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare has been without a leader or anyone else working in that small office since the beginning of this year.
>VFAR founder Allie Taylor has successfully pushed numerous animal welfare bills on the City Council in the past, including successfully banning the sale of guinea pigs in pet stores. Her current focus under the new administration is affordability and ways the city can help proactively and save money on shelters.
“It takes a lot of money to own cats, dogs and rabbits,” Taylor told THE CITY.
Although their proposal does not provide dollar figures, advocates noted that other city governments spend more on pet care per resident than New York City, with most of that money going to shelters.
Their pitch is that the city would fund spay/neuter surgeries and low-cost veterinary clinics in each ward. They also hope to add a pop-up pet food pantry funded by the city.
Taylor and Flatbush Cats Executive Director Will Zweigert called on Mamdani to appoint someone to lead animal welfare in the mayor’s office to find more ways to protect the animals. The small office has a budget of $100,000 just for the director’s salary, according to City & State.
“We need to make sure that they understand that they have a job to do and have leaders in place to enforce the laws that are already in place,” Zweigart said.
Dora Pekek, a spokeswoman for the mayor, said she plans to appoint someone to the position “soon.” (Other excellent job openings are available in city agencies, including the Department of Child Welfare, Department of Social Services, and Department of Cultural Affairs.)
Zweigart and Taylor said precautions to keep pets with their owners could help an overburdened animal shelter system.
The city contracts with animal shelters to operate three shelters currently open in Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Stores in the Bronx and Brooklyn are undergoing renovations or new construction, putting a strain on open shelters.
On July 31, 2023, animal shelter staff placed a cat in a hallway at the East Harlem headquarters due to overcrowding. Credit: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY
Last year, ACC shelters took in more than 9,700 stray animals, including dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs, and more than 6,530 were relinquished by their owners. Evacuation centers in the city often reach capacity.
According to ACC’s 2025 data, one in three dog surrenders was due to housing insecurity, and most cat surrenders were due to housing insecurity or personal health issues.
Zweigart is starting a low-cost veterinary hospital in Brooklyn with Flatbush Cats, offering spay/neuter services and other care for some pets so they can keep them at home.
“The shelter will always be a bottomless pit,” he said. “Your goal is to reduce the demand for shelters. What if you keep your pet with your family?”
Last September, the City Council approved a $500,000 budget to expand affordable spay and neuter services for cats through Flatbush Cats, supporting 3,500 surgeries.
But that’s only about 2% of annual needs, Zweigart said. To solve the city’s stray cat problem, approximately 190,000 cats will need to be spayed or neutered.
“The model we’re talking about is scalable, we’re bringing the most and the government is bringing the solutions,” he said.
Pop-up food pantries can also help pet owners keep their pets, he said. Former City Councilman Bob Holden, a Democrat, introduced a pet food pantry bill last year, but it never received a vote and has not been reintroduced this session.
“Budgets go through ebbs and flows,” Zweigart said. “Being able to give people something as simple as pet food for a few months can be the difference between keeping a pet together or not.”
