FACT - Feline Advocates Coming Together

05/27/2026

Have you seen the latest updates to our website? We now have ALL of our petitions linked on the Advocacy tab! Please visit our website and sign our petitions to show your support for the advancement of animal welfare and resources in our communities! Be sure to share them with friends and family, too! Every signature counts!

We are always adding more ways for you to use your voice to help animals, so check back often!

Over the past several months, there have been multiple cases of hoarding, abuse, and neglect of several animals. From Wilton to Whitehall and beyond, there seems to be no end in sight. It was recently discovered that it took 400 days for action to be taken in Whitehall to help severely abused and ne...

05/25/2026

As much as we wish every pet could stay in their home for their whole life, we know that many get rehomed for various reasons. If you're going to find a home for a pet, whether it's your own or a stray you found, please utilize these steps to ensure they go to a truly good home. Sadly, not everyone has good intentions and not everyone can afford to properly care for a pet. Every pet deserves to be in a good home, so please take the time to screen people thoroughly. Their life depends on it!

05/24/2026

Important information!

Will YOU be prepared when it matters most?

Emergencies don’t wait—and they rarely give us time to think. As responsible animal guardians, part of protecting our pets’ wellbeing is making sure they’re included in our disaster and evacuation plans. A little preparation now can make all the difference when every second counts.

Here are three essential steps to help keep your pets safe if the unexpected happens:

#1: CREATE AN EMERGENCY PLAN
If your residence becomes unsafe for you, it's likely unsafe for your pets—and when this happens, it's important to know who can help, where to go, and how to get there:
🏠 know which friends, boarding facilities, or hotels could house your pet in an emergency
💉 make sure your pets' vaccinations are current (records might be required to be approved for sheltering)
📦 stash carriers in easily accessible areas for evacuation

#2: PACK THEIR EMERGENCY GO-BAG
Just like humans, pets need essentials to grab and go. Consider packing:
💊 medications and medical records
🍽️ food, water, bowls, and litter/litter pan (tip: don't forget the can opener for any wet food!)
📝 a write-up on their feeding schedules, medication regimen, and behavior, which can be given to fosters or boarders

#3 ENSURE YOU CAN BE REUNITED IN CASE OF SEPARATION
This is the worst-case scenario every pet owner hopes won't come true—but knowing that it can and planning accordingly won't speak it into existence; rather, it'll equip you to act quickly and effectively if it ever does.
🖼️ keep current photos of you with your pets in your go-bag for proof of ownership
🚑 post a rescue sticker alert—it'll let rescue workers know your pets are there in case you can't evacuate together
🏷️ microchip your pet & ensure that the registration info is current

Take it from us (and the American Red Cross!): preparedness = peace of mind. Check the link below for more details, and don't go far—more pet-care wisdom is on the way.

https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/pet-disaster-preparedness.html

05/14/2026

This bill is in review RIGHT NOW! We need your voice to get this bill passed!

Bill S1784 passed the Senate recently. Now it has to pass in the Assembly. It is currently in the Assembly Agriculture Committee.

Sign this petition and send a letter to these Assemblymembers to let them know you support this bill!

https://win.newmode.net/factfelineadvocatescomingtogether/senatebills1784mustpasstoprotectanimalsabandonedinrentalproperties

Read more about the bill here: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1784

How many animals have died after being abandoned in rental housing because help came too late?Too many. In 2018, we were contacted by someone who said her friend had moved out of her apartment and left a kitten behind with no food or water. We pushed for law enforcement and the landlord to enter the...

05/14/2026

We need more signatures so this will be looked into! This is happening right in our community! Please sign!

On February 11, 2026, Ernest J. Wood of Granville, NY, was charged with six counts of animal cruelty after authorities seized dozens of animals—including dogs, pigs, rabbits, and birds. These animals were found without adequate food, water, or shelter. Despite these serious charges, Wood was relea...

05/13/2026

Friday! Come show your support for a shelter in Washington County!

Sorry, the real date is Friday!!! The 15th.

Please join and help spread the hope and motivation ♥️

05/11/2026

Progress can be made for animal welfare, but you need to use your voice!

Several Bills have been moving through committees/Senate/Assembly that would be a huge step in the right direction, if passed.

1. State Spay/Neuter Funding - Senate Bill S3297
Read more about it here: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3297
This bill is currently with the Budget and Revenue committee.
Please send an email to each member urging them to move this forward. You can find the list of committee members here: https://www.nysenate.gov/committees/budget-and-revenue

2. Rental Property Inspection Procedures (to check for abandoned animals) - Senate Bill S1784
Read more about it here: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1784
This bill passed the Senate recently! Now it has to pass in the Assembly. It is currently in the Assembly Agriculture Committee.
Please send an email to each member urging them to move this forward. You can find the list of committee members here: https://nyassembly.gov/comm/?id=2&sec=membership

3. Sexual Conduct with an Animal (makes some conduct a felony - it is currently only a misdemeanor) - Assembly Bill 1630
Read more about it here: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1630
Please send an email to your Assemblymember letting them know you support making ALL sexual conduct with an animal a felony.
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/search/

Other bills being considered (that we have petitions for on our website):

Tucker's Law (Sentencing) - Senate Bill S197
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S197

Bail for offenders charged with aggravated cruelty to animals - Senate Bill S9231
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9231

Visit our website to sign petitions about the above bills and more! We will be creating petitions for the other bills mentioned above soon, so keep an eye out for those!

https://www.felineadvocatescomingtogether.org/about-3

News and Information from the New York State Assembly

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day!

Whether you’re a mother to a human child, a feline, or both, your hard work, dedication, and love don’t go unnoticed. Happy Mother’s Day weekend to every mother❤️