Governor Pataki tries to secure the animal lovers' vote by signing a bill forcing dog owners to give their pets proper shelter in "inclement weather [including but not limited to rain, sleet, ice, snow or wind, as well as extreme heat and cold]," or else they will face fines between $50 and $100 for their first offense ($100 to $200 for a second offense). Of course, the ASPCA is thrilled with the decision, as they had been trying to pass similar laws without luck. One dog owner in Long Island who also owned a cat wondered why there wasn't a similar law for cats, but then answered his own question by saying, "Cats kind of know when to come in. They're smarter."
Gothamist thinks that if the State is trying to raise make some fast money this way, they should go for it. We watch Animal Precinct on Animal Planet and get upset when we see the abused pets and thrill when the officers nab the bad pet owners and the nice people at the ASPCA care for the animals.
