Curtis Sliwa on Animal Welfare
Sliwa holds cat during his 2021 mayoral bid. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
On Monday, Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa says New York City’s animal shelter system is in crisis, and he’s making it a top issue in his campaign. Sliwa criticized the city’s Animal Care Centers (ACC), pointing to “only three shelters that are operational now” and describing conditions as “horrific” and “arcane.”
“We're gonna have no-kill shelters, which we should already have," said Sliwa in an FUV News interview over Zoom. "Los Angeles has it, Austin has it."
He also suggested that New York City should lease empty retail space and place dogs and cats in storefront windows to attract potential adopters. "You'd be surprised how quickly people would walk by and maybe talk to the people attending the animals and say, ‘Hey, I'd like to foster or adopt that animal,'" he said.
Sliwa is running as not only the Republican nominee, but on a new “Protect Animals” ballot line. Both lines will appear next to Sliwa’s name on New York mayoral election ballots in November. Sliwa voters can choose either line to add to his combined vote total.
“According to Pew Research, 97% of all American pet owners — whether they voted for Trump or Harris, or they're apolitical — view pets as family members," said Sliwa.
He criticized the ACC for what he called its “death row” list of animals facing euthanasia, and noting that his wife, Nancy Sliwa, has rescued many from that list. Sliwa promised to create an animal welfare unit right in City Hall and said his wife would help run it herself, “at no cost to the taxpayers.”
“We are gonna do away with [the death row system] and this emergency that need not have taken place," said Sliwa.
A portion of this interview aired on the What’s What podcast from WFUV News on July 21, 2025.
