New York Wants Law To Protect Bodega Cats:

Lawmakers in NY are introducing bills to protect the felines. City Councilman Frank Morano, a kitty-loving Staten Island Republican, introduced a "Bodega Cat Bill" yesterday to remove the city's new health code ban on animals in retail stores. His bill would also establish city-supported programs to provide free vaccinations and spaying and neutering services. A bill introduced in Albany by Manhattan Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a committed cat-loving Democrat, would also protect bodega cats by establishing uniform standards for health care, including regular veterinary checkups. As many as 30 to 40-percent of Big Apple bodegas have cats whose jobs include charming customers and keeping rodents away.