Mayor Zohran Mamdani has recently appointed two new animal advocates to his staff, a sign that we may have a kinder, gentler New York City.
Siddhartha Sanchez, a lifelong vegan, is the new Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy (MOFP). The MOFP helps shape school food policies, community nutrition programs and how the city responds to food insecurity and global warming.
Sanchez brings more than two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, government philanthropy and community-based food programs to the table.
And Allie Taylor, who spent 10 years building Voters for Animal Rights from the ground up, has been appointed to the position of Director of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare.
“I’m incredibly honored to continue fighting for animals from inside City Hall, and I’ll remain involved with VFAR in an advisory capacity,” Taylor said. VFAR’s campaigns have led to NYC’s ban on wild animals in circuses, foie gras, the selling of guinea pigs in pet stores, octopus farming and securing historic levels of city funding for affordable spay/neuter services and pet food pantries.
The appointments are a major step forward for animal protection and bring more power to the movement to end cruelty.
