Events Calendar Terms of Service

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The Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare (MOAW) Events Calendar is a public resource designed to foster awareness of animal-related events and initiatives throughout New York City. Use of this calendar is subject to the following terms:

Eligibility and Event Requirements

Events submitted for inclusion in the MOAW Events Calendar must adhere to the following criteria:

  1. Eligible Sponsors
    • The event must be hosted or sponsored by a public educational institution, government entity, faith-based organization, established community organization, or a non-profit organization with tax-exempt status under 501(c)(3).
    • Sponsors must demonstrate a commitment to animal welfare and must not present “red flags” such as a lack of credibility or problematic practices, including poor animal welfare practices, previous violations, or evidence of commercial exploitation of animals. Sponsors may not have a history of unethical practices, lack of transparency, or concerns about their treatment of animals.
  2. Alignment with MOAW Mission
    • Events must align with the mission and goals of MOAW, including fostering a more humane city for animals and people. Events deemed harmful to animals will not be accepted.
      • Animals must not be used for commercial gain (e.g., selling animals or promotional activities involving animal displays for profit).
      • Events must not include practices that could harm or exploit animals, such as racing, contests, or other high-stress activities.
  3. Event Categories
    • Accepted events must fall within one of the following categories:
      • Pet adoption or dog licensing events
      • Volunteer or foster orientations/trainings
      • Educational activities (e.g., TNR certification workshops, humane education sessions)
      • Clinics or resource/career fairs
      • Celebrations of companion/assistance animals
      • Wildlife-appreciation events (e.g. birding) conducted by appropriate entities (e.g. NYC Parks)
  4. Free or Low-Cost Participation
    • Events must be free to the public or charge a nominal fee of $10 or less. Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  5. Accessibility and Non-Discrimination
    • Events must serve a secular purpose, be open to all residents of NYC, and comply with federal, state, and local non-discrimination laws.
  6. Prohibited Events
    • Events cannot promote political candidates or operate from private residences.
    • Events that solicit membership or financial contributions (beyond a nominal fee; see #4 above) as a condition of participation are not permitted
    • Events must not displace paid staff with volunteers in violation of New York State labor laws.

Disclaimers

  • Inclusion of any event or sponsor on this calendar does not constitute an endorsement, warranty, or representation by MOAW or the City of New York regarding the sponsor’s competence, reliability, or suitability.
  • Participation in this calendar does not grant the sponsor permission to use the City of New York’s logos or trademarks.
  • Events featured on the MOAW calendar may also be featured on the NYC.gov events calendar and in MOAW’s newsletter and related social media accounts.

Review Process

MOAW reserves the right to review all submitted events based on the following criteria:

  • Quality and alignment of the event with MOAW’s mission
  • Sponsor’s historical profile and adherence to animal welfare practices
  • Impact of the event on the community
  • Location of event (in NYC, or online open to NYC residents)

While MOAW will strive to review and respond to all event submissions, it is up to the time restraints and discretion of MOAW staff.

Submission Guidelines

  • Event sponsors are encouraged to submit their events for review at least two weeks prior to the event date.
  • All event details must be accurate and complete at the time of submission.
  • Organizations may give written permission to MOAW to proactively include publicized events on the MOAW calendar. For example, MOAW may add mobile pet adoption events posted on shelter/rescue group websites to the MOAW website on an ongoing basis, if agreed upon in advance.

Changes and Termination

MOAW reserves the right to amend these terms at any time or remove events from the calendar that are found to be non-compliant with the stated terms.

Contact Information

For questions or to make updates to an event, please contact us.