Exciting changes are in store for New York City’s shelter pets this year!

Last week, the New York City Health Department and Animal Care & Control of New York City (AC&C) announced several big changes that will go a long way toward improving conditions and outcomes for homeless animals—including a new, $5 million adoption facility. The organization will receive more than $8 million in City capital funding for improvements this year.

AC&C is one of the largest animal welfare organizations in the country, taking in more than 30,000 animals from New York City’s five boroughs every year. In partnership with the City, AC&C will use the new resources to design and construct the new adoption center next to its full-service Manhattan shelter. The building will be dedicated to encouraging adoption of the shelter’s dogs, cats and rabbits.

The new funds will also go toward increasing the organization’s fleet of mobile adoption vans in Queens and the Bronx to help more animals in their own neighborhoods. Resources will also be put toward heating, air conditioning and ventilation system upgrades at AC&C’s Brooklyn Care Center to help reduce the spread of shelter diseases.

The ASPCA has invested over $1 million in grant funding for AC&C infrastructure over the past five years, and we provide continued support through the provision of spay/neuter surgeries for the organization’s shelter animals, resulting in the highest release rate the animal sheltering system has seen since its inception. We’re thrilled that this additional funding will ensure AC&C can continue to provide animals with quality care and expand its adoption efforts to help even more animals across New York City find permanent, loving homes.

"The ASPCA’s work with AC&C over the past several years to drastically reduce euthanasia rates and increase adoption numbers demonstrates how much we can accomplish for New York City’s homeless animals through diligent work and effective collaborations,” said ASPCA President and CEO Matt Bershadker. “We are grateful to Mayor de Blasio, [New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene] Commissioner Bassett, and AC&C’s Executive Director Risa Weinstock for recognizing the value of investing in our sheltering infrastructure with the goal of ending animal suffering across the city.” 

We will continue to support Councilmember Paul Vallone’s efforts to establish full-service shelters in Queens and the Bronx, which will be crucial moving forward to make New York City a place where no adoptable animal dies needlessly.

To learn more about the ASPCA’s work in New York City, please visit www.aspca.org/NYC.