Animal Care Centers of NYC takes care of all animals that are abandoned, surrendered, and lost with love and the best care. This non profit has employees and volunteers that care so much about animals that they go above and beyond to make sure the animals get adopted, fostered, or rescued by their New Hope partners. I am a dog companion volunteer and work at NYCACC's mobile adoption events. I have seen so many happy endings!! The staff and volunteers always give out our personal phone numbers so we can be there to help the adopters should they need us. I am proud and honored to volunteer for such an extraordinary organization.
I would give them no stars if I could. Sarah the manager of the Manhattan location was the most unprofessional and disrespectful person I’ve had to talk to. I called in regard to a mom and her kittens living in my backyard. I noticed two cats passed and another on its way. So I reached out in hopes they could care for this family so prevent anymore loss. To get slapped with the comment “since you want them dead don’t do anything” excuse me! I would have never reached out if that was what I wanted. The fact that she spoke over me, didn’t listen to my concern, the safety of my own child did not matter. Cause mom tried attacking him today after discovering her kittens passed. May I add my son and mom never had any issues. They always played and hung out in each others presence. So today when she tried to attack him I knew it was no longer safe for him. Which lead me to reach out to this organizations. Since she scratch me for protecting my own. So I wouldn’t recommend Sarah to anyone and this organization should be disappointed with the manner she handle this case. Cause she may not been able to assist but she could’ve provided better resources for me to help this cat family.
I was a Dog Companion volunteer at ACC’s Brooklyn shelter but had to quit because it was too stressful and upsetting. I’m not writing this review to discourage people from volunteering. I just want them to understand what it’s really like so they can decide if they can and want to deal with it.
Dogs are supposed to be walked twice a day by staff but a lot of times as soon as staff saw me, they’d stop walking dogs and expect me to do the rest of the walks. And it wasn’t like 1 or 2 dogs, it was like 10 or 15. They’d leave the room and not come back the entire time I was there. I’d see them hanging out in the hallways or outside or in the kitchen or leaving the shelter altogether. And it wasn’t even their break time. Making matters worse, since no one was in the room, the cages weren’t cleaned so I had to put dogs back into cages with feces & urine and even diarrhea. I brought this up with the Volunteer Manager thinking he’d address it but he just made excuses for staff. I couldn’t believe it! When you sign up to be a volunteer what they don’t tell you is that you’ll be expected to do the job of employees instead of the job of a volunteer, which is to give dogs extra walks and exercise, etc. I think this is really dishonest and I’m not even sure it’s legal.
You shouldn’t look for support from the Volunteer Dept either. They’re completely disconnected from reality or maybe they just don’t care. All they do is send emails asking volunteers for help. They’d claim the shelter is short-staffed but then I’d get there and see plenty of staff but instead of doing their job, they’d just be hanging out or leave when I arrived. When I tried again to bring up this issue, they just blew me off. Another really stressful experience was when I did my training with the Volunteer Manager. He was so rude that I almost didn’t come back for the next session but I really wanted to volunteer so I did. But once I finished training, I avoided him as much as possible.
My overall experience was that the Volunteer Dept and the Brooklyn shelter are very poorly run. No one seems to be competent or cares. I got to know some of the other volunteers and they were all pretty miserable but kept coming for the animals. I admire that but I just couldn’t do it. It was taking too much of a mental toll on me. I’m now volunteering at one of ACC’s New Hope Partners which is why I can’t use my real name. ACC would make them fire me if they saw this review and if they didn’t, they’d retaliate against them. ACC is known for doing that. In fact, there’s a lawsuit about a situation like this. The Home Stretch Dog Haven, Inc. v. Animal Care and Control of New York City, Inc.
My sister had lost her cat and companion of 19 years during COVID. Her heart was broken and she was extremely lonely. When I suggested that she get another, she said she wasn't ready. I would send her pictures and short bios of cats in the rescue shelter. She would read them and call me to discuss their personalities at length. She finally acquiesced and fell in love with a male cat who she now calls, "Domino". He is as devoted to her as she is to him. He loves looking out her bedroom window to watch the pigeons. Anyway, she tells me at least weekly how grateful she is to have found him. She says that he's a "good boy" and her buddy. So very grateful for this agency and for the light that has been lit once again in my sister.
They even gave us a carrier and litter tray to go home with. Many thanks.
Five years ago, we went into ACC NYC’s East Harlem location looking for a cat. We spotted a black and white cat with a sign up saying that no one wanted her and fell in love immediately. She was overweight and had dandruff (an early sign of diabetes in cats), but we fell in love immediately and adopted her (after she had a small tussle with the lovely volunteer putting her into her carrying box). In the past 5 years, she’s lost weight, no longer has dandruff, and is an affectionate companion we can’t imagine our lives without. When we look for a new cat or dog, we will be sure to go to ACC NYC
After my mother passed away, my therapist suggested I get a pet to help me move past the grief. I went to the ACC in Staten island at the recommendation of friend. The staff must’ve sensed the need. They introduced me to a senior cat that needed a home and love. They didn’t know that this cat would save my life. I was paired with the perfect pet. I owe this pairing to the wise eye of the folks who work at the ACC. I’m not sure who is the rescue in this story to be honest but the ending is happy regardless.
Thank you ACC. If you’re thinking of adopting or rescuing …..that is the place to go.
I was working as clinical director at an agency that supported individuals who struggle with dual diagnosis of substance misuse and mental illness as well as housing insecurity. Several of our clients transitioning to supported housing from homelessness rely on the emotional support of pets. This amazing organization was able to help my clients get pet food and care supplies that allowed them to keep their beloved pets and make sure that they were well taken care of. Thank you so much for your help!
I visited the care center and didn't adopt at that time but it was great looking, clean, staff was all welcoming and friendly. I would highly recommend folks to adopt at ACC
ACC does great work! Four of our pets are from ACC and they have been loving conpanions and have made our house a home!
When we had to make the decision to put one of our longtime pets to sleep after being sick for a while, they were there to help and console us during our time of need. Just a wonderful group of people, doing amazing work for an organization that doesn't always get the accolades it deserves.
My previous cat, sadly, passed away from aggressive cancer. When he passed I was devastated and didn't think I could ever get another cat. I was lonely and depressed. 6 months later I have a photo of an adorable orange kitten in my inbox asking if I would be interested in him. At 64 I thought I was too old for a kitten. I thought about it and was convinced by friends I wasn't too old. I'm so thrilled I adopted him. He helped bring me out of my depression. He is quite the good boy and doesn't wake me up in the morning and always comes running to me when I call him. I've named him Robbie, i am disabled and have difficulty walking. I think he senses that as he wont rub up on my legs but he has turned into a snuggly lap cat. He's two years old now and he loves to sit on top of his cat tree and bop me upside the head when I walk by. I swear he is laughing. He is such a dear love bug and I'm thrilled we have each other.
The ACC was there when my boss lost her life to sickness and the family had to re-home five adult cats. It was very heartbreaking knowing how difficult it could be when so many people only want kittens. They really came through for us. The ACC was able to find furever homes pretty quickly- which was important to the surviving family who could not keep them.
On a personal note, we found our fur baby two years ago after waiting a long time to find the right fit. It was a great experience because the workers have seen me come in before looking for the right dog due to allergies. I feel very lucky how the timing worked out.
Twenty years ago we adopted our first cat and soon after our second. I guess you can say we adopted all our fur babies from the ACC. We highly recommend them - three times a charm!
My family and I want to thank the fine people at the ACC of Staten Island. The staff was super friendly and helpful. They made the process of the adoption easy and painless. We welcomed this beauty into our home and I recommend them to all my friends and family!
Adopting two cats from a non-profit animal shelter profoundly transformed my life. The moment I welcomed them into my home, an indescribable warmth filled the space, radiating from their playful antics and gentle purrs. These furry companions became more than pets; they became steadfast sources of comfort and joy, offering unwavering companionship through life's ups and downs. Witnessing their resilience and capacity for love, despite their past challenges, inspired me in countless ways. This experience instilled in me a profound appreciation for the tireless efforts of non-profit shelters and their invaluable role in providing a second chance to animals in need, forever imprinting on me the importance of compassion and adoption.
We adopted our wonderful boy, Mies, from the ACC in Staten Island. I can't express enough praise for the dedicated staff and the invaluable services they provide to the community and beyond. Thanks to the ACC, countless animals have been given a second chance and have found loving, happy families.
A wonderful group of volunteers at Animal Care Centers of NY. These fine folks work so hard for these fine, furry friends. Big hugs to them all.
I just want to say thank you for my beloved Bella Sofia. This is her before picture. She now lives in the lap of luxury, which for a chihuahua means she sleeps in my bed. Please keep u the good work! We love you ACC!
I’ve been working with animal care centers for the last two or three years as a vendor, never had nothing but great relationship with the staff and the entire organization. I can’t say enough for the work of the animal care centers of New York City, and what they do for the city. I am happy to support this organization.
I tried to adopt a dog but was grilled by a staff member and her minion using Geheime Staatspolizei tactics.
She even insulted me by asking if I could afford to have the dogs nails trimmed and further reminded me that a dog has to have it's nails trimmed constantly.
Her minion somehow pulled up my entire personal history and found that I'm not suitable for the dog. I hope they don't whack the dog.
Meanwhile the entire facility smells like the kennel area, you have sick looking pooches in that penitentiary/asylum type institution and the real animals are running the place. It's like a real life Arkham.
It's sort of like a cult in there the volunteers are human beings but some of the staff seems to be on an extraterestrial mission to have cats rule the world. I went into one and the staff member picked out 4 dogs for me; how does she know what dog I want? Unless they can read minds telepathically, which I think aliens from outer space can. If you find a dog take it to Northshore animal league, or find an animal adoption center run by earthlings. Either way ACC of NYC FUGGEDABOUDIT!!!
I wanted a dog as an ESA and to help give back as well by adopting. When I went to the shelter and saw the dogs I was crushed honestly. It was so chaotic and loud, picking a dog seemed difficult. I asked to see ALL the dogs and one I saw just jumped on the gate and barked once. So I told them I was interested in her. They bought her out to socialize and she was lowly, had little interest in me, just picked up a ball to play with. I brought treats and she brightened up slightly. I ended up adopting her. I was so excited. I picked her up a few days later after her spay surgery and we left. We crossed the street and she just laid on her back and was smiling so much. She is the sweetest dog EVER!! Her name is RUBY and she has her forever home. I would say if anyone is interested in getting a dog. ADOPT AT ACC!!! Those dogs deserve a forever home!!
DO NOT EVER GIVE A DOG OR CAT TO THESE SOCIOPATHS! I dont know how people in NYC are unaware of them and how corrupt these people are! They take stray dogs in and euthanize them within a few days. It is insane this is still allowed!
I try to raise awareness on social media of the plight of the animals in this shelter.
In the short time I've been involved in this, 3 dogs have been killed by 'mistake'.
A 19 old dog who wandered from her garden was euthanized within 3 hours of being handed in, when they are meant to give the stray dogs 7 days for owner to find them. They then gave the owner a card saying 'sorry for your loss'.
There is no compassion here nor is their any accountability of their actions.
Family is important to most, but at present there are dogs & their puppies being euthanized.
The ACC of NYC is a kill centre & no dog surrended to them is safe from death. If you must rehome your dog, try to find a no kill shelter.
The Director of this place received a kindness award a few years ago for being a "no kill leader". Yet dogs & puppies are being killed daily.
Feel free to do your own research. There are reasons that the ACC NYC is known outside of the US & none of those reasons are good.
I help network on Twitter the dogs at this ACC who are put on the Kill List. I read the descriptions, the volunteer notes, the medical notes. I read dogs going in, getting checked out that they are healthy... then within days get pneumonia. Then when they get pneumonia, the ACC wants them out and puts them on the Kill List... saying they need rescue. leaving the medical care to whatever rescue can afford those bills and has an available foster. These poor dogs are set up to fail and ACC cares nothing about them. The volunteers try hard to get the dogs walked twice/day and leave notes. Many dogs come in social and willing to walk on a leash, and look for attention... but the place is a hellhole for dogs who get so stressed from all the barking, the kennel fights thru the bars, they become anxious. They may even cringe in the back of their cage trembling. These innocent dogs do not understand why they are there, why their family abandoned them, where are people they know. Some dogs try to make new friends. For others it is just excruciating... they are so afraid. Dogs like that are put on the Kill List. The ACC created this condition where dogs are so stressed. Again... the dogs are set up to fail. We networkers try so hard to give them exposure and pledges to help rescues, but some dogs are given only a couple days and the system is Not a care center... This is a high kill center that is cruel with no compassion for innocent animals who are there thru no fault of their own. The Health Dept needs to look into why so many dogs are getting pneumonia .... Right now they want to kill a 10 month old puppy named Meteor... please adopt this pup before he is killed
So just like ACC's "wellness wing" or "emergency placement list", "Great NonProfits" are words without meaning. Great Non Profits awards a stamp (which ACC proudly displays on its website) based on no objective criteria-just posts from people that cant be fact checked through a reputable organization. People posting for ACC apparently have no idea what actually goes on at ACC.
ACC has a contract with NYC-They do not work tirelessly to "take in" animals. They do not help "lost" animals. In fact they do everything they can to prevent surrenders. They counsel people to leave cats outside without providing facts for people to know if the cat is lost or feral. Read their flyer. If the cat isn't injured, they don't want it. Let it reproduce until it's killed by a car. No problem for ACC. ACC is an "open admission" shelter-do you think that means you can surrender a pet? Look at their website. You must complete a survey, wait for a return call (that often doesn't come for two weeks), try alternatives they want you to try, and then, if you can get them back on the phone, maybe they will give you an appointment. People leave there crying because their lease is up and they cant take a pet but ACC staff says make an appointment. Tell management? They will look into it... HAH. nothing changes. Open admissions, to ACC, means that the animal was left tied to a pole or in a box outside their building. Everyone else, they know better than you whether your animal should be surrendered. I have adopted all my pets from ACC. But that is only because they survived ACC. They didn't get sick and euthanized because of the horrendous conditions. If you adopted a dog from ACC, it's because the dog didn't contract CIRDC-cause the ones that do are euthanized. (By the way, how many healthy dogs are in the "wellness wing"? zero. The emergency placement list? It's the kill list.) so yes, be happy for your pet-but don't forget about all of the ones that spent their last days in substandard conditions until they get sick and die because ACC won't administer enough antibiotics to save them.
this place is horrible they take money, and kill dogs i 3 days or less, the only good reviews are evidently either by employees or friends, they kill them even if the dog has minor and i men minor issues, and some idiot gave this place a humanitarian grant? LOOK AT THE BAD REVIWES THEY TELL THE STORY AND THE LADY RUNNING THE PLACE IS A JOKE!
When Covid-19 hit and I was sent to work from home, I knew my one silver lining in a sea of crazy times would be to foster a dog. I’ve always loved all dogs and, wanted one of my own but I never saw myself as being responsible enough or having the time. I picked up Tootsie Roll from the Brooklyn ACC in March of 2020 very ready to spend a couple weeks with her, get her adopted, and go back to work.
It was only five days later that the shelter staff reached out letting me know someone was interested in adopting her. Tears immediately started running down my face, 5 days simply was not enough time with this sweet girl I had fallen in love with. I called my family, consulted friends, and emailed back asking that If it’s alright - I would actually like to keep Tootsie and adopt her myself.
So here we are! Almost 3 years later and it’s the best decision I ever made. Tootsie Roll is my best friend, road trip companion, snacking buddy, and so much more. I’ve watched her change people’s negative assumptions about pitty breeds into positive opinions. I’ve watched her grow from a shy, sometimes reactive dog into a dog that loves all people, animals, snacks, and walks.
As cliche as it sounds, I truly believe Tootsie & I saved each other. That’s how I know one day when Tootsie is no longer here, that I will go back to the Brooklyn ACC and pick up another dog to foster because there’s nothing more special than watching an animal come into their own after some TLC.
ACC is a treasure. They rescue animals who have so much love to give, and deserve all the happiness and joy the world has to offer. Without their kindness we would not have met the missing piece of our family. Bella is the most wonderful, hilarious dog in the world. She is the best cuddling buddy for my daughter. They are always together, and every time I look I can barely tell where she ends and Bella begins. My son has her support as he battles tough homework assignments, challenging video game bosses, and large meals that need to be shared. She loves to nap with me after a long day of work, and helps me in the kitchen and garden. She wrestles with my husband, sneaks snacks before dinner, and goes on long adventures throughout the neighborhood. I have only had her a few months, but I can't believe there was a time our family was without her. She is everything we needed and even more. I struggle to find the words to express just how much she bettered our lives. Thank you so much to the staff at the ACC, the volunteers and fosters who made OUR happily ever after possible.
There are no words to express how wonderful these people are. They work tirelessly and selfishly to bring in pets that have been abandoned or miss treated. They give them a second chance from those who gave up on them. I was so fortunate to meet fall in love and adopt my major, all in one night. I know for certain that I would not hesitate to recommend adoption here or to go back and adopt another pet from a cc. I love them all and I will never be able to repay the joy they’ve given me.
BEST ORG IN THE WORLD. They saved not only 3 of my dogs and best friends lives but my and my family’s life. We love you ACCofNYC!!!!!!!
As the Director of Communications for the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, I have worked alongside the staff at Animal Care Centers of NYC for many years. In my experience, they are among the most talented, dedicated and humane people you'll ever meet in the animal rescue world. Despite the tremendous volume of animals that come through their doors each year, ACC staff and volunteers consistently rise to the occasion and demonstrate their extreme love for animals and their desire to provide the best possible outcomes for them. On a personal level, I share my home with two ACC alumni -- Sully the dog and Nomi the cat -- and for that I am truly grateful.
I have volunteered at the Animal Care Centers of NYC for more than 15 years, and although I have always been impressed with how caring and hard-working the staff members have been, I am especially impressed with their performance during the Covid-19 pandemic. The ACC stayed open (in a limited way) all during the Covid-19 pandemic, and staff and volunteers showed up each day to take care of the animals and to provide animal welfare services to the public. They continued to do cat, dog and rabbit adoptions in person and online all through the pandemic, and in some cases staff rescued animals left in apartments by people who were taken to the hospital with Covid. Now that things are starting to get back to normal, the staff and volunteers continue their very important work, many times going above and beyond the call of duty to help the animals in their care. They also do mobile pet adoptions in their van that visits different neighborhoods each week. This is a wonderful organization that operates with very little money, but lots of love and compassion.
We have adopted wonderful pet rabbits from here. They connect New Yorkers and animals who need help with their forever homes.
I am an ACC adopter, volunteer and foster. As NYC’s only open admissions shelter, they are faced with unique challenges, but their staff and volunteers work so hard to help homeless animals find their forever homes! I love asking someone where they got their dog and hearing “ACC!”.
What impresses me most about ACC is the day-in and day-out professionalism, compassion and care that staff show to the public and, most importantly, to the animals, despite the organization being chronically understaffed, underpaid and working in often old, antiquated and inadequate physical facilities (Manhattan as a prime example). That being said, I understand that this observation may not excite or photograph all that well, so I offer the following specific case: Raleigh ID 135488.
Raleigh was a gorgeous charcoal grey, blue-nosed 8 year old pitbull - an extremely good natured, squeaky toy-loving, long timer at the Manhattan shelter who was a staff and volunteer favorite. Raleigh was a bit dog reactive, although so much milder than many pups in the shelter, and this behavior was easily managed outside the kennels and would have been easily managed in a single dog only household. Inexplicably, sweet Raleigh spent months at MACC without a serious adoption inquiry, and it was puzzling as to why. A good natured boy, Raleigh never needed to be put on the Emergency Placement list, but lack of interest became clearer the longer he was there and the more often I walked him in the neighborhood. Raleigh had two large tumors: one on his right front shoulder and a particularly large and noticeable one on his right hind foot - one that I had been noting on shelter medical white boards for a while, as well as photographing them - and they were growing slowly but steadily - especially his toe tumor. Strangers in the neighborhood started stopping me on the street and asking me about Raleigh: was he sick? Why did he look like that? What's going on with his toe? What did you do to your dog? etc.
It was very clear to me that no one was going to ever adopt Raleigh in his condition, since all people saw were huge tumors and probably huge vet bills. Raleigh's condition needed to be somehow elevated and Raleigh treated differently than he had been to date. So I took it upon myself to make some noise.
I wrote to several people at MACC and ACC Corporate about Raleigh, detailing my experiences and POV. I also offered to help pay for his care to remove his toe tumor. It took a few correspondences but the internal and external Medical team did take a good look at him and decided that Raleigh's toe tumor (and at least one toe) should be removed. I was thrilled! Raleigh was sedated, prepped for surgery, during which biopsies of both toe and shoulder tumors would be taken, and preliminary blood tests were done. The blood tests came back somewhat funky, however, so the team decided to do an ultrasound, to see if they could determine an explanation. Bad news all around: both biopsies showed mast cell tumors ( which have a nasty habit of recurring ), but more devastatingly, the ultrasound revealed a spleen tumor. Never good even if benign, the presence of a previously undiagnosed spleen tumor would complicate any surgery and recovery at all. I, and the entire team involved, was devastated.
Amazingly, there actually had previously been an adoption inquiry about Raleigh, which had gone nowhere and the person disappeared. The Adoption Placement team was able to locate this person, explain Raleigh's situation, along with an anonymous (i.e., my) offer to help pay for the medical bills and the various medical complications involved. This person thought the situation through, then came back and said that they would agree to adopt Raleigh and give him a loving home, but only as a hospice situation. They did not feel that subjecting Raleigh to these surgeries would end well -- causing a complicated recovery, more misery, uncertainty and expense, and probably poor quality of life for Raleigh going forward. So, everyone thought about it and the decision was made across all parties to adopt Raleigh out to this caring home, and forgo any surgery.
Although initially unsettled, I quickly became very grateful for this outcome for several reasons:
1) I, a dog walking volunteer, was able to elevate a situation about a beloved shelter animal and get listened to. My willingness to help foot the bill might have been the reason for that but, whatever it was, I am grateful to have gotten the attention;
2) Raleigh received careful, deliberate and impressive medical care and attention;
3) Raleigh was finally able to leave the shelter into a loving hospice home for as long as he has quality time left. I am so grateful to his adopter who remains anonymous to us all but a handful of Adoption Placement staff. He is still missed very much by all his shelter fans.
However inconvenient and annoying I, or any of us volunteers, can be, I will always take with me the fact that my "squeaky wheel" communications were taken seriously and listened to by ACC management. This "squeaky wheel" played an important role in identifying Raleigh's complicated medical situation, which would have probably gone unidentified until perhaps too late. And, my "squeaks" ultimately helped to find him a loving home. I am very proud of that and thank ACC profusely for listening to my squeaks and for this outcome.
Signed, Debra J. Kalish, ACC of NYC volunteer
(unable to include a video of Raleigh, since I do not have a YouTube channel)
No other organization does what Animal Care Centers of NYC does day in and day out--take in each and every unwanted animal that crosses their threshold. It's a thankless and tiresome task, and the people who work at ACC are heroes. ACC places thousands of animals--dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, pocket pets, and other species--in new homes each year, achieving a 93% placement rate that's unheard of in a city of this size and scope! What an amazing team. I've witnessed their work up close and personal over the past 20 years and continue to support their efforts. --Anita K. Edson
(Brooklyn ) About two months ago I lost my 15-year-old friend – my cat Benny. He broke his back leg while jumping onto my bed. Operation, which was unbearably expensive - was unsuccessful, because in the first day at home, the metal plate, placed during the surgery, gave up and broke the same bone at a higher place. I always thought that it was my cat, totally dependable on me - his only source of livelihood. I tried to be a good keeper of the cats soul from the moment I found the tiny baby kitten on the top of the trash. But when he died, I understood, that it was me, totally dependent on my dear tabby cat, who filled entire the apartment with a special warm aura and gave me the feeling of being needed, loved and important. God, it was so agonizing to feel the emptiness his death left me with. I did not think that another cat could replace my deceased Benny. But after about 2 month I started to think about adoption. In time of the pandemic, some adoption agencies closed their operations and others - made adoption very complicated. The ACC (Brooklyn ) – Animal Care Center of NYC, is the friendliest place, I came to adopt from, due to the wonderful and kind people working there. The place is not very big- but there are always a number of cats, waiting for adoption - from street rescued cats to cats, who were brought in by their owners. The sad part in times of the pandemic is that the cat you file an application for at other adoption centers, will certainly be adopted by someone who filed an application before you and therefore got appointment before you. But when you come – the people who work here (Brooklyn office) would do their best to show you all cats available for adoption. Two young ladies who showed me around were Kenzie DuMars and Stephanie Feliciano – two friendliest ladies who work with the cats and with people coming to adopt. They gave me enough time to get familiar with a couple of cats I had to choose from, to understand if there were some visible bonds between us. They checked my application and interviewed me to understand my knowledge about cat care. They went through the medical info of the cat I am adopting, about the best cat food, toys, litter and about general cat care. There are not many people, who are doing entire shelter work over there. But they are doing their very best - to clean, to feed, to introduce adopters to the cats, to fill out documentations and to follow through with the entire process. And they are very polite and patient. I was so impressed with the service I received. Thank You so much.
The word "Care" should not even be in the same sentence with "animal centers of NYC"cause quite frankly that is the last priority of this organization which is far from a "great non profit" and an utter disgrace for a so called animal care center , I am not surprised no one claims this profile on this sight because they know they are complete failures at caring for any animal .
I found a dog one morning about 7:00 a.m. chained up to a fence at one of the projects in Chelsea, it was a pitbull of course. It was raining and he was just sitting down looking at anyone that walked by with his ears up in anticipation of someone to walk over to him or even acknowledge his presence, He wasn't whining or barking , just sitting there hoping. I continued with my plans and upon returning to my car that afternoon around 3:00 p.m. he was still there , but now he was lying down defeated it seemed . So I walked over to him and he was excited and expressing that by running in little circles and whimpering with joy to finally be noticed . So I unchained him and walked him to my car and at first he was hesitant to go in it but with a little nudge he jumped into the passenger seat and seemed comfortable . He was a fully intact male little underweight but muscular and collarless. I have 2 dogs of my own both pitbulls both rescues and one of mine was a fully intact male so There wa sno way I could take him home with me , well at least not right away. So I went to several of my friends and tried to pitch the idea of them fostering"Buddy". that wa the name I gave him. to no avail I could not convince any of them to take him in so I called the ACC of NYC and no one answered . This was now around 7:00 p.m. and I just drove to the 110th location and the doors were locked but I saw staff inside milling around so I knocked several times and finally someone opened the door and I plead my case to them and they allowed me to bring him in for intake. I asked them would they evaluate him and give him a physical and they said they would do that the following day. they gave me his intake # and took my info and I said my goodbyes with a heavy heart , feeling bad I wanted to be reassured that they would not put him down and she said "No, we don't do that unless it's an extreme case of a dog being overly aggressive and that they try to place them with a rescue group or get them adopted" these were her words exactly.
I left Buddy there with plans on seeing him again one way or the other . I ended up dropping by one of my friends that I had stopped by earlier and he told me another one of our friends was interested in taking him . So I gave him the info that I received form the ACC of NYC with is intake # and name and he tried to contact them the next morning and all of the sudden they had no info on this dog whatsoever. I also tried to contact them and got nowhere but left my number and requested a call back . well I received a call that went to voicemail with their evaluation and all I remember taking away from that voicemail was the determined he appeared to be hyper aroused when he engaged with the evaluator. So this didn't sound very promising to me , So I once again attempted to call with no luck of getting through till about a day later where they claimed to have no record of Buddy once again and That was the last I heard of him . LAter on I found out that they liberally euthanize dogs daily there even when people try to adopt these dogs and upon more research which I regret not doing before hand that they put down a lot of young beautiful dogs with no remorse or compassion for these animals. I truly was heartbroken to think I that I assisted in ending this dogs life prematurely by bringing him to this Kill shelter in sheeps clothing. The staff blatantly lied to my face and misinformed me about their standard of operations with no intentions of really caring for this dog. These city workers are heartless and lack empathy to which I would compare to a sociopath at best. I don't know how they could possibly live with themselves in regards to the way they treat these abandoned pets all the while claiming to love and care for them . These folks are a waste of the oxygen that we breathe as far as I am concerned and the city of New York should be ashamed of themselves the way they waste taxpayer money on garbage programs like "THRIVE"(what a sham)and fund these shelters minimally or barely at all . I often wonder how humane the euthanization procedure is with worthless leadership that runs this place at its helm.
My final words to the gems that run that show are I hope they live long fruitful live with no tragedy or major losses and never ever die in a car crash but live cancer free forever.
god bless and godspeed.
Very poor customer service. The staff members I spoke to were not helpful during the adoption process and gave inaccurate information.
Moreover, after reading about the Animal Care Center's involvement in a Spay-Neuter-Kill program where it operated on animals shortly before killing them I investigated further. I have yet to get a satisfactory explanation from the Shelter on this controversy. It does not appear this Shelter is giving animals, potential adopters, or the public at large the quality care it could.
Review from Guidestar
I am so sick to death of the kill list ... especially when it doesn't have to be this way. It's been proven 1X1 across our country that I can be so VERY much better. NYC Animal Control Center tells an incredible sugar & spice horse and pony show that holds SO MANY untruths, the one thing they do well. It has a vile reputation literally around the world. There wouldn't be the overwhelming consistency of outrage if there weren't truth behind it. We have an enormous amount of proof of their lies. If the mainstream general public were aware of what The Advocates live and breathe 24 + 7, the testimonies in City Hall, and trying to save wonderful sweet defenseless adoptable animals out of this center... the roar would become deafening and this archaic killing system would not be tolerated ... especially once people find out how great it is elsewhere. Compare the #s with Austin shelter numbers who has chosen to go no kill. Per capita in a city of 1.1 million versus the city of close to 9 million ...look how many animals Austin saves and do not kill...as they fill in NYC ACC. Being a kill pound versus a true no kill shelter is a matter of CHOICE, decision and motivation ...and New York City does not CHOOSE to come out of the Dark Ages. It's equivalent to a concentration camp where those people had no control over what happened to them nor their lives .SCREEN PRINTED.
Review from Guidestar
Terrible place they Spay and Neuter Animals then turn around and kill them. ASPCA does many surgeries for them and are seemingly OK with this atrocity.
Review from Guidestar
ACC is doing a great job of dealing with the number of unwanted dogs and cats in New York City which is no easy task. They work with local rescue groups and my friend got a great dog there. The volunteers/staff were clearly people who love animals and are trying their hardest to deal with the overwhelming task of so many animals to save with limited resources.
Adopted my dog there and received great service from all the staff there.
They work tirelessly to provide the best care for the thousands of animals they rescue every year.
ACC makes me proud to be a New Yorker.
#boroughbred
I have adopted cats from ACC and I've attended their events and donated to the organization. I've been incredibly impressed with the thoughtful, caring, and dedicated staff I've met over the years. This is the only citywide shelter that has to take every animal that is brought to them. That is an overwhelming amount and I'm grateful that they are on the front lines doing this important work. ACC has made enormous progress in the past decade and is constantly striving to innovate and improve their facilities. I will continue to support them and I encourage everyone to adopt their pets from there as well.
Review from Guidestar
My partner and I adopted two healthy cats from ACC, from two different locations, and we are so happy with our new family members! The staff at ACC was extremely helpful and supportive of all of our questions and concerns. The cats were well-treated and I could tell that the staff had forged personal relationships with both Joey and Johnny. We had a great experience with these adoptions and I wouldn't hesitate to use ACC again.
Because we had such a good experience, we've come to learn more about ACC and support their mission 100%. They've done so much in the last 12 years to improve the level of care that the animals receive, and it's clear that everyone there feels a personal responsibility to live up to the goals of their mission. As a NYC resident, I feel lucky that ACC is managed so well and staffed by so many great people.
I'm looking for a rescue dog now, and this is where I will get him/her. The new website is great. These detractors do not take the history of this organization into account. It has made HUGE improvements since the Guiliani administration. If you love animals you should adopt here, support the organization, and be part of its continued improvements.
The NYC ACC must take in every animal for the city and has a 92-94% + placement rate which is one of the best in the country for an animal welfare shelter of it's size. The team does it's best with its limited resources, staff and facilities. They are completely dedicated to saving our NYC homeless animals and constantly working to improve the lives, and place the animals. that they care for. I am proud to donate money to their cause and would highly recommend adopting your pet from their shelter. I am so grateful to have them as our NYC shelter.
Review from Guidestar
My donations couldn’t have gone to a better place! Friends have rescued dogs from terrible situations, dogs that once in the care of ACC began to make their journey back to recovery. Without the help of the shelters and their wonderful staff, these animals would have languished in abominable conditions. Furthermore, my daughter is working on a bat mitzvah service project with ACC, spending time with animals and helping them maintain meaningful connections with people. They are truly doing great work.
Review from Guidestar
Animal Care Centers of NYC is the city shelter for New York City. They are literally on the front lines of rescue -- often involving really challenging situations and circumstances. I'm a happily failed foster after fostering a terrified, traumatized, ultimately sweet papillon-mix that had been part of a horrible hoarding case where ACC came in saved the day. We are so happy to have helped rescue this one dog but ACC does this with thousands of dogs, cats and rabbits every single year -- if you care about animals, I can't think of a better place to donate as nearly 90 cents of each dollar is spent on programs and care.
Review from Guidestar
NEVER bring any living animal to this facility. It cannot be called a shelter for the simple fact the leadership cares little about the welfare of the creatures within its walls. We’re it not for volunteers & rescues, the atrocities committed here would be even greater. A change in policy, procedures, and leadership MUST be demanded.
Review from Guidestar
There is no reason why the City of New York still runs a slaughterhouse!!! My tax dollars should be going to improving and making ACC NO KILL - not wasted on bike posts every few feet and other ridiculous wasteful projects. NYC - the capital of the world - and we still can’t manage to become a NO KILL city?? “To be destroyed” is not a tag that should be placed on any sentient being.
Review from Guidestar
I've only had bad experiences with ACC. I'm not sure if it is a real nonprofit. I know the city outsources animal rescue to them. They kill many of the animals, They changed their name and tried to rebrand a year or so ago but animal lovers in NYC know what they are up to.
59 dogs were euthanized last month for minor behavioral issues or ailments . Many were only given 18hrs to be rescued or adopted by a member of the public. These dogs were put to sleep because this organization found them to be too much of a hassle and in "their opinion" unadoptable ...despite their excellent qualities. This is causing great distress by the small people who know about this. Nycacc doesn't welcome feedback nor do they want to change this practice. It has started to make people physically ill trying to save 10 or more dogs publicized on their death row list daily.
Review from Guidestar
Hi kill shelter where most animals entering get sick. Animals given 18 hours to get adopted including overnite. Not enough time to get saved so most get euthanized, young healthy, family, adoptable dogs. Do not hold enough adoption events, advertising for these poor animals.
Review from Guidestar
I just read that NYCACC has a Mobile Adoption Unit, which assists in placing animals and decisions of surrender . How amazing! I have been following NYCACC for the past year, and I have seen nothing on their website about a Mobile Unit. The website is run by "Urgent", individuals who have no affiliation with the shelter. As I understand , they receive their information from the shelter to post to the website. The shelter has a propensity of volunteers who assist daily, a vast amount. The amount of actual paid employees is low. This way more can be paid to the Director. The Board does not meet regularly nor are the meeting notes made available to the public. This is a horrible place for animals. NYCACC does not utilize the New Hope Partners like they should. In excess of over 200 Partners, in any given month, maybe 4-5 are used. NYCACC kills healthy dogs, puppies. Their narratives are contradictory at best, an animal will be listed as "accepting all handling, head and eyes "soft", then in the next paragraph it will indicate the dog is "at risk" for rescue , "no children under the age of 13", "tail stiff", etc, with no demonstrable explanation why this was added. There is under-handedness and cover-up at that shelter,and it will be discovered in time. The reports are "fudged", dates don't match. They have a separate list of "strays" and to this day, there are 2 dogs, one of which was a puppy that are still missing. I have the photos and ID numbers of both animals. Someday this shelter will be found out for what it really is, and be closed. We need new people in there, making sweeping changes for the benefit of the animals, instead of the pockets of the Director and her second assistant.
Review from Guidestar
A hell hole for Animals.The staff should be replaced with compassionate and caring people.
Review from Guidestar
This is not a charity nor a shelter. This is a high-kill shelter that does not care about animals. This is the city pound-- lock em up ship em off to die, cut and dried. Don't give them any of your hard-earned money. Instead look for one of the rescue groups that gets animals out of this pound every day and finds them loving, forever homes. The NYC ACC needs serious reform!!!
Review from Guidestar
Adopt from ACC before they get euthanized! Do not donate to ACC, they receive $18 million + per year in grants and donations and it is not going towards the well being or care of the animals. I saw Roxy fka Princess on fb, posted by a group called "Stop the Slaughter" the night that she was going to be euthanized by the ACC because she caught kennel cough THERE. She was brought into ACC healthy and was exposed to infected dogs. I couldn't allow her to be killed. I ran to the Brooklyn ACC and got there right before the 8 pm closing time. After hours of waiting, they finally gave her to me with a vial of antibiotics. Roxy was well in a week. Six weeks later she had three puppies although only two survived. ACC was going to euthanize a treatable, adoptable dog that was pregnant with puppies. They told me that they would help with the puppy's expenses but they never did. I'm still waiting to get my "deposit " back because I got Roxy spayed. There needs to be a law against killing treatable and adoptable dogs. NYC ACC kills thousands of adoptable dogs and cats every year. What happened to the $18+ million that NYC ACC received in grants and donations last year? Why wasn't there compliance with Attorney General Scott Stringer's 2015 audit? Missing drugs, unexplained charges on credit cards? The ACC contract needs to be given to an honest 501c3 that has compassion for animals. Pictures of Roxy and her two puppies, Harley Blue and Brindle.
Review from Guidestar
If it was not for the Volunteers and the Wonderful Rescue groups , and Foster's ACC would kill everything That walks in their doors. Their employees are rude, unprofessional, and uncaring. The building is unattractive, smells horrible, is dirty , and infested with disease. I literally leave there feeling sick. I have rescued 15 animals from there and wake up trying to figure out how to do more every day.
Review from Guidestar
The biggest slaughterhouse in NYC! Go adopt these Death Row cats and dogs please!!!!
Review from Guidestar
Where I live my shelter is no kill and they still remain open. There is no need to destroy innocent, healthy animals. God will judge you in the end.. In Vermont we call you guys Nazi camps
Review from Guidestar
I am in Ohio, down here NY shelters are known as"DEATH CAMPS". Most animals don't make it out, not because people don't want to foster/adopt, it's vecause these shelters kill the animals before they even have a chance. They put them in back so they can't be seen, then they say time us up and ACTUALLY DRAG THEM TO THE KILL ROOM.
So many Bully breeds get killed because the so-called POS managers
Don't think they deserve a loving home. These DEATH CAMPS need to
fire everyone of them. They DO NOT care about the animals. The animals come in terrified and the workers are mean, abuse them, drag them, choke them with catch poles etc. Everyone has been trying to help all of these animals, rescues, fosters, adopters. If anyone really sees what is going on behind their closed doors, everyone would be charged with animal cruelty and abuse. We are trying to get the FBI involved because of the disgusting treatment of animals. Do your own investigation, ( undercover) if you really want to see what they do!!
In good faith, I would give -5 stars!
Review from Guidestar
Bella 4/22/2015 3PM I was at Staten Island animal care control I offered IMMEDIATE ADOPTION AND vet care for this eight-month-old unspayed female German Shepherd dog I was denied my 40 years German Shepherd dog experience they let tHIS PUPPY sit and suffer she died six weeks later SHIPPED HER TO THEIR NO HOPE RESCUE upstate OUT OF MY ADOPTIVE AREA NYC ACC ARE THE ANIMAL ABUSERS ANA THE MGR SIACC PHIL GREISS TEMP TESTER HEART STICKERS KILLERS ON YOUR TAX DOLLARS DENIED ME A PET FROM MY LOCAL SHELTER CRIMINALS DEPT OF HEALTH IS RUNNING THIS SCAM WITH DEBLASIO END THIS MONEY MAKING KILLING MACHINE NO MORE NO KILL ONLY NYC
Review from Guidestar
Acc has failed on every animal entering the shelter system. They routinely withold medical care, they sometimes fail to even evaluate animals health. They allow injured and sicks pets to languish for days, sometimes almost 2 weeks, even those listed as "needs imnediate vet care, must leave by a designated time"and yet many days later that same animal remains imprisoned behind the dirty, filthy walls of acc
Review from Guidestar
2 years ago friends pointed out a beautiful orange kitty had been brought in by a military family who had been deployed. Orangina was brought in with her best friend-both of them 6 yrs old and with the family since they were kittens. The family asked the ACC for two things- that 1. they get both cats adopted out together and 2. with a family with children. This was not to happen- a while later both cats caught the shelter cold and Pumpkin the other cat was promptly murdered, Orangina was on the list published each eve to be killed the next day. I agreed i would take and foster her- a wonderful rescue jumped to get her out for me and she arrived at my home. 2 weeks later she was well. She is such a lovebug i immediately became a foster failure, She is a major part of my family - i am appalled how these animals are mistreated in filth and neglect and it is tragic acc would lie to our military who are out there defending our country. The could have referred the client to organizations who would have helped them such as PACT.
Review from Guidestar
This place is the last stop for nyc homeless and abandoned animals. Once a healthy animal enters through their doors it's almost an immediate death sentence. The animal will contract disease and then be killed for it. The facilities are rundown, dark, dinghy, depressing and disease infested. Animals are subjected to substandard care, suffering and dying everyday inside these god forsaken facilities. Please DO NOT surrender your pet here. Please make sure your pet is microchipped so if your pet winds up lost and here you will know! This is not a "shelter" in the true sense of the word, this is an undeniable animal killing machine who is killing healthy adoptable easily treatable animals including kittens and puppies everyday!
Review from Guidestar
This is a kill shelter that constantly fails the animals in its "care." The animals get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection, are treated for a few days, then killed. Animals languish for days with untreated injuries or illnesses and suffer needlessly. Dogs and cats suffer here. I have been banned from making comments on their Facebook page. Look into the recent audit by Comptroller Scott Stringer. it will tell you the story. I am unable to give a "zero" star rating.
Review from Guidestar
This is a kill shelter. They keep promising to stop the killing, but they excuses they give are increasingly more lame.
They have an epidemic level of illness and are using the level of infection to kill young well behaved dogs.
The NYC ACC is a 501c charitable organization and yet their governance and practices do not reflect the values of one. The people that work there are made to sign a gag order. The executive director is a lawyer not a person with a background in animal welfare. Any cases of suspected abuse such as bashing out the teeth of the dog Keidith are never investigated or reported to the public that pays the bills. A recent audit showed negligence and a lack of caring in the use of outdated and missing drugs. Credit cards were misused by the executive director and managers and 17K in late charges to cards was paid out. Many animals are killed by mistake but this is called computer glitches and miscommunication and error. Most of the animals are killed for catching a cold and these are all adoptable animals. People turn in their animals due to not being able to afford their health care when there are programs supposedly in place to help keep these animals in their homes. No one on the board is an animal advocate or behaviorist. The lack of transparency and accountability to the public it serves is a sad statement indeed. It is funded by the DOH whose mission statement is solely the welfare of people at the expense of animals. Until NYC ACC is transparent and accountable it will always be animal control masquerading as care. The review would not allow 0 star rating.
Review from Guidestar