At-Risk Animals

Thank you for your interest in adopting from Animal Care Centers of NYC. Our At-Risk List is posted three times a week, on the evenings of Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 6:00PM and remains viewable for 42 hours.

Schedule overview:
Animals posted at 6:00PM on Sunday evening will be viewable until Tuesday at 12:00PM noon.
Animals posted at 6:00PM on Tuesday evening will be viewable until Thursday at 12:00PM noon.
Animals posted at 6:00PM on Thursday evening will be viewable until Saturday at 12:00PM noon.

To find out the status of at-risk animals, please visit the At-Risk Outcomes page.

If this is your first time visiting this site, please read the below information carefully.

For anyone who wishes to adopt, there is a mandatory deposit fee of $200 plus a transaction fee per animal to place an adoption reservation. The $200 covers $50 toward the adoption fee and $150 for the spay/neuter deposit. If the animal has already been spayed or neutered or is permanently waived by one of our veterinarians, the $150 deposit will be refunded at the time of the adoption. If the animal does need to leave without being spayed or neutered due to his/her medical condition, the $150 deposit will be refunded at the time they are brought back for the spay/neuter surgery or when proof of sterilization being done elsewhere is provided to ACC. If you do not follow through with the adoption, the entire $200 deposit will be considered a charitable donation to ACC's Special Treatment and Recovery Fund (STAR). Also, if the adoption fee for an animal is less than $50, the difference will be considered a charitable donation to the STAR Fund. Similarly, in-shelter pricing promotions do not apply to at-risk animals.

To complete an adoption, please click reserve on the animal of your choice. That animal will be loaded in your cart and you will have 15 minutes to complete the adoption process. In order to complete your reservation, you need to check out (top right corner). At this point, you will enter in your credit card information and a receipt will be emailed to you as confirmation of your reservation. If you have any issues, please email adopt@nycacc.org for help navigating the website.

If you are interested in fostering/adopting through one of our New Hope partners, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ozHex3uqvNkQt2dq9

At-Risk Animals

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Rusty
Rusty is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Rusty arrived at the Care Centers as a stray with no known history. Upon intake Rusty was noted to be highly fearful and defensive, growling at staff and snapped at police officers that found him. During his stay, Rusty has shown concerning levels of reactivity to other dogs. Rusty is observed to pull-hard toward dogs with raised hackles and become tense body; he is not easily redirected. With select staff, Rusty has shown limited socialization. Medically Rusty is noted to have dental disease and has started treatment for CIRDC.
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Kaneki
Kaneki is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Kaneki has been struggling to acclimate to the care center environment despite best efforts to keep him comfortable. Kaneki when being removed from kennel will begin to leash bite intermittently, and is difficult to refocus when doing so making it hard to walk him safely. Kaneki is also reported to heavily pant and vocalize in his kennel at times, and not want to come out of kennel despite attempts to coax him out. Medically, Kaneki is underweight and has glaucoma.
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Suga Suga
Suga Suga is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Suga Suga arrived at the Care Center as a stray with no known history. Upon intake Suga Suga was noted to be easily leashed and entered kennel without issue. However, was noted to become fearful with potential for defensive escalation during medical exam and handling assessment; growling, head-whipping, tense body, and lip licking. Despite efforts to keep her comfortable, Suga Suga has been showing concerning levels of fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) at the Care Center. Suga Suga is noted to be fearful of handlers, as staff members attempt to leash her she is noted to be tense bodied and tucked tail. Other times Suga Suga has been observed to be pacing in her kennel, muzzle-punching kennel bars, and hard barking at handlers as they approach. In one instance Suga Suga was noted to grab on to a staff member's clothing and attempt to pull into kennel. With familiar staff, she has allowed limited handling and petting. Medically, Suga Suga is apparently healthy.
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Ralphy
Ralphy is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Ralphy has been highly dog reactive in the care center, escalating to lunging, hard barking, and fixating on other dogs during walks, requiring staff to manage his visibility around them. While he can be social and wiggly with staff in low-arousal settings, he struggles to refocus once triggered and remains difficult to redirect when reactive, making it difficult to walk him safely. Medically, Ralphy is apparently healthy.
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Dave
Dave is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Dave has been obsvered to be highly dog reactive, Noted to fixate on other dogs and is difficult to redirect. Dave is also noted to jump up and bite the leash while outside. Initially when Dave arrived he was obsvered to be highly fearful. Noted to be very tense when handlers attempted to interact. Medically, Dave does have a heart murmur that should be monitored routinely for future changes.
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Kratos
Kratos is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Despite our best efforts to keep him comfortable Kratos is obsvered to be highly stressed while in kennel. Noted to be bouncing off the side of his kennel, spinning and throwing himself against the transfer door repeatedly. This behaviors have been obsvered even when the room is quiet. Medically, Kratos is apparently healthy.
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Domino
Domino is at risk due to behavioral concerns in care. Domino has not adjusted well to the care center environment and has displayed kennel stress, and reactivity. She frequently launches off her kennel door, spins repetitively, and exhibits distress behaviors when other dogs are nearby. In-staff observations note snarling, growling, and barking at dogs in proximity, along with pacing and whining.. Domino has also pancaked and refused to walk. Her behavioral presentation suggests significant stress in the shelter environment, with both barrier frustration and difficulty self-regulating. Medically, Domino is apparently healthy.
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Palmier
Palmier is at risk for behavior concerns. He was returned to the care centers due to separation anxiety and destructive tendencies in the home. His previous owner describes him as a friendly and outgoing dog. During his previous stay, Palmier was observed to be fearful with a tense body, tucked tail, and would move away from handler. Throughout his most recent stay, he has been deteriorating and displaying new behavior concerns. He has often been reported to frantically paw at the feed slot or the kennel door, and has also been observed to be licking his kennel bars. Palmier is also now intensely kennel fighting as he is removed and returned to the room, bolting out of kennel, darting in all directions while pulling hard towards the other dogs, escalating to lunging and hard barking, at one point spinning toward handler. Palmier is also rope reactive and has been leash biting more consistently. During training, he is treat motivated and engaged, but has a very low threshold for arousal, quickly escalating to jumping high, and mouthing with hard pressure. Medically, he apparently has dental disease.
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Emily
Emily is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Emily has been obsvered to be highly fearful during her stay in the care center. Noted to have a tense body, tucked tail, and show whale eye. During her assessment Emily was observed to retreat to the end of the leash and thrash when the handler attempted to interact. Emily has remained fearful and continues to escalate to growling when handlers approach. Medically Emily is recieving treatment for CIRDC.
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Saint
Saint is at risk due to behavior concerns. He arrived at the care centers as an owner surrender. His previous owner described him to be friendly and outgoing with children, but is reactive towards cats, dogs, small animals, and strangers. He was described to lunge and bark towards them. He also stated that Saint has a previous bite history. Saint bit a person that approached and pet him on the neck. During his stay at the care center, Saint has been observed to be highly fearful. He did not tolerate handling during his assessment and had a tense body, whale eye, intensely lip lick, and created distance from handler. However, during intake he was loose, wiggly bodied and allowed petting. Medically, he apparently has a heart murmur and is receiving treatment for CIRDC.
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Hera
Hera is at risk due to behavior concerns. She arrived at the care centers as a stray with little known history. During her intake she allowed all handling but paced around the room, attempted to flee, and escalated to leash biting. Throughout her stay she has continued to display rope reactivity, often reported to leash bite intensely, sometimes near the handlers' hands. On leash, she has been observed to vocalize, pull very hard towards other dogs, spin, and as previously mentioned, attempts to leash bite. She has remained fairly receptive to the use of treats. Medically, Hera is apparently healthy.
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Tyson
Tyson is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Tyson arrived as a stray with no known history. During his medical exam, he was noted to warm up to staff quickly, and be treat motivated. Recently however, Tyson has been showing concerning decreased threshold for arousal despite efforts to keep him comfortable at the Care Center. Tyson has been leash biting with escalating intensity, this has been observed in a recent handling assessment and during walks with staff. In one instance a secondary handler had to assist to help return him to the Care Center safely due to his persistent leash biting. Tyson remains social with staff and treat motivated. Medically, Tyson is apparently healthy.
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Bluebell
Bluebell is at risk due to her behavior concerns in care. In the care cneter she displays fear-based defensive behavior, reactivity, and potential for escalation under stress. She has repeatedly exhibited growling, head-whipping, snapping, and avoidance during leashing and handling attempts. She is easily startled by noises and sudden movement, resulting in flailing, thrashing, and snapping behavior. Medically Bluebell has dermatitis.
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Pumpkin

Pumpkin needs at risk placement for medical reasons. She is a sweet, mature dog with a vaginal mass that is causing her to strain to urinate and defecate. She needs advanced imaging and a consultation with a surgeon to treat her condition. Behaviorally she is a social and sweet dog and has allowed all handling.
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Appletini 
Appletini is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Appletini arrived at the Care Center as a stray with no known history. Appletini was noted be loose bodied and social with staff during his medical exam. Despite efforts to keep him comfortable, Appletini is showing concerning deterioration while in kennel. Recently Appletini has been observed to be at the front of his kennel consistently barking with part of his muzzle covered in blood. Outside of kennel Appletini is noted to be treat motivated and solicit petting from handlers. Medically, he is noted to be underweight and being treated for diarrhea.
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Aries
Aries is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Aries arrived at MACC as an owner surrender. His previous owner describes him as a social and affectionate dog, however also stated that he will hard bark and growl towards familiar and unfamiliar dogs. Upon intake, Aries was noted to bve lunging toward dogs at the Care Center, and was difficult to handle safely by staff. Despite efforts to keep him comfortable, Aries has been observed to be reactive to both dogs and people while on leash. Noted to hard bark and lunge towards them. On walks Aries has been observed to low-growl at members of public holding umbrellas. With select staff, Aries is noted to be social. Medically, Aries is noted to be underweight but is otherwise apparently healthy.
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Whizzer
Whizzer is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Whizzer arrived at the Care Center as a stray with no known history. Upon intake Whizzer was noted to be fearful with tense body but allowed handling for medical exam. During his stay, Whizzer is showing concerning levels of reactivity toward dogs. He has been observed to become hyper-fixated when seeing dogs both in neighboring play-pens, or when on sidewalk on leash. Additionally, Whizzer has been noted high-pitch vocalize at times, become tense bodied, hard-stare and is unable to be redirected with treats or squeaker sounds. With familiar staff Whizzer is noted to be social and understands 'sit' commands. Medically Whizzer is noted to have dental disease but is otherwise apparently healthy.
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Tootsie
Tootsie is at risk due to behavioral concern in care. In her kennel, she frequently hard barks, growls, and lunges toward people and other dogs, and has been seen pulling in her crate cover and vocalizing persistently. Outside the kennel, she shows signs of fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS). While she will take treats from handlers, she remains tense and uneasy during interactions. Medically, Tootsie is receiving treatment for paw pad lasions but is otherwise healthy.
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Beauty
Beauty is at risk for behavior reasons. Beauty is highly anxious in the care center. Based on her owner surrender profile it seems as though she is very anxious in the home environment at well making it difficult to manage her destructive behavior. In care she has been sweet and highly social with staff and volunteers although she can be fearful at first and requires a slow approach. Medically, she has early periodontitis but is otherwise healthy.
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Vitani
Vitani is on the at-risk list for behavior concerns. Vitani arrived at MACC as a stray with no known history. During intake they were observed to be highly fearful with tense body, tucked tail, and avoiding eye contact with staff. With time she has begun to take treats dropped close to her. Despite efforts to keep her comfortable, during walks Vitani is observed to be trembling, hyper-vigilant, and avoidant of being leashed. Medically, Vitani is noted to be underweight. She has developed respiratory issues and possible pneumonia. She is not eating well. Due to fear and anxiety, treating her will be difficult.
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Aurora Mist
Aurora Mist is at risk due to her beavioral concern in the care center. Aurora Mist is escalating leash biting which was noted in her prior home and arousal-related behaviors. She has begun to bite and climb the leash during handling, requiring redirection and assistance from multiple staff members. Aurora is also seen hard barking and baring teeth at the front of her kennel, panting heavily and rebounding between her kennel walls. Aurora Msit is noted to present with a loose, wiggly body in low-arousal settings. Medically, Aurora Mist is apparently healthy.
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Scarlett
Scarlett is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In her previous home Scarlett was involved in an incident in which she ran through a dog door and bit another dog, resulting in puncture wounds and required medical treatment. Scarlett is also reported to be on leash reactive,lunging, and bark at other dogs on walks. Scarlett in the care center is social with staff, leaning in for pets, and loves to play with toys. Medically, Scarlett is apparently healthy.
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