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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Famous
Famous is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Famous has shown high arousal and reactivity in the care center, including intense dog reactivity when leaving his kennel and on walks, uncontrollable zoomies, and repeatedly jumping onto staff. He has attempted to redirect during reactive moments, whipping around and nipping at handlers’ clothing. In sessions he displays dilated pupils, heavy panting, difficulty settling, and engages in mounting, jumping, and mouthing staff with moderate to hard pressure. Medically, Famous is being monitored for a scrotal hematoma currently but is otherwise healthy.
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Spicy
Spicy is on the at-risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and continues to display distance-increasing behavior when approached for interactions. He has not warmed up despite staff using treats to build a positive association. Due to his stress levels, it is in his best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. He would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give him plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
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Kit Kat
Kit Kat is on the At Risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and is deteriorating in care. He is now displaying signs of boredom and frustration. Due to his stress levels, it is in his best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. He would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give him plenty of time and space and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
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Bellarina
Bellarina is on the at risk list for medical concerns. Bellarina came in through an owner surrender as her owners were unable to afford vet care. On arrival at the shelter, Bellarina was diagnosed with diabetes. She has started insulin injections and is eating her diabetic diet with a very good appetite. Bellarina needs more care than we can provide at the shelter.
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Ash
Ash is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Ash arrived at the Care Center as an owner surrender due to housing concerns. Upon intake Ash was noted to be social with staff, allow handling, but also attempted to mount. Despite efforts to keep him comfortable at the Care Center, Ash has been showing signs of deterioration and low threshold for arousal. Ash has been reported to be banging on his transfer door and digging/scratching around the drain cover in his kennel during active and inactive room times. Ash has shown some improvement since being moved to a kennel without a drain cover or transfer door however. Additionally, Ash be noted to attempt to mount handlers during walks. Ash is treat motivated and exuberantly social with familiar staff. Medically, Ash is apparently healthy.
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Aurora
Aurora is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Aurora has shown kennel reactivity in the care center, including repeated kennel fighting and lunging at adjacent dogs during entering and exiting kennel rooms. While she can be social and affectionate with staff in calmer environments, leaning into petting and exploring the room, her reactivity toward nearby dogs remains significant and is difficult to handle safely at times. Aurora does have a bite history from her previous home towards a raccoon and has bitten a dog during playgroup. The bite to the other dog did not break skin or draw blood. Medically, Aurora is overweight.
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Mochi
Mochi is on the at-risk list due to his behavior. He has slowly made progress while in shelter and is now open to pets and interactions with staff. Due to his previous behaviors in shelter and his previous history in his last home, it is in his best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. He would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give him plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
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Misty
Misty is on the at-risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and continues to display distance-increasing behavior when approached for interactions. He has not warmed up despite staff using treats to build a positive association. Due to his stress levels, it is in his best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. He would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give him plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers. Medically Misty is apparently healthy.
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Ozzy Pawsborne
Ozzy Pawsborne is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Ozzy Pawsborne arrived at the Care Center as a stray with no known history. Upon intake Ozzy Pawsborne was loose bodied, treat motivated and allowed all handling. Despite efforts to keep him comfortable, Ozzy Pawsborne has shown concerning on-leash reactivity to dogs, signs of low-threshold for arousal and deterioration. When on walks Ozzy Pawsborne has been observed to hard stare, pull towards dogs, with raised hackles, and is difficult to redirect. During handling assessments Ozzy Pawsborne was reported to jumb on staff, and head-whip with an open mouth. Although not consistent, Ozzy Pawsborne has been noted to be spinning and bark persistently in kennel. With Staff, Ozzy Pawsborne continues to be social and treat motivated. Medically, Ozzy Pawsborne is noted to have a metal object in her chest just under the skin based on Xrays taken object is suspected to be potentially a bb gun pellet/bullet, removal is recommended if being combined with another medical procedure in the future. Ozzy Pawsborne is otherwise apparently healthy.
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Choco
Choco is on the At Risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and is deteriorating in the Adoptions room. He is now displaying signs of fear aggression such as lunging, hissing, and swatting. Choco's previous owner reports he is active and playful, affectionate and friendly in a home environment. Due to his stress levels, it is in his best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. He would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give him plenty of time and space and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
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Xena
Xena is at risk for behavior reasons. Xena was initially highly fearful entering the shelter but is warming up towards staff. Despite her being more social, she has begun leash biting exiting her kennel. Xena has a bite to the other resident dog and has shown barrier frustration when other dogs pass her kennel. She should be the only pet in an adult only home. Medically, she has some dental disease but is an otherwise healthy dog.
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Princeton

Princeton is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns in his previous home. Princeton has a documented bite history involving two incidents with his previous owner. Neither incident broke skin from the information provided look to be when Princeton was in a heigthen state of arousal. Princeton in care is social with staff, enjoys attention, and going out for walks. Princeton does display some arousal concerns - leash biting- which currently we can redirect him with treats. Medically, Princeton is apparently healthy.
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Haven
Haven is at risk due to her behavioral concerns. Haven was lunging and barking at another dog while returning from a walk when she redirected and bit a handler in the stomach. The bite did not break skin but caused bruising through multiple layers of clothing. She was returned to her kennel without further issue. Haven has a pattern of heightened arousal and reactivity around other dogs. She becomes easily overstimulated by movement, sounds, and nearby dogs, and she has displayed anxiety, vocalizing, and escalating arousal. While Haven is social and affiliative with people—often loose, wiggly, and responsive to training. Medically, Haven is healthy.
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Flake
Flake is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Flake has shown persistent defensive behaviors in kennel, repeatedly hard barking with a tense body, pinned ears, and whale eyes when approached. He retreats during leashing attempts and must be slowly coaxed with high value food to place his head into the loop, sometimes pawing at the leash once secured. Outside of the kennel, he remains cautious and low bodied, intermittently refusing treats. Medically, Flake is apparently healthy.
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Melvin
Melvin is at risk due to behavioral reasons. When Melvin arrived he was observed to be highly fearful noted to hard bark, growl, bare teeth when handlers approach. Recently Melvin has begun turning in kennel, biting and tugging the leash into kennel. This behavior is not able to be redirected easily. Medically, Melvin is receiving treatment for CIRDC.
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Spike
Spike is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Spike came to our Care center as a stray. He has been observed to be highly anxious, vocalizing persistently and pacing. During his stay with us Spike vocalizes loudly when seeing another dog, he fixates with a tense body and forward posture. He is not easily redirected. Spike continuously pulls hard when walking in the care center and on the street. He leash bites when handlers attempt to leash and grabbed handler's hand and releases quickly, no broken skin. It has been reported he has kennel reactivity when exiting/ entering his kennel. Spike enjoys enrichment and tolerates handlers scratching him. Medically, Spike is apparently healthy.
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Lightning Bug
Lightning Bug is on the at-risk list due to behavior. She is not thriving in the care center and is deteriorating in the Adoptions room. She is now displaying signs of boredom. Due to her stress levels, it is in her best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. She would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give her plenty of time and space and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
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Bigs
Bigs is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Bigs has displayed a high level defensiveness in the care center, including growling, baring teeth, hard barking, and lunging during leashing attempts. He often becomes tense at the kennel door, showing reactive behavior when some staff step closer to greet him. Bigs is aloof with staff during interactions, engaging minimally. Medically, Bigs is diagnosed with CIRDC.
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Little Red
Little Red is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Little Red has shown a high level of fearfulness in the care center, repeatedly hard barking, growling, lunging, and baring teeth when approached. During leashing attempts, she dodges leashes, jumps toward handlers’ hands, making it difficult to handle her safely at times. Outside the kennel, she remains tense and low-bodied with a tucked tail, pacing and showing conflicted behavior, leaning in for touch while her skin rippling when touched. Medically, Little Red is receiving treatment for CIRDC.
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Yams
Yams is at risk due to medical reasons. Yams has a lameness of his right forelimb, causing by a deformity of his paw. As a result, he has significant osteoarthritis and is reluctant to walk - impacting his quality of life and our ability to meet his behavior needs in the shelter. He is also mildly overweight and has mild dental disease. Yams would benefit from a consult with an orthopedic specialist and will need continued pain relief and medical management for his chronic lameness. A low stress and comfortable environment will support his behavioral health and mobility.
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Lunamae
Lunamae is on the at-risk list due to behavior. She is not thriving in the care center and continues to display distance-increasing behavior when approached for interactions. Her owner describes her as a lazy couch potato who prefers contact on her own terms. She has not warmed up despite staff using treats to build a positive association. Due to her stress levels, it is in her best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. She would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give her plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers. Medically Lunamae was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection.
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Duke Of York
Duke of York is on the at-risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and continues to display distance-increasing behavior when approached for interactions. He has not warmed up despite staff using treats to build a positive association. Due to his stress levels, it is in his best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. He would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give him plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
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Peggle
Peggle is at risk due to behavioral reasons. During his stay in the care center Peggle has been obsvered to be highly dog reactive. During one instance when being removed from kennel Peggle redirected onto the handler and bit them on the hand. This bite was a bite and hold that left a puncture wound and bruising. Peggle continues to show reactive behaviors such as becoming tense, staring and pulling towards other dogs. Medically, Peggle is slightly underweight but otherwise healthy.
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Christmas
Christmas is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Currently in care Christmas has been observed to become mouthy with handlers hands when they attempt to clip his leash. During his previous stay in 2023, Christmas displayed this behavior and escalated to snapping and lunging towards handlers while on leash. Christmas also has a multiple bite history in his previous home. One bite was for resource guarding over his food bowl and one from touch sensitivity when his neck was being touched by owner. In care, Christmas is reportedly to be an easy walker outside and displaying neutral body language towards dogs and and people. Medically, Christmas is overweight.
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Nina
Nina is at risk due to behavioral reasons. She was recently in foster and returned to the care center due to her behavior. Nina became over aroused while on a walk and began jumping up, mouthing, and tugging on her handlers sleeve. This resulted in a wound on their arm that bled. During her stay in the care center Nina continues to have a low threshold for arousal. She has been seen becoming hyperaroused and not easily redirected. Meddically, Nina is currently healthy.
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