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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Raveena

Raveena is at risk list for medical reasons. Raveena is a sweet senior dog with comorbidities. She most notably, has multiple mammary gland tumors. She also has several dermal masses, dental disease, suspected osteoarthritis, and recently - wounds to her paws. Raveena will need follow-up veterinary care to properly diagnose and treat her medical issues. Behaviorally, she is very sweet and has allowed all medical handling.
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Octopus

Octopus 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. 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.
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Stallone

Stallone is on the At Risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and continues to display challenging behavior during interactions. He is extremely intelligent and high energy, and needs to expend energy constructively with interactive play sessions 3-4X/day. In addition to playtime, this cat would also benefit from mental exercise from activities such as puzzle toys/games, lick mats, or clicker training. Without providing activity for his mind and body, the cat may react with rough play, potentially resulting in bite/scratch incidents. 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 feline body language, overstimulation, rough play, and who have the time to invest in managing these behaviors on a consistent basis to avoid (further) bite/scratch incidents.
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Violeta

Violeta is on the At Risk list due to behavior. She is not thriving in the care center and continues to display challenging behavior during interactions. She is extremely intelligent and high energy, and needs to expend energy constructively with interactive play sessions 3-4X/day. In addition to playtime, this cat would also benefit from mental exercise from activities such as puzzle toys/games, lick mats, or clicker training. Without providing activity for her mind and body, the cat may react with rough play, potentially resulting in bite/scratch incidents. 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 feline body language, overstimulation, rough play, and who have the time to invest in managing these behaviors on a consistent basis to avoid further bite/scratch incidents.
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Milo

Milo is on the At Risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and continues to display challenging behavior during interactions. He is extremely intelligent and high energy, and needs to expend energy constructively with interactive play sessions 3-4X/day. In addition to playtime, this cat would also benefit from mental exercise from activities such as puzzle toys/games, lick mats, or clicker training. Without providing activity for his mind and body, the cat may react with rough play, potentially resulting in bite/scratch incidents. 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 feline body language, overstimulation, rough play, and who have the time to invest in managing these behaviors on a consistent basis to avoid further bite/scratch incidents.
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Pelu

Pelu 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 defensive aggression. 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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Nougat

Nougat is on the at-risk list due to medical concerns. Nougat is a friendly cat, We have assessed that Nougat is diabetic with diabetic neuropathy. He has been started on treatment for his diabetes. Nougat will need daily maintenance with their medical condition and further follow up with outside vet care. Nougat has allowed all handling.
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Mocha

Mocha is at risk due to behavior concerns. During Mocha’s time in the care center she has been noted to be highly reactive to dogs, people, and birds. Mocha has been observed to be doing kennel stress-related behaviors such as heavily pant in front of her kennel when the room is not active. Mocha was returned from a an adopters home due to her reactivity and they noted that she will bark, lunge, and snap at children. She has been noted to know commands and will greet handlers with a lose and wiggly body. Medically, Mocha is currently healthy.
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The Pawdacity

The Pawdacity is at risk due to behavior concerns. During his time in the Care center, Pawdacity has been observed to high-pitch vocalizes (screeches) and pull towards the dog. The handler attempts to redirect him with a squeaker and calling his name, but Pawdacity doesn't look away from the dogs til they are out of sight. The Pawdacity has been observed to be doing kennel stress-related behaviors such as tracking a familiar handler as they walk in the room, hard barking, and high pitch vocalizing while pawing at kennel bars. He is noted to be social, wiggly when greeting handlers, and has enjoyed playgroup with well matched dogs. Medically, The Pawdacity has dermatitis and pyoderma.
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Oreo

Oreo 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/her plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
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Papo

Papo 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. Papo has moderate dental disease.
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James

James is at risk due to behavior concerns. During his time in the care center, James has been observed to be doing kennel stress-related behaviors such as heavily panting, finger-painting feces, and flipping his water bucket in his kennel. He has been noted to jump up to handlers' faces persistently occasionally; this follows after he leash bites as well. He has been observed to be responsive when called, allows petting, is receptive to treats, and follows verbal cues. Medically, James is apparently healthy.
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Chessboard

Chessboard is on the At Risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and continues to display challenging behavior during interactions. He is extremely intelligent and high energy, and needs to expend energy constructively with interactive play sessions 3-4X/day. In addition to playtime, this cat would also benefit from mental exercise from activities such as puzzle toys/games, lick mats, or clicker training. Without providing activity for his mind and body, the cat may react with rough play, potentially resulting in bite/scratch incidents. 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 feline body language, overstimulation, rough play, and who have the time to invest in managing these behaviors on a consistent basis to avoid (further) bite/scratch incidents.
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Coraline

Coraline is on the at-risk list due to behavior. She is not thriving in the care center and while has warmed up to familiar caretakers, continues to display some distance-increasing behavior when approached for interactions. 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.
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Yan Yan

Yan Yan 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. Yan Yan has moderate dental disease.
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Rex

Rex is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Rex has shown high arousal and fixation around food, including repeatedly jumping at and pushing into handlers' treat pouches and grabbing onto clothing. Rex responds well to training and has shown improvement with leave-it and disengagement work, successfully redirecting from treat pouches and other dogs when cued, but is struggling to regulate his arousal on his own in the care center. Medically, Rex is apparently healthy.
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Ghost

Ghost is at risk for behavior reasons. Ghost can become easily over aroused when interacting with people. He is strong dog who is quick to put his mouth on people. When being brought to the care center, he jumped up and ripped a handler's sweatshirt. Ghost was unable to get through his handling assessment due to immediately jumping up and mouthing, however he has been manageable to go on walks. Medically, he is apparently healthy.
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Dr. Tom-Ato

Dr. Tom-Ato is on the At Risk list due to behavior. While he does display social behavior, he is prone to overstimulation and displays challenging behavior during interactions and in a home environment. He is extremely intelligent and high energy, and needs to expend energy constructively with interactive play sessions 3-4X/day. In addition to playtime, this cat would also benefit from mental exercise from activities such as puzzle toys/games, lick mats, or clicker training. Without providing activity for hismind and body, the cat may react with rough play, potentially resulting in bite/scratch incidents. 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/her plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with feline body language, overstimulation, rough play, and who have the time to invest in managing these behaviors on a consistent basis to avoid further bite/scratch incidents.
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Tyla

Tyla is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Tyla has shown intense fearful and defensive behavior, including curling tightly at the back of her kennel, growling, hiding, avoiding eye contact, and pressing herself against the kennel wall. She has also refused treats and toys and will plant or attempt to scurry away when leashed. Tyla continues to struggle to acclimate to the shelter environment despite efforts to move slowly and encourage voluntary interactions. Medically, Tyla has possible chronic allergic dermatitis, bilateral otitis externa, suspected osteoarthritis/orthopedic discomfort, and mammary gland nodules and a left abdominal mass of undetermined etiology. Veterinary follow-up after placement is recommended for further evaluation of these masses, ongoing management of chronic dermatologic and ear disease, and assessment of orthopedic comfort.
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Twinkle Toes

Twinkle Toes is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Twinkle Toes has shown significant kennel stress and high arousal, including repetitive spinning, bouncing off the kennel walls and door, jumping, barking, heavy panting, and hard pulling on leash. She has also displayed lunging and hard barking toward dogs outside of the care center as well as jumping on staff incessantly during walks. Twinkle Toes responds well to training and is consistently able to redirect and engage with handlers using pattern games, touch, and engage/disengage work and is highly social with staff and her favorite volunteers. Medically, Twinkle Toes is apparently healthy.
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Coopsta

Coopsta is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Despite our best efforts at keeping him comfortable, Coopsta has been observed to be highly stressed while in care. Noted to finger paint his kennel with feces and has been observed to be jumping up and down. With handlers, Coopsta has been observed to be mouthy and was noted to mouth handlers when they were attempting to leash him. In one instance Coopsta was noted to snap at the lock when the handler went to place it on his kennel. While out with handlers, Coopsta is responsive and is receptive to contact. He will lean into the handler while seeking more. Medically, Coopsta is apparently healthy.
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Chase

Chase is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Initially Chase was observed to be highly fearful while in care. Noted to have a tense body and would retreat from handlers when they attempted to interact. Over time Chase warmed up to handlers and now presents with a loose body and wagging tail. Recently Chase has been observed to have a low threshold for arousal. Noted to jump up high on handlers while on walks. In one instance, Chase jumped up and bit the handler on the lip. This bite did not break skin. Medically, Chase is apparently healthy.
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Junebugg

Junebugg is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Junebugg has shown high arousal on walks, including jumping up and repeatedly biting at handlers' clothing and the leash. He has also displayed dog-directed reactivity, including persistent fixation and pulling toward other dogs even when distance is increased. Outside of these moments, Junebugg is social with handlers, easy to leash, responds well to treats and cues, and engages appropriately with enrichment. Medically, Junebugg is apparently healthy.
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Arlo

Arlo is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Arlo has shown defensive behavior when being returned to his kennel, including stiffening, hard barking, lunging, and snapping toward handlers through the kennel door. During one incident, he lunged toward a handler's face while being placed back into his kennel. Outside of his kennel, Arlo is social with handlers, allows handling and being picked up, and solicits attention. Medically, Arlo is healthy at this time. Arlo would benefit from a routine dental cleaning and maintaining regular grooming.
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Haribo

Haribo is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Haribo has shown high arousal on walks, including repeatedly jumping on handlers and intense leash biting. His leash biting has recently become difficult to redirect with treats or toys at times. Haribo has shown the ability to settle when with staff and is otherwise easy to leash and return to his kennel, but is struggling in the care center to acclimate. Medically, Haribo is apparently healthy.
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