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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Ace
Ace is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Despite our best efforts at making him comfortable, Ace has been observed to show signs of stress while in care. Noted to vocalize loudly while in kennel when the room is active and when it's more quiet. Ace's previous owner states that he will hard bark and growl at other dogs. While in care, Ace has been observed to pull hard towards the other dogs in the kennel and on the street. He is also observed to jump up and bite the leash while in kennel. During one instance, he bit the handler on the hand when they were attempting to leash him (no broken skin). Ace's previous owner describes him as very active and playful. When outside of the shelter environment, Ace is social with staff, allows all contact, understands basic commands, and is treat receptive. Medically, Ace has cherry eye.
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Taquito Chiquito

Taquito Chiquito 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 bite/scratch incidents.
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Spaghetti
Spaghetti 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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Tru Fu
Tru Fu 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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Santi
Santi is at risk due to medical concerns. Santi is a senior dog with multiple comorbidities, including a right forelimb lameness possibly due to osteoarthritis; suspected neurologic signs in all four legs with an unknown cause; and multiple suspected benign skin masses. Behaviorally, she has allows social handling and does well with training, but becomes tense and has growled and snapped with more extensive medical handling and neuro/orthopedic exam. Santi needs regular vet care, a quiet, low stress environment to help her move comfortably and enjoy her senior years.
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Mystique
Mystique 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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Lil Baby
Lil Baby is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Lil Baby displays persistent jumping on handlers, leash biting, and pulling, along with kennel fighting behaviors when entering and exiting the kennel. He requires frequent refocusing and can become overly aroused during handling. Lil Baby is highly social, engages easily with handlers, and responds well to treats intermittently, but is struggling in the care center. Medically, Lil Baby has Otitis externa.
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Jax
Jax is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Jax arrived at the Care Center with limited history via police. The officers were responding to wellness check of an unconscious person presumed to be Jax's owner. When one of the officers approached, Jax lunged, bit and released one of the officers on the hand leaving a minor puncture wound. Since arriving in care Jax has been slow to warm up and is selective with staff. At times noted to growl with tense body and refuse walking for handlers that attempt to remove him from kennel. With time, and a slow approach Jax has warmed up to select staff, allows petting, understands 'sit', and takes treats gently. Medically, Jax is apparently healthy.
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Ava

Ava is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Ava displays fearful behavior, including a low body, tucked tail, shaking, and avoidance of handlers, often staying near exits and not readily approaching at times. She may bark on approach but remains fearful and hesitant during some interactions. Ava is able to walk outside, explore her environment, and will approach handlers on her own terms when given the choice to, but struggles to acclimate in the care center environment. In the care center Ava is noted to kennel fight with neighboring dogs. Medically, Ava has Bilateral otitis externa and Significant dental attrition and is being treated for pneumonia currently.
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Freckles
Freckles is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Freckles displays high arousal concerns, including lunging at dogs, grabbing and tugging at treat pouches and clothing, and barking with rapid escalation when startled. He also shows difficulty regulating when excited or when food is present. Freckles is able to engage in training activities and tolerates handling, but is struggling to regulate his arousal levels in the care center on his own. Medically, Freckles is apparently healthy.
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Winter
Winter 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. Winter is now beginning to accept treats and she has responded positively to gabapentin.
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Mylo

Reserved
Mylo is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Mylo has been observed to be highly fearful while in care. While on leash Mylo has been observed to thrash and also behave frantically while walking and snapping at leash. Mylo has allowed mild handling, even allowing the handler to pick him up. Mylo is apparently healthy.
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Moo
Moo is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Moo has been observed to be kennel reactive and has a low threshold for arousal while in care. When exiting kennel Moo barks, lunges, and fixates at dogs in kennels he passes. While on walks Moo has been observed to frequently jump on handlers and at times requires defensive handling. When not over threshold, Moo is social with staff, allows petting and is treat receptive. Medically, Moo is apparently healthy.
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Kovu
Kovu is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Kovu displays fearful and defensive behavior, including growling, avoidance of the leash, backing away from handlers, and maintaining distance with a tense, hunched posture. He also shows stress signals such as a tucked tail, pinned ears, lip licking, and hypervigilance, with little interest in food during interactions. Kovu is able to be leashed and moved through the environment and can return to his kennel without escalation when handled carefully but is struggling in the care center to acclimate. Kovu is reported to be a generally anxious dog in his previous home but is active and playful when he is comfortable, happy, and sweet with his people around. Medically, Kovu is apparently healthy.
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Hot Coco
Hot Coco is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center and prior home, Hot Coco displays fear-based behavior including growling and snapping at handlers, particularly around the crate, along with leash biting and reactivity toward other dogs on walks. She shows difficulty coping with stress at times and may escalate when overwhelmed. Hot Coco in the care center is highly social with staff, and exuberant during interactions Medically, Hot Coco is apparently healthy.
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Isabella
Isabella 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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Tweety
Tweety is at risk due to ongoing behavior reasons. When she first arrived at the Care Center, she was growling, hissing, lunging and swatting out of the kennel at staff. These behaviors caused the neighboring cats in the room to become highly stressed. She was started on medication to help with shelter stress and her behaviors subsided. Recently, she has stopped taking her medication and her behaviors have begun to slowly escalate. Tweety continuously growls as staff are in the room and attempts to swat them when they are cleaning neighboring kennels. She was surrendered due to behavior in the home, having a multiple-bite history. It is recommended that she be placed into a stable home environment with experienced adopters who are willing to work slowly with her. Medically, she appears healthy.
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Mustang
Mustang is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Mustang displays high arousal and poor impulse control, including intense leash biting, jumping, and mouthy behavior that has resulted in accidental contact with a handler’s finger, breaking skin. Mustang is highly social, seeks out interaction with staff, and engages with enrichment and activity when given appropriate outlets but is struggling to acclimate in the care center environment. Medically, Mustang is apparently healthy.
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Snowman
Snowman is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns in his previous home and in the care center. In the home, Snowman lunged at a child and has growled at the children in the home when they entered his space and he also shows reactivity including lunging, hard barking, and growling toward strangers, dogs, and other animals. These behaviors appear to escalate quickly when he is exposed to these triggers. Snowman in the care center is social, friendly, and playful with staff. Medically, Snowman is apparently healthy.
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Rusty
Rusty 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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Peppa
Peppa needs at risk placement for medical reasons. She is an adult cat who is stressed in shelter and not eating due to a severe upper respiratory tract infection with oral ulceration. She needs medical care with pain management in a veterinary clinic to recover and a quiet home to thrive.
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Pedro
Pedro is at risk due to behavioral reasons, Pedro has a bite history toward humans and has displayed high levels of reactivity on leash and a low threshold for arousal leading to mouthiness. Upon arriving at the care centers Pedro was described as anxious and reactive on leash partially when being brought to kennel. Pedro is typically high energy and mouthy with handlers and is hypervigilant while on the street or when seeing dogs. Pedro is otherwise receptive to treats and accepts treats when tossed by handlers. Medically he is apparently healthy.
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Sugar Peas
Sugar Peas is on the at-risk list due to medical concerns. Sugar Peas has been evaluated for an acute episode of collapse - the underlying cause is not confirmed at this time. Sugar Peas is an adult dog that has been sweet with trusted staff but takes some time to warm up. Sugar Peas would benefit from a quiet low stress environment so their medical concerns can be addressed appropriately.
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Wavy
Wavy is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns in his previous home. In the home, Wavy bit the owner after being startled while sleeping, resulting in a minor puncture wound. Wavy retreated immediately after the incident. Wavy in the care center is a bit fearful but does seek proximity from staff. Medically, Wavy is apparently healthy.
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Poe
Poe is on the at-risk list due to behavior. He is an under socialized adult cat and 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 and under socialized adult cat adjust to strangers.
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