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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Bentley
Bentley is at risk due to behavioral reasons. He has been observed to have a very low threshold for arousal. During his previous stay in the care center, Bentley was observed to jump up on handlers frequently and head whip when contact was initiated. During his current stay, Bentley jumping and mouthing behavior has escalated in making contact with clothings and staff members arms/legs. Recently Bentley was returned to the care center due to similar behaviors. in a recent incident Bentley was leash biting and kennel and a handler attempted to redirect him with a treat. Bentley bit the handlers finger. While loose in the previous adopter's home, Bentley would begin jumping and grabbing onto their clothing. Outside of these moments with handlers, Bentley has been observed to have a loose and wiggly body. Medically, Bentley is apparently healthy.
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Cajun Fries
Cajun Fries 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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Velveteen

Velveteen is at risk due to behavior concerns in care. Velveteen is reported to be reactive to dogs, lunging toward them and being unable to be redirected. She is also noted to pull hard on the leash, particularly when returning to the shelter. During walks, she may become tense and hypervigilant, requiring treats and coaxing to continue. She is noted to enjoy playing with balls with familiar handlers. Medically, Velveteen is apparently healthy.
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Lazuli
Lazuli 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. While she has warmed up to allowing brief pets in shelter while eating treats, she remains wary of petting and handling. 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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Koko
Koko is on the at-risk list for medical reasons. Koko has a significant hard palate defect/injury and severe facial swelling. She will need additional veterinary wound care and possibly surgery. At this time, Koko has a good appetite and is stable. Behaviorally, she has allowed all handling.
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Caprese
Caprese is at risk due to behavioral concerns in care. Caprese has been observed to have arousal issues resulting in him fixating on objects, biting his leash, jumping up, and barking at the neighboring dogs. Recently, Caprese had an incident where he bit and held a basket outside of the care center, being unable to be redirected easily. Another incident occurred where Caprese bit and held a hose on a walk, and he was unable to be redirected. Caprese is noted by staff and volunteers to be sweet, social, and enjoys pets. Medically, Caprese is apparently healthy
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Bionica
Bionica 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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Cub Scout
Cub Scout is at risk for behavior reasons. Cub Scout is deteriorating in care. He has become more hypervigilant on walks, escalating to barking or lunging at unfamiliar people. When being removed from kennel he will jump up and bite at the leash, then kennel fight with neighboring dogs. Cub Scout remains sweet and social while in the yard with familiar staff and volunteers, leaning into their laps, or lounging on the floor. He has done well greeting other dogs and was found along another male mixed breed. Medically, he is apparently healthy.
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Papa
Papa 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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Riley
Riley is at risk due to behavior concerns in care. Riley is reported to be reactive to dogs, noted to pull hard while exiting a room, and attempting to kennel fight. He is not able to be redirected easily. Staff reports kennel stress-related behaviors such as jumping up in the corners of his kennel and hard barking. Medically, Riley has some lameness in his right hind leg.
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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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Leopard
Leopard is at risk due to behavior concerns. Leopard has demonstrated high arousal, hard pulling, and fixation toward dogs and birds, at times requiring staff to continuously muscle him away from dogs or small mammals. Leopard is social with handlers, allows petting, and has engaged in training. Medically, Leopard has mild to moderate dental disease, a Broken upper canine, a recovered injury on his ear. Due to Leopard having bite wounds upon intake, he is on a 6-month quarantine as per DOH and would need to follow specific guidelines in a home environment.
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Kalie
Kalie needs at risk placement for medical reasons. She is having difficulty walking in shelter due to severe right hip dysplasia and arthritis in her right knee. She needs an orthopedic consultation regarding a hip replacement.
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Egypt
Egypt is at risk due to behavioral reasons. In his previous home, Egypt has a history of redirection and biting when people attempt to interrupt him mounting the resident female dogs. These bites were bite and release that did break skin. His previous owner describes him as social and affectionate. While in care, Egypt has been observed to have a neutral body and wagging tail. While on walks, Egypt is aloof with handlers. Medically, Egypt has moderate to severe dental disease, lameness in their right front leg.
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Freddy
Freddy is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Freddy has been observed to be inconsistent in his dog reactivity. When seeing other dogs he is noted to hard pull, barking, screaming, staring. He has also displayed overly aroused, mouthy behavior toward handlers grabbing onto handler clothing when in the play yard. Freddy is noted to be social with familiar staff and checks in with handlers socially on walks. Medically, Freddy is apparently healthy.
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Cobby

Cobby is at risk due to behavioral concerns. In the Care Centers, Cobby is highly fearful, especially when placed on a slip lead. He was observed to thrash and screech. He allows staff to pick him up but remains anxious in the room. His owner described him as a social, tolerant dog. Medically, Cobby is obese and has otitis externa.
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Mac
Mac is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Mac was brought to the Care Centers with another dog following an altercation between the two. Unfortunately, no details were provided regarding the circumstances of the incident; however, both dogs were noted to have multiple puncture wounds to their faces. In the Care Centers, Mac has displayed reactivity toward other dogs and was involved in a kennel fight with another dog after getting loose. At times, she refuses to walk and requires coaxing from multiple people. When in a room with familiar staff, Mac will take treats and allow some handling. Medically, Mac has scarring on her face due to bite wounds and Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex.
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Thunderbird
Thunderbird is at risk due to behavioral concerns. In the Care Centers, Thunderbird is fearful and has previously been observed escalating to growling and baring her teeth. Over time, she has warmed up to select staff members but continues to require significant coaxing to engage. Most recently, she growled when walking by an unfamiliar person. Around familiar people, Thunderbird will take treats and solicit attention, although she continues to display a tucked tail, indicating ongoing apprehension. Medically, Thunderbird has allergies, and alopecia.
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Noodles
Noodles is at risk due to behavioral concerns. In the Care Centers, Noodles is fearful, displaying a tense body posture and avoiding most handling. His previous owner reported that he exhibits resource guarding and may snap or bite when uncomfortable. The owner also reported that Noodles bit and held onto them after they accidentally stepped on him; the bite broke skin. Noodles is reportedly crate trained and knows cues such as “sit” and “stay.” His previous owner also stated that he tends to remain close to familiar people.. Medically, Noodles is apparently healthy.
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Mr. Grey
Mr. Grey 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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Mia
This pet needs emergency placement. Please click here to go to our emergency placement page for more information. Mia is on the At Risk list due to behavior. While social in the care center, 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. What my friends at ACC say about me: Mia interacts with the observer and appreciates attention, is easy to handle and tolerates all petting, but she has a tendency to play rough, and has a very high energy level. We recommend that she go to a home with adopters with a moderate level of cat experience preferred and be well counseled in her history of sporadic incidents of pouncing on and stalking legs, ankles, and feet. Her behavior remains suitable for an adopter with an average amount of experience, provided the adopter is aware of these behaviors and is able to comfortably manage them- committing to a consistent feeding and play schedule and behavior modification plan to mange her energy levels and play needs. Though we believe this cat is displaying behaviors appropriate for moderately experienced cat parents, she may not be a great fit for young children, and due to her history of stalking legs, feet, and ankles, may be most appropriate for an Adult-Only home. There may be potential for her to do well in a home with respectful older children understanding of her needs and high energy level. Any home with older children prepared to adopt this cat should conduct a thorough interaction and endeavor to monitor this cat around their children to prevent these behaviors from being reinforced. Cheek and chin scratches make me so happy! I am looking for a home with a patient person. I would do best in a home with only adult humans, although I could be open to older human children once I meet them. Playtime is essential! I love climbing tall cat trees and having fun with interactive toys! I am not one to sit still! I will flourish in a home with someone that will keep me mentally and physically active! I love to play and will need appropriate toys and positive outlets for my energy. A volunteer writes: This is Mia's world and we're living in it. Unfortunately for all of us, however, Mia's world has gotten smaller and she isn't always sure how to adapt to this one as she needs. An active kitty who takes joy in managing the moving parts, shelter life seems to have left her feeling a bit confused. Mia loves to play and likes to have many opportunities to do so. She loves pets and cuddles until she doesn't and she has the kind of kitty communication that takes a little extra patience and time to understand and appreciate. She's looking for someone who will welcome and love her for all that she is and is hoping that'll be you.
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Odette
Odette is on the at-risk list due to medical concerns. Odette is a elderly dog who was brought in as a stray. We have assessed Odette to have a severe respiratory infection with possible pneumonia and will need ongoing care that we can not provide. She has allowed most handling, but can get worked up quickly leading to more breathing difficulties.
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Coco
Coco is at risk due to behavior concerns. During her time in the care center Coco has been observed to be tense, easily started. She has also been noted to freeze, flinch, growl, bear teeth, vocalize and thrash when leash pressure is applied. Her previous owners describe her as social, affectionate, active, and playful. Medically, she is overweight.
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Purse
Purse 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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Sir Ace Junior
Sir Ace junior is At-Risk due to behavioral concerns. Sir Ace Junior is highly dog-reactive in the Care Centers. While on walks, he has been observed lunging, screeching, vocalizing loudly, and hard-staring at other dogs. In the behavior room, Sir Ace Junior presents as highly anxious, displaying panting, pacing, and dilated pupils. His previous owner reported that he would lunge at other dogs while on walks. She described him as social with children and shy around strangers, but noted that he will warm up with time. Medically, Sir Ace Junior is being treated for CIRDC.
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