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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Hockey
Hockey is at risk due to behavioral reasons. In his previous home, Hockey bit a family member during an attempt to place a leash on him. His teeth made contact with the person’s hand, resulting in broken skin. While in care, Hockey has been observed displaying reactivity toward other dogs and has occasionally kennel fights. He has also been reported to exhibit resource-guarding behaviors around food and toys. Hockey actively engages in training and is highly motivated by treats, which can be a valuable tool in supporting his continued learning and behavior development. Medically, Hockey is 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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Joe
Joe 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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Ice Age
Ice Age is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Ice Age is deteriorating in the kennel environment and has been observed biting at the kennel bars in an attempt to reach staff members' fingers. In one instance, he made contact with a staff member's nail but did not break the skin. He has also been reported to scale the walls of his kennel, fixate on a corner of the kennel, and engage in leash-biting behavior. Despite receiving daily enrichment, Ice Age is having a difficult time managing his stress and coping with the shelter environment. Outside of the kennel, Ice Age is social with staff, readily engages with people, and takes treats appropriately. Medically, Ice Age recently recovered from pneumonia and is physically healthy at this time.
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Twilight Sparkle

Twilight Sparkle 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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Eleven
Eleven 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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Harlow
Harlow 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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Dior
Dior is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Dior displays fearful and conflicted behavior, including growling when approached, wariness of handling, trembling, and tensing during physical contact. She may become fixated on dogs in the environment and has been observed pulling toward and vocalizing at other dogs during walks. Dior is social with staff when they go slow with her, seeks out proximity to some handlers, and will lean into petting when comfortable but is struggling to acclimate in the care center. Medically, Dior is slightly underweight and has a mass on her tail.
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Louise
Louise 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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Pops Sanchez
Pops Sanchez is at-risk due to behavior concerns. During multiple stays in care, Pops Sanchez has repeatedly hard barked, growled, and lunged at anyone who attempts to handle him. As a result, he is unsafe to be handled by staff. The prior owner reports that he hard barks at strangers and other dogs. Pop Sanchez is also reported to hover over food with a tense body. Pops Sanchez was reported to learn to walk politely on leash and passed other dogs with consistent work from trainer once in a steady environment. Medically, Pops Sanchez has dental disease but is otherwise healty.
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Leia
Leia 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. Along with overstimulation, she is now displaying signs of frustration and deterioration, swatting and hissing upon approach and being minimally open to interaction. 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, feline body language, overstimulation and decompression periods.
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Leo
Leo is on the At Risk list due to behavior. While social in the care center, he displays signs of overstimulation during interactions and has a bite/scratch history. 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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Rogue
Rogue is on the at-risk list for medical reasons. She is a senior dog with several concerning co-morbidities, but her bladder infection is because the bacteria is resistant to most conventional antibiotics. She may be responsive to Clavamox for now, but there is a concern that she will become resistant to this treatment as well. Behaviorally, Rogue is social, loves treats, and previous owner decribed her as a couch potato. Rogue needs more attention that we cannot provide in care center.
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Ella
Ella 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 his 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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Mr. Rocky
Mr. Rocky is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns noted in his previous home. In the prior home, Mr. Rocky was reported to display resource guarding around food, treats, and valued items, as well as fearful and defensive behavior when restrained, startled, groomed, or exposed to loud noises. He was also reported to display significant on-leash reactivity toward people, dogs, children, cats, and moving objects, including lunging, growling, hard barking, baring teeth, and lifting his lips. In the care center, Mr Rocky is exuberant and loves to play with staff during his times on walks. Medically, Mr. Rocky is apparently healthy.
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Mack
Mack has been placed on the at risk list for medical reasons. He has a painful left front leg and is reluctant to place weight on it. We have done preliminary diagnostic tests, but they have been inconclusive. Behaviorally, Mack is excitedable and tolerant but will communicate when uncomfortable during medical handling. Mack needs further investigation and treatments we are unable to provide in the care center.
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Chamomile
Chamomile is at risk due to behavioral reasons. When she arrived at the care center, Chamomile was observed to be highly fearful. Noted to hard bark and growl at handlers and thrash while on leash. Over time, Chamomile warmed up to handlers and became loose and wiggly when interacting with them. Despite our best efforts at keeping Chamomile comfortable, she has begun to show signs of kennel stress. Noted to be jumping up and down in kennel, spinning around on her hind legs, and pushing off the walls. Medically, Chamomile is currently healthy.
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Shadowpaw
Shadowpaw is at risk due to ongoing, distance increasing behaviors displayed in care. He is an under socialized cat who may not have had many interactions with humans from an early age. He is currently quick to lunge, hiss, and swat with nails extended during interactions. These behaviors have made cleaning tasks more difficult for staff to complete as he is much quicker to escalate. Due to these behaviors, Shadowpaw had to be moved into a lower traffic room. Staff have reported that in this room, he still continues to escalate. He would benefit from being placed into a stable home where he can be given the appropriate space to decompress. Medically, he has stage III dental disease.
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Bennie Baby
Bennie Baby is on the at-risk list due to behavior. She is not thriving in the care center and while she is social, she is prone to overstimulation and will swat hard at handlers 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 are familiar with signs of behavioral arousal and agitation in cats, so that interactions can be ended before becomes overstimulated.
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Snow White
Snow White is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. She is not thriving in the care center and continues to display challenging, distance increasing behaviors. During cleaning hours, she is quick to lunge, hiss, and swat out at staff. These behaviors make successful interactions difficult. Upon arriving at the care center, she tolerated minimal pets and currently does not tolerate any form of handling. It is in her best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. Snow White would benefit from a low traffic home with an experienced adopter. Medically, she is overweight and has mild dental disease.
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Riccola
Riccola 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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Dexter
Dexter is at risk due to behavioral concerns. In the Care Centers, Dexter has been social with staff and volunteers. Recently, however, he has displayed deteriorating behaviors. He was observed heavily panting in his kennel and biting at the glass door or the corners of the enclosure. When placed in a pop-up crate, he was reported to move the crate closer to a neighboring dog and continued to pant heavily. Medically, Dexter has a heart murmur, mass, nuclear sclerosis, and is overweight.
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Rocko
Rocko is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Rocko is a social dog but presents as highly anxious. He has been observed licking the walls of his kennel, and when placed in a crate, he will bite at the crate bars and pull at his bedding. More recently, Rocko has been grabbing staff leashes and mouthing their clothing when they attempt to remove him. Medically, Rocko has dental disease.
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Yuki
Yuki is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Yuki's owner stated, Yuki will lunge, bare his teeth, and snap at small animals. While in the Care Centers, Yuki has generally been a social dog who enjoys attention and petting; however, he has recently begun exhibiting deteriorating behavioral concerns. Staff have observed him spinning repeatedly both inside and outside of his kennel. At times, he will also jump very high, reaching as high as staff members' heads. Despite our best efforts to support him, Yuki appears to be struggling with the kennel environment. Medically, Yuki is apparently healthy.
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Finn
Finn is on the at-risk list for medical concerns. Finn has been diagnosed with diabetes and will need follow up veterinary care and insulin administration twice daily. When Finn came into our care he had a wound of his leg we treated. Due to unknown origins Finn is currently on a six month observation hold. Behaviorally, he has allowed medical handling but is not thriving in the care center and has started to deteriorate in the adoptions room. He is now displaying signs of boredom and frustration, such as repetitive scratching at the corner of his kennel and pacing. 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.
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