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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Kenny
Kenny 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. She/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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Skyler
Skyler is on the at-risk list due to behavior. She is not thriving in the care center when staff have to provide basic animal care daily and she may display conflicted behaviors when engaging with attention during staff interactions or socialization. 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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Tiny

Reserved
Tiny is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Tiny has shown fearful behavior and kennel reactivity, including hard barking, growling, and avoidance of the leash when handlers approach. While she has gradually become more social with familiar handlers, offering a loose, wiggly body and soliciting attention, she continues to display high levels of stress in the care center, including hypersalivation, tucked tail, and pressing into handlers when anxious. In her prior home, Tiny has a bite history toward another unfamiliar dog when Tiny escaped her yard. The other dog did not need medical care. Medically, Tiny has recently recovered from CIRDC and is healthy.
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Telly
Telly 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. Medically, Telly is a senior overweight cat looking for a relaxing place to spend the rest of her senior years.
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Ezra
Ezra 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. 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, that has resulted in bite/scratch incidents that broke skin. 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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Kodak
Kodak is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Kodak in the care center has been fearful throughout his staff and generally uncomfortable with staff during interactions. Kodak becomes tense around staff, seeking exit/avoiding staff during interactions and becoming tense when pet despite best efforts to make him comfortable. Medically, Kodak is apparently healthy.
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Harley
Harley is on the At Risk list due to behavior. He is an under socialized adult cat, 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/decompress, and who have experience with helping a fearful/under socialized adult cat adjust to strangers. Medically, due to have bite wounds of unknown origin when Harley arrvied, he is on a six month observation quarantine.
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Beetle
Beetle 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 Beetle has large superficial wounds that he is being treated for.
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Heaven

Heaven 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 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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Marvelous
Marvelous is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Marvelous is not doing well in the care center environment and remains highly stressed in her kennel despite best efforts to keep her comfortable. Marvelous begins to paw slap, scale/rebound off her kennel walls and dig at her kennel door throughout the day. Medically, Marvelous is apparently healthy.
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Googles
Googles is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Googles is struggling to acclimate in the care center, and has been highly dog reactive on walks. Googles will fixate on other dogs, and will not stop fixating until staff block her line of sight. Googles is also struggling in the care center, paw slapping her kennel door incessantly and displaying hyperarousal jumping up and has attempted to mount staff. Medically, Googles is apparently healthy.
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Fancy
Fancy 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 used to tolerate all petting and handling but now escalates to defensive behaviors during 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 and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
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Wheaton

Wheaton is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Wheaton's previous owner stated that he is very easily aroused and will jump up high onto them. In his previous home Wheaton jumped up and was able to bite and scratch them on the face. This bite to the lip did not break skin but did leave the area swollen. During his stay in the care center Wheaton has been observed to jump up high near handlers faces. He has also been observed to jump up and bite the leash catching the handlers hand in the process. This also did not result in broken skin. Medically Wheaton is apparently healthy.
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Muchi
Muchi 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 his 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 him plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
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Oats
Oats is on the at-risk list due to medical concerns. Oats is a sweet, senior cat who was came into the shelter as a stray. We have assessed that Oats is diabetic and have started Oats on a treatment plan. Oats has been losing weight and a concurrent medical condition has not been ruled out. Oats will need daily maintenance with their medical condition and further follow-up with outside vet care. Oats has allowed all handling and seeks attention during their exams.
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Baby Boy Simba
Baby Boy Simba is at risk due to behavioral reasons. In his previous home Simba had multiple bite incidents, the first bite occurred when be was a puppy. The owner was playing with him in a rough manner and Simba "nipped" their hand. This bite did not break skin. The second bite incident occurred at the groomers when they attempted to clip his nails. This bite also did not break skin. Despite our best efforts at making him comfortable during his stay Simba has been observed to be barking and vocalizing persistently while in his crate. Medically Simba has dental disease, unspecified dermatitis, and otitis externa.
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Mercury
Mercury is at risk due to behavioral reasons. He came into our shelter as an owner surrender. During his stay in our care he has been intensely leash biting without handler being able to redirect. It is also reported that he will jump high while leash biting. Previous owner reported and also observed in shelter that Mercury will soil inside the home/ in his kennel. Owner has reported that Mercury is fearful of loud noises on the street and will jump away from the sounds. In both his previous home and recent home, owners reported Mercury is social, affectionate, very active, playful and vocal. Along with enjoying car rides. Medically, Mercury is apparently healthy.
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Pj
PJ is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Pj was surrendered to care following a bite incident related to resource guarding. While staying with a finder, PJ bit a child on the hand and stomach after the child repeatedly took away his toys and treats. The bites were quick, broke the skin, and left scratch marks, but were treated at home. The finder noted that PJ had growled and barked before biting. Despite this, PJ was reported to be fine with adults in the home and allowed them to take his toys and treats without issue. In care, Pj has been social with staff and has allowed all handling. Medically, PJ is currently healthy.
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Stone
Stone is at risk due to behavioral concerns in care. Stone has shown to intensely leash bite and attempt to nip at staff through the kennel door at their shoe and when returning back into his kennel. He displays high arousal—panting, whining, vocalizing randomly, and hard barking—particularly when overstimulated by environmental triggers such as other dogs. He has required redirection with toys or treats which he has now lost focus, and on multiple occasions, staff have struggled to retrieve the leash from him due to the leash biting. While in a calmer setting, he is has shown to engage with handler through treats and enrichment activities. Medically, Stone is currently healthy.
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Violet
Violet 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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Checkers
Checkers is currently at risk due to behavior reasons. Initially, Checkers was hard barking and muzzle punching the kennel door when approached by handlers. He has since warmed up to select staff, greeting with soft body and allowing for leashing. However, he will show teeth when handlers extend their hand offering a treat. He is reactive to dogs which was reported by the finder as well prior to arriving at the care center. He will growl, lunge and hard bark with tense body towards dogs and birds. Medically, he is overweight and has mild arthritic changes to right elbow found on x-rays.
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Aleman
Aleman is currently at risk due to behavior reasons. Aleman has been reactive towards both humans and dogs since arriving in our care. He will bark and lunge towards dogs and people with a tense body. He can only be walked by select staff members as he can not be redirected from this behavior. In once instance he was in an empty yard with a handler and when another staff member came out, Aleman focused on the staff member, tense pulling forward and head whipping towards handler. Aleman has allowed some interaction with handlers when in an empty yard and during his assessment. Medically, Aleman is receiving treatment for CIRDC.
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Honey

Honey is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Honey has been observed to have a low threshold for arousal. Noted to jump up high and bite the leash intensely. This behavior is not able to be redirected easily. In one instance while leash biting Honey lunged towards the handler and bit them on the abdomine leaving mild bruising and not breaking skin. Honey has also been observed to react to dogs while on leash. Observed to pull hard towards them with a tense body. In one instance after a handler pulled her away from another dog Honey began to bite the leash intensely. Medically, Honey has a heart murmur 2/6 without clinical disease. Honey is otherwise healthy.
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Winter
Winter is at risk due to behavioral concerns in care. Winter is noted in care to kennel fighting, vocalizing, and lunging toward other dogs. She has displayed kennel stress in her kennel, vocalizing and jumping on her kennel walls and has displayed resource guarding over a toy during one of her reassessments, resulting in biting a dummy hand multiple times. Winter has shown to display affiliative behavior in low-stress settings and has responded well to training exercises in a more controlled environment. Medically, Winter is currently healthy.
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Robbie
Robbie is at risk due to behavior concerns shown in care. Robbie is noted spinning, jumping, and mouthing handlers, sometimes nipping at clothing or handlers equipment. During walks or playgroup transitions, he has escalated to leash biting and persistent jumping, requiring redirection from multiple handlers. His arousal has made it difficult for handlers to walk him. Although he can be redirected with treats and briefly settle, his behavior remains persistent. Medically, Robbie is currently healthy.
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