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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Ash
Ash is at risk due to behavioral concerns. During his stays at the care center, Ash been social with staff and has allowed all handling. Despite efforts to keep him comfortable, Ash has been showing signs of deterioration and low threshold for arousal. Ash has been reported to be banging on his transfer door and digging/scratching around the drain cover in his kennel during active and inactive room times. Ash is treat motivated and exuberantly social with familiar staff. Medically, Ash is apparently healthy.
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Jacob B
Jacob B. 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, and has a multiple 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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Maria
Maria is on the at-risk list due to behavior. She is an under socialized adult and 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 and under socialized adult cat adjust to strangers.
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Maxie Waxie
Maxie Waxie is at risk for to behavioral concerns. Maxie came to our care center as an owner surrender. Owner reported that Maxie will hard bark, growl, and lunge towards cats and dogs. They also state that Max pulls hard while on leash. During his stay in our care center Maxie has been observed to bark and pull towards other dogs while outside and when dogs pass his kennel. He will hard bark and paw through his food slot. During his assessment he grips firm, and becomes tense, and moves away with the toy. Maxie would also pace while in the room. Staff reported that while on walks Maxie lunges towards people. Owner reported that Maxie loves car rides along with being social, very active and playful. Maxie loves chewable toys, ropes and chew bones. Medically, Maxie Waxie is currently healthy.
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Doeby
Doeby is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Doeby was returned to the Care Center as an owner surrender due to housing restrictions. Upon intake Doeby was highly social with staff and allowed all handling. Doeby has become intensely dog reactive during her stay. Doeby has been reported to growl, pull towards, and hard bark at dogs. This has been observed to occur when moving past occupied kennels, crates, and when seeing dogs on walks; Doeby is difficult to redirect. Doeby's previous owners have noted that she did get along with another resident small dog and neighbor's dogs. With staff, Doeby continues to be social, treat motivated and allow all contact. Medically Doeby is apparently healthy.
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Rambo Bambo
Rambo Bambo is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Rambo Bambo arrived at the Care Center as an owner surrender. Rambo Bambo's previous owner noted that he did recently bite a child in the home. The bite was a bite and release to the foot while the child was running past Rambo. The wound was cleaned at a medical facility with no other treatment being necessary. In the Care Center, Rambo Bambo has been showing fearful/defensive behaviors and escalating reactivity. Rambo Bambo has been observed to growl, pull towards, and push off walls toward kennels. Rambo Bambo is also noted be difficult to leash, baring teeth and often snapping at the leash when handlers attempt to remove him from kennel. Rambo Bambo's previous owner did note that he is playful and social in a home environment. Medically, Rambo Bambo is noted to have dental disease but is otherwise apparently healthy.
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Onix
Onix is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Onix in the care center has showed arousal concerns and handling sensitivity. When touched, Onix will head whip, tense and begins to pant heavily. During his assessment, Onix began to become aroused and jump onto the handler, mouthing there clothing having an interrupter be used to get him to stop. Medically, Onix is apparently healthy.
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Candy
Candy is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns displayed in her previous home. Candy was returned after multiple in-home incidents involving resource guarding and handling sensitivity, and a bite-and-release when her collar was grabbed to remove her from the couch, which broke skin. Candy has guarding behavior around valued items and spaces, and reported to escalate quickly. In the care center Candy paces, barks and paws at her kennel door. Medically, Candy is apparently healthy.
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Ace
Ace is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Ace has shown a low threshold for arousal, and started to leash bite once returning to kennel. He has jumped toward the leash and bitten during leashing, including a recent puncture to a staff member’s thumb. Ace can be social calmer settings, displaying a loose body, seeking petting, and engaging with enrichment, but becomes aroused when returning to kennel, exhibiting leash biting, hard barking, lunging, and difficulty disengaging once over threshold. Medically, Ace is apparently healthy.
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Charlie

Reserved
Charlie 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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Bonnie
Bonnie is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Bonnie arrived at the Care Center as a stray with no known history. Upon intake Bonnie was noted to be highly anxious, however was treat receptive and allowed handling for a medical exam. Despite efforts to keep her comfortable, Bonnie has been showing a decreasing threshold for arousal and increased reactivity. Bonnie has been observed to fixate on random inanimate objects such as kuranda beds, fencing, and equipment; grabbing hold and shaking. Bonnie has also been observed recently to be reactive to dogs, growling with a tense body moving past kennels and when seeing dogs in the play-yard. Bonnie is somewhat redirectable with treats but often reverts back to showing reactive behaviors or attempting to grab hold of objects she is fixated on. During her handling assessment Bonnie was highly social, wiggly, and allowed all contact. Medically, Bonnie noted to be overweight, superficial pyoderma, and is receiving treatment for CIRDC.
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Lucy
Lucy 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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Choco Pie
Choco Pie is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns in his previous home. In in his previous home, Choco Pie escalated without clear warning after play, giving a hard stare followed by growling, lunging, and biting a foster partner on the arm. The bite did not break skin, and the partner was able to disengage safely, displaying a concerning arousal threshold concern. Medically, Choco Pie is apparently healthy.
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Otter
Otter is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Otter has displayed high fear and defensive behavior in the kennel, including hard barking, baring teeth, growling, lunging, and retreating to the back of the kennel when handling or leashing is attempted, as well as lunging/snarling at staff during intake. He showed significant stress signals such as a tucked tail, dilated pupils, low body posture, pancaking, and hard barking at staff that approach him. Otter has become slowly more social with staff throughout his stay, but has previously displayed a concerning level of fearfulness when first entering care. Medically, Otter is apparently healthy.
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Knoll
Knoll is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. In the care center, Knoll is intensely fearful and highly stressed, displaying a tense body, widened eyes, tucked tail, whimpering, flinching to sudden sounds, and exit-seeking behavior. She is avoidant of handling pressure, backs away during leashing, and shows freezing, staring, and head whipping. Though she will cautiously approach for food or brief contact with staff and is slowly seeking affection from select staff members. Medically, Knoll is receiving treatment for CIRDC.
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Burta
Burta is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Burta has been observed to be highly fearful while in care. Noted to hard bark and growl when handlers attempt to leash her. During intake Burta was noted to hard bark, growl, and lunge towards handlers. With select handlers using a slow approach, Burta is observed to have a loose, wiggly body, and allow contact. Burta is a senior dog that can use a quiet relaxing space to spend the rest of her days. Medically, Burta has generalized alopecia and dental disease.
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Sweetheart

Reserved
Sweetheart is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Sweetheart has been observed to jump up high and bite the leash. She has also been observed to jump up and mouth the handlers on the arm. In one instance, Sweetheart snapped at the handler's jacket when leaving the room. Despite our best efforts to keep Sweetheart comfortable she has been observed to show signs of deterioration such as chewing a hole in the wall. Medically, Sweetheart is overweight.
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Bellamy
Bellamy is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Bellamy has been observed to growl and lip lift during handling. During one instance when a handler attempted to place a collar on Bellamy, he head whipped and bit the handler on the hand, breaking skin. While in kennel Bellamy is observed to growl and hard bark when handlers approach. Bellamy is noted to be receptive to treats. Medically. Bellamy is apparently healthy.
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Shadow
Shadow 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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Jove
Jove 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 plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with kitten socialization and helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
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Paris
Paris is currently at risk due to behavior reasons. Paris has been very fearful since she arrived at the care center, tense, low body, growling, seeking exit and avoiding contact. She has warmed up slightly to select handlers, seeking attention and accepting treats from handlers hand. Medically, she has CIRDC.
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Rocky Boy
Rocky Boy is at risk due to behavior & medical concerns. Rocky Boy was brought to the Care Centers following a bite incident that resulted in the victim seeking medical attention. During intake, he displayed a wiggly body posture and is neutral throughout kennel visits. Medically, Rocky Boy is receiving treatment for CIRDC but has not been eating his medication consistently. His behavior may preclude appropriate treatment if he does not improve medically.
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Meadow
Meadow 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 significantly 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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Mosaic
Mosaic is on the at-risk list due to behavior. She is a sweet and social senior girl but has been at the shelter for an extended period of time and continues to display challenging behavior during interactions. She solicits attention and appreciates pets but can easily become overstimulated and escalate to swatting and biting. She is extremely intelligent and high energy, and needs to expend energy constructively with interactive play sessions. 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 and who have the time to invest in managing these behaviors on a consistent basis to avoid potential bite/scratch incidents.
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