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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Bonbona
Bonbona 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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Madara
Madara is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Madara has been observed to quickly become over aroused. He has been observed to jump up and muzzle punch handlers in the face, this behavior is not able to be redirected easily. On one occasion Madar left a red mark on their face. Madara has also been observed to become tense and growl when seeing another dog while on leash. With handlers Madara has become social and allows handing with a loose body. Medically, Madara is healthy.
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Gravy
Gravy 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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Margo
Margo 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/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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Minerva
Minerva 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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Dwight
Dwight is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Dwight has been observed to be fearful during his stay in the care center. Noted to growl, snap, and retreat away from handlers when approached. Recently Dwight has escalated to baring teeth and mouthing the leash when handlers attempt to leash him. Dwight has allowed limited handling during his stay. Medically Dwight is apparently healthy.
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Bailey
Bailey is on the at-risk list due to his bite history in the prior home and fearful defensive behavior when leashed. Bailey picked up aluminum foil from the ground When his prior owner tried to take it from his mouth, he bit them on their right thumb, breaking skin and resulting in bleeding. Bailey has demonstrated at the care center thrashing, and lead-biting, mirroring reports from his previous home where he resisted being collared, harnessed, or leashed. While he can present with a loose and wiggly body at kennel front, he often tenses, dodges, hard barking and snapping during leash attempts. Bailey has displayed social behavior soliciting attention when provided high-value treats. Medically Bailey is apparently healthy.
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Pepper Jack
Pepper Jack is at risk due to his behavior concerns. Pepper Jack has a low threshold for arousal towards handlers. While he has moments of sociability, engaging with enrichment activities and showing soft body language with familiar handlers, he has also exhibited growling, lunging, and hard barking towards unfamiliar staff. Medically Pepper Jack has a mass on his eyelid, nuclear sclerosis, osteoarthritis - mild To moderate, and is overweight.
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Hunter
Hunter is at risk due due to his behavior concerns. Hunter has high arousal levels, deterioration,leash reactivity, and difficulty taking out of kennel. While Hunter has moments of sociability, responding well to cues, engaging with enrichment items, and taking treats with a soft mouth, his behavior has shown to be inconsistent. He exhibits a low threshold arousal, fixating on stimuli, and thrashing during leashing or return to the kennel. He has displayed deterioration behavior in kennel jumping, hypersalivation,pacing in front of his kennel door. Medically Hunter is apparently healthy.
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Manuel
Manuel has developed a severe upper respiratory infection while in shelter. He is not eating and is on injectable and oral medication to try to support him through this infection. He needs a lower stress environment and more personal attention in order to heal.
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Sugar Cube
Sugar Cube is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Sugar Cube has been observed to be fearful during his stay in the care center. Noted to escalate to growling, hard barking, and lunging towards handlers. Sugar Cube will also escalate to growling, baring teeth, and lunging while there is food in his possession. During his stay Sugar Cube has warmed up to allow handling from all handlers. Medically Sugar Cube is currently receiving treatment for CIRDC.
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Dasher
Dasher is at risk for behavior reasons. When first entering the care center, Dasher was fearful and avoidant. He has begun to sit at the front of his kennel hissing and swatting at staff approach. 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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Neo
Neo is at risk for behavior concerns. He was initially brought in as a stray, and upon his arrival, he was easily manageable, seeking petting and engaging in socialization sessions with staff. However, despite efforts to make him comfortable in the shelter environment, his behavior has deteriorated. While in the kennel, Neo has been seen bouncing off the kennel walls. He frequently avoids the leash when staff attempt to remove him for walks or socialization or engages in leash-biting behavior, pulling the leash back into the kennel. Neo has escalated to becoming aroused being walked out of the building, snapping towards the handler in multiple occasions. Medically, Neo is healthy.
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Britney Britney
Britney Britney 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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Kali
Kali is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns in care. Kali has shown social behavior in care displaying a loose, wiggly body and enjoys toys and treats, Kali has a history of resource guarding, growling, and snapping when approached near valued items, such as enrichment tools.She has displayed leash reactivity, pulling intensely on walks and occasionally redirecting onto handlers when overstimulated. Kali has also bitten on two occasions, the 1st incident didn't break skin while the 2nd incident broke skin resulting in 1 puncture wound while in care. Medically, Kali has dental disease, osteoarthritis, and chronic intermittent vomiting.
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Peppa
Peppa is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Peppa in the care center is struggling to acclimate despite best effort to keep her comfortable. Peppa in care is leash biting intensely on walks, and to the point where she has gotten loose multiple times on staff members due to her intensity of her leash biting. In her previous home, Peppa was reported to have a history of biting but further details are unknown. Peppa is a social dog with staff, but is struggling inside the care center. Medically, Peppa is apparently healthy.
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Whiskey Roll
Whiskey Roll is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Whiskey Roll has been struggling to acclimate inside the care center despite best efforts to keep him comfortable. Whiskey Roll when taken out for interactions displays high levels of anxiety and arousal. Whiskey Roll displays heavy panting, dilated pupils, and inability to settle on his own and strained expressions during interactions. Whiskey Roll has also redirected onto staff members when reacting to other dogs on leash. Medically, Whiskey Roll is apparently healthy.
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Baby
Baby is on the at-risk list for medical reasons. She is a senior cat with diabetes mellitus, a urinary tract infection and high stress in shelter. She needs a quiet home and out-patient management with a local veterinarian to manage her conditions.
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Walnut
Walnut is at risk due to behavior concerns. Walnut was adopted and recently returned to the Care Center after having consistent behavior challenges in home. These challenges presented themselves as reactivity, touch sensitivity, and resource guarding. Walnut did bite their owner on two occasions resulting in broken skin. In the Care Centers, Walnut is a bit of aloof. He occasionally displays anxiety whining and is slightly frantic with his movement. Medically, Walnut is currently underweight but overall healthy.
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Buddy
Buddy is at risk due to behavioral reasons. Buddy has been observed to be highly fearful during his stay in the care center. He is noted to be tense, trembling and showing whale eye while interacting with handlers. During his stay he has allowed limited handling and quickly retreats to the back of his kennel when approached by handlers. Medically, Buddy is healthy.
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Ms. Cool
Ms. Cool is at risk due to behavior concerns. Ms. Cool was observed to be reactive towards other dogs, engaging in intense kennel fighting and lunging at them in the pens, but she is easily redirected with treats. She was also reported to mount staff. Outside, Ms. Cool is highly social with staff, actively engaging in training and leaning into pets. Medically, Ms. Cool is apparently healthy.
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Lilith

Lilith 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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Giddy Up
Giddy Up is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Giddy Up in care has been intensely leash biting with staff, and only refocused for short amount of times before leash biting again. Giddy Up is also struggling to settle in his kennel, panting heavily and spinning off his kennel door when approached in kennel. Medically, Giddy Up has mild dental disease but is otherwise healthy.
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Rocky Road
Rocky Road is on the at-risk list due to behavior concerns. Rocky Road has been struggling inside of his kennel despite best efforts to keep him comfortable. Rocky Road inside of his kennel will begin to wail for prolonged periods of time throughout the day and when enrichment is offered to settle him, he shows very little interest. Rocky Road is social with staff but is struggling to acclimate inside the care center. Medically, Rocky Road is apparently healthy.
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Junior

Junior is on the at-risk list for medical reasons - Junior has a severe URI with anorexia and will not tolerate medical handling for supportive care. He will need to be hospitalized with placement and will likely need a feeding tube placed (unable to manage here due to behavior).
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