Resources For Pet Owners
Cats have a reputation for being independent and low-maintenance, but plenty of circumstances can arise that make caring for your pet a challenge. They may have behavioral or medical issues. Likewise, your own circumstances might change: financial difficulties, issues with an apartment, or other personal problems can all be obstacles to giving your cat the care it needs.
Here are some resources to help with common problems pet owners experience.
Behavior Issues
My cat is acting out (urinating inappropriately, yowling, fighting, trying to escape) and I don’t know if I can keep them any longer.
Many of these behaviors are indications of an unfixed cat in desperate need of a spay or neuter, or a cat in need of medical attention.
More resources for addressing behavioral problems: https://www.nycacc.org/services/BehaviorResources
Resources for low-cost spay/neuter and vet services
One component of TNR that can’t be easily done by volunteers is the actual spaying and neutering of cats, which requires the expertise of a vet. Access to these services can be a challenge, but there are organizations that offer low-cost services.
ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic (Available to Brooklyn residents with an annual household income under $50,000)
Renting
If you are worried about a “no-pets” clause in an apartment lease, please consult this guide: Keeping Your Pet in a NYC Apartment. It contains information about your options, including using the Pet Law to your advantage. (The “Pet Law” states that any resident who openly keeps an animal in their apartment for 3 months or longer is entitled to keep that pet. Please consult the guide for more information.)
Domestic Violence
If you are experiencing domestic violence and are worried about your pet, please reach out to the Urban Resource Institute’s People and Animals Living Safely (URIPALS) program for resources that may be able to help.
Surrender Resources
DIY
The best thing to do is to first try to find your cat a home yourself. Ask your friends, relatives, co-workers, fellow churchgoers, or community group members to consider taking in the animal. When contacting individuals about the pet, it will help tremendously if you have a nice flyer to hand out. You'll also need to write a good adoption "ad" for the pet. Emphasize the positive qualities of the animal, rather than dwelling on negative ones. Once you have a photo and an adoption ad, combine the two into a flyer. You can create a flyer here by following the simple instructions. Plug in your contact information and the adoption ad, and upload a photo, and you'll have a very attractive flyer. You can save it as a digital file, which can be attached to emails and used for posting on social media, and you can also print out hard copies for posting.
Once you have your flyer ready, get creative and think of ways that you can spread the word. Here are some ideas:
Post the flyer or information about your pet on social media sites, such as Facebook and instagram. Ask friends and family members to do the same.
Put up flyers at your workplace, your church, your veterinarian's office - and other places where there's a public bulletin board
*Please be sure to screen anyone interested in taking your cat! Make sure they are someone you trust who will continue to physically and emotionally support the animal throughout its life!
Pet Adoption
If you can hold onto your animal for the time being, essentially serving as a foster, we may be able to list them for adoption and try to help you find them a new home. Contact us for more information.
No-Kill Shelters
If you must bring your animal to a shelter, a no-kill shelter is best. These shelters are often stretched thin and tend to have long waiting lists. If you are able to hold onto your animal for a little while longer though, it is worth contacting a no-kill shelter in your area.
| Shelter | Address | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Bide-A-Wee | 410 East 38th St, New York, NY 10016 | (866) 262-8133 (212) 532-4455 |
| North Shore Animal League | 23 Davis Ave, Port Washington, NY 11050 | (516) 883-7575 |
| ASPCA | (877) SPAY-NYC | |
| Sean Casey Animal Rescue | 153 E 3rd St, Brooklyn, NY 11218 | (718) 436-5136 info@nyanimalrescue.org |
| Social Tees Animal Rescue | 443 E 9th St, New York, NY 10009 | contact@socialteesnyc.org |
| New Jersey Humane Society | 6412 Dewey Ave, West New York, NJ 07093 | (201) 758-7788 |
Know Your Rights
Renting
If you’re worried about being able to keep your pet because of a prohibition in your lease, or other issue with your landlord, be sure to familiarize yourself with the law. You may have more options than you realize!
Check out this guide for information on the law, and what options may be available to you: Keeping Your Pet in a NYC Apartment.
Other Shelters
The Center for Animal Care and Control can intake animals. Unlike the shelters listed above, they are not a no-kill shelter. Though they will do their best to find homes for the animals they have, there is a risk that an animal at this shelter may be euthanized, especially if they are older or sick.
Such a shelter may not be the best option, but it is better than leaving your animal on the street to fend for itself!
| Shelter | Address | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Care and Control | 336 Linden Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY 11208 | (212) 788-4000 |