Animal Shelters & Rescues in Manhattan, New York City

Manhattan's animal shelter system takes in strays and surrendered pets, and private humane societies and volunteer rescues, many of them foster-based with no building, rehome pets too. Where you start depends on whether you want to adopt, have found an animal or have lost your own.

The city animal shelter

New York City's shelters are run by Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC), which the city describes as a nonprofit contracted by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to serve as the city's open-admissions animal shelter system. The Health Department also issues the city's dog licenses. Start with ACC's own site for adoptable animals and locations.

Found a stray or lost your pet

ACC says it is required to hold stray animals for three days; after that a stray can be put up for adoption, transferred, sent to a rescue or placed in a foster home. The Health Department tells owners that a missing pet may have been brought to an ACC shelter: file a lost pet report, check ACC's website daily for new lost and stray arrivals, and visit the shelter in person, because photos and descriptions online can be hard to match to your pet.

If you find an animal, check for a tag first. A dog wearing a New York City license tag can be reported through the Health Department's dog eLocator system. Without a tag, most shelters and veterinary hospitals can scan for a microchip.

Licenses and microchips

The Health Department says all dogs in New York City must have licenses, and the license tag must be attached to the dog's collar while in public. You can apply online or by mail. Keep your license contact details up to date and, if your pet has a microchip, keep the microchip company's records current too.

Surrendering or rehoming a pet

ACC says surrendering a pet is done by appointment only; you fill out a questionnaire and an admissions counselor contacts you. Before that, ACC suggests rehoming on your own, and its deferred intake program can seek a placement while your pet stays in your home.

Adopting a pet

ACC says its adoption package includes spaying or neutering, initial wellness vaccinations and a pre-registered microchip. Meet the pet more than once if you can, ask about its history and how it behaves with other animals, children and visitors, and have your landlord's pet policy ready before you apply. Private rescues set their own adoption steps, so ask each one what it requires.

About these listings

Many listings here were added from public business data and have not been claimed yet. Ask the shelter or rescue directly about opening hours, adoptable pets and whether it takes surrenders. If you run one of these shelters or rescues, you can claim or correct its listing from its page.