Are you thinking about bringing a canine companion into your family? If so, you may be wondering where you can go to get one in the New York City area.
While you could look for a breeder who specializes in breeding specific dog breeds or you could shop at a pet store, often – and unfortunately – breeders and pet stores use inhumane practices to obtain the dogs they offer, and those practices can often be very damaging to the animals, so you should avoid looking for a pet at one of these locations.
If you were to buy a dog from a pet shop or a breeder, not only would you likely have to end up paying a hefty price tag, but you would also be supporting those inhumane practices.
During 2020, there were over 10,000 dogs taken into dog shelter, dog rescue and government animal services in New York City alone.
Fortunately, there is a better way to bring a canine companion into your family.
How? – By going to a shelter. Pet shelters bring in stray, abandoned, and otherwise unwanted animals. They provide animals with the medical attention, shelter, and care that they require until they find a forever home.
By adopting an dog from a shelter, not only will you be giving your dog a second lease on life, but you will be doing the same for other animals, too, as every time a spot in a shelter is freed up, more room is made for new dogs.
Now that you know the benefits of adopting a dog from a shelter, you’re probably wondering where to do. Below, you’ll find an overview of the animal shelters and rescue centers that offer dogs in the New York City area.
Top 10 Dog Rescues NYC
AMA Animal Rescue
Address: 2815 Cropsey Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11214 (appointment only)
Website: https://amaanimalrescue.org/
Get Directions: Google Maps
Email: adopt@animalrescue.org
Tel: (347) 448-5944
Facebook: http://facebook.com/AmaAnimalRescue
Angels for Mistreated Animals is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)3 non-profit no-kill animal shelter.
Having saved countless of sick, abused and injured pets, AMA continues to create loving futures for animals that came very close to losing all hope.
AMA have a fostering, volunteer and adoption program for wannabe pet parents for all breed types and breed sizes. One of the great things about fostering a pet dog (or cat), is that all expenses are covered by AMA. Their adoption fees range from $475 for a small breed puppy, $325 for a large breed dog to $250 for a senior dog. The adoption fees cover spaying/neutering, all standard vaccinations, a micro-chip, dog treats and a dog toy.
Your fees also go toward saving more lives and creating better futures.
To view the their adoptable pets, click here.
Muddy Paws Rescue
Address: New York, NY (No physical address, mailing address only)
Website: https://muddypawsrescue.org
Get Directions: Google Maps
Email: adoptions@muddypawsrescue.org
Tel: (646) 598-7297
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/muddypawsrescue
Muddy Paws Rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in East Village serving the Manhattan area. They work with other animal shelters to take and re-home dogs into loving homes. You can join their foster, volunteer, sponsor-a-dog or adoption program. Newly-arrived dogs are first placed on a mandatory foster program for several days up to a few weeks before being matched with potential adopters.
Once an adoption application form is completed, you'll be notified within 5-7 days with a date for an adoption conversation.
Muddy Paws Rescue also adopts to out-of-state adopters and adoption fees range from $375-$500. Their adoptable pets are either available on their social media pages or via their website.
Animal Haven
Address: 200 Centre Street, New York, NY 10013
Website: http://www.animalhaven.org
Get Directions: Google Maps
Email: info@animalhaven.org
Tel: (212) 274-8511
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/animalhavenshelter
A 501 (c) (3) not for profit organization and no-kill shelter, Animal Haven is located in New York, New York, and is dedicated to providing homes for abandoned cats and dogs throughout the Tri-State location. The shelter offers behavior intervention whenever it is necessary. They also offer the medical care and shelter that rescue dogs need.
The goal of the staff at Animal Haven is dedicated to improving the chances of each and every animals adoption. Founded in 1967, the shelter is located in and operated out of Manhattan. They also offer programs that improve the connection between animals and humans.
While they also offer a foster program, they prefer to recruit from their own shelter volunteers. So becoming a volunteer is the first step to fostering. Adoption fees range between $295 - $450 and covers covers spay/neuter, core vaccines, and microchip.
To be eligible for adoption, you need to be 21 years of age, provide a personal reference, if living in an apartment - proof that pets are allowed and a vet reference (if applicable).
Here's a link to available dogs for adoption.
Animal Care Centers of NYC
Address: 326 East 110 Street New York, NY 10029
Website: http://www.nycacc.org
Get Directions: Google Maps
Email: adoption@nycacc.org
Tel: (212) 788-4000
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NYCACC
As the Animal Care Centers (ACC) likes to say, finding your next four-legged family member is as “easy as ACC”. This 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization is the only open-admission animal shelter in the New York City area. They have three bases of operation covering Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island.
They take in roughly 35,000 animals each year and successfully release countless pets to their forever homes, too. The volunteers that work at ACC are dedicated to providing the animals with the highest quality care, including shelter, health care, love, and affection and have been doing so successfully for 17 years.
If you're interested in a particular breed, ACC has a handy Breed Request Form to complete and when your preferred pure-bred dog comes you will be contacted. Bear in mind, adoptions are done on a first-come, first-served basis.
Adoption fees range from $75 - $250 and covers the usual, spaying/neutering, vaccinations, microchip, collars, leash, and heartworm test.
You can browse their available pets for adoption on this page here.
Bobby and the Strays
Address: The Shops at Atlas Park 80-36 Cooper Avenue, Glendale (Queens), NY 11385
Website: (718) 326-6070
Email: adopt@bobbicares.org
Tel: (718) 326-6070
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbiandtheStrays/
Founded in 1998, Bobbi and the Strays is a not-for-profit, non-kill animal rescue organization that offers several locations throughout the New York area. Their adoption centers are situated in Long Island, Freeport, and Queens.
They rescue stray dogs from the streets, as well as dogs that have been abused and who are in bad situations. Through rehabilitation, socialization, and subsequently adoption, they provide a humane service to all animals that come into their care from the NYC boroughs and Long Island.
All of the animals that they rescue are provided with a full health screening before they are released, and the prospective adopters are fully screened, too, before the animals are released. Here's a link to see their adoptable pets.
Bideawee
Address: 410 East 38th Street Between 1st Avenue & FDR Drive
New York, NY 10016
Website: https://www.bideawee.org/
Get Directions: Google Maps
Email: ManhattanAdoptions@bideawee.org
Tel: (212) 271-2984
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bideawee/
Bideawee is one of the most renowned pet adoption centers in the New York State area. They have three locations – one in Manhattan and two on Long Island – there’s no doubt that you’ll be able to find a dog that you will be sure to love forever.
They bring in strays from the local area, as well as animals from local shelters and shelters across the country, and even international shelters, too.
In addition to offering adoption services which they have been successfully doing for a whopping 117 years, Bideawee also offers a variety of services, including veterinary care, training, pet therapy, and volunteering.
The organization does a comprehensive background check on pet owners before the animals are released in order to ensure that the animals will be going to a healthy home where they will not be intentionally harmed.
To view their adoptable dogs click here.
Humane Society of New York
Address: 306 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022
Website: http://www.humanesocietyny.org/
Email: info.hsny@verizon.net
Tel: 212-752-4842
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumaneSocietyNY
For more than 100 years, the Humane Society of New York, a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization has been a premier and most trusted animal rescue center in New York City. They care for all types of animals who have experienced all types of conditions, including illnesses, injuries, and homelessness, too.
While it was originally founded in 1904 to protect horses in NYC from abuse, today, the Humane Society of New York helps more than 38,000 dogs and cats each year.
All dogs are provided the utmost care and affection and prospective adopters undergo background checks to ensure that they will provide the pets with a safe and loving home.
Here's a link to their adoptable pets if you're interested in adoption.
Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Shelter
Address: 33 Warner Rd, Huntington, NY 11743
Website: https://www.littleshelter.org/
Get Directions: Google Maps
Email: Info@LittleShelter.com
Tel: (631) 368-8770
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LittleShelterAnimalRescue
The Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Shelter is located a bit of a drive from New York City, but it’s well worth the trip. Situated in Huntington, on Long Island, about a 30 minute drive from the city, this non-profit, no-kill shelter is located on six wooded acres and provides plenty of love, shelter, and space for the animals who are brought here.
Since 1927, they’ve been rescuing animals and they shelter dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds. In addition to an adoption program, the Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Shelter also provides spay and neuter program and offers the animals the full rehabilitation they need in order to ensure that they are ready to be welcomed into a home.
They also make sure that adopters run through a full background check. If you're interested in adopting, you can view those available here.
Posh Pets Rescue
Address: 770 Park Pl, Long Beach, NY 11561
Website: https://poshpetsrescueny.org/
Get Directions: Google Maps
Email: Info@poshpetsrescueny.org
Tel: (516) 431-7674
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poshpetsrescue/
Posh Pets Rescue is another non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization and no-kill shelter that works with and saves dogs and cats from New York City animal shelters since 2006.
They house a wide variety of dogs in an assortment of breeds of all ages, shapes, and size, and in all types of conditions.
Posh Pets is dedicated to providing the animals they shelter with the very best homes so that they can get a second lease on life and enjoy the love that dogs are supposed to receive. View their latest pets for adoption here.
Sean Casey Animal Rescue
Address: 153 E. 3 St. between Ft Hamilton Pkwy & Caton Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11218
Website: http://www.nyanimalrescue.org
Get Directions: Google Maps
Email: adoptions@nyanimalrescue.org
Tel: (718) 436-5163
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeanCaseyAnimalRescue
Sean Casey Animal Rescue (SCAR) is a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter that is situated in Brooklyn, just outside of New York City. They rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome all types of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and even reptiles – and more! They work with shelters in the New York City area so that they can offer them a second lease on life. They are also one of the few rescues that take in some of the most complex medical cases.
The organization is run by volunteers who care for and rehabilitate the animals, making sure that that they are ready to be released to their new homes. Additionally, the organization makes sure that they perform a full background check on the adopters to make sure that they will provide the animals with a safe, happy home. Fees are c. $350 and includes all the usual coverings.
If you're ready to adopt click here to see dogs available for adoption.
