Some of NYC's Animal Shelters
Established in 1903, Bideawee is one of the oldest animal welfare organizations in the U.S. With locations in Manhattan, Westhampton, and Wantagh, they focus on creating and strengthening the human-animal bond through compassionate care and adoption services.
ACC is the city’s largest open-admissions shelter system, operating full-service centers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island, along with admissions centers in the Bronx and Queens. They take in over 30,000 animals annually, providing care and facilitating adoptions through events and community outreach.
Operating out of Brooklyn, Badass Animal Rescue is a volunteer-run nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates dogs from high-kill shelters, primarily in the rural South and U.S. Virgin Islands. Since 2011, they’ve saved over 3,700 dogs.
Located in Brooklyn, Sean Casey Animal Rescue specializes in taking in animals with medical or behavioral challenges that other shelters might turn away. They’ve rescued over 8,000 animals from NYC’s Animal Care Centers since 1998.
Based in the East Village, Social Tees is a strictly no-kill, foster-based rescue organization. They focus on rehoming abandoned dogs and cats, promoting responsible pet ownership, and creating a supportive environment for volunteers.
Serving New York since 1967, Animal Haven is a nonprofit shelter that finds homes for abandoned cats and dogs throughout the Tri-State area. They provide behavior intervention and enrichment programs to improve adoption chances.
Located on the Upper East Side, the ASPCA Adoption Center offers walk-in adoptions for dogs and cats. They also operate a Mobile Adoption Unit, bringing adoptable pets to communities throughout the five boroughs.
Second Chance Rescue NYC is a foster-based nonprofit dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating critically injured and neglected dogs and cats, especially those at high risk of euthanasia. Since 2009, they’ve saved over 15,000 lives, offering these animals the second chance they truly deserve.
Muddy Paws Rescue is a foster-based dog rescue in New York City, committed to building a community of dog-loving individuals dedicated to ending unnecessary euthanasia of companion dogs. They focus on direct lifesaving, education, and continuous innovation to support their mission.
Located in SoHo, Best Friends Animal Society’s New York City Lifesaving Center works to save the lives of homeless pets and supports other organizations in their efforts to make New York no-kill permanently. They showcase adoptable animals from local shelters and rescue organizations, providing a playful, modern setting for potential adopters.
Based in Brooklyn, Rescue City is a foster-based dog rescue committed to saving lives through education, support, and service. Their dedicated foster network provides temporary, safe homes for dogs while finding permanent adoption placements, ensuring a wonderful experience for both the dog and their human.
Waggytail Rescue is a small dog and cat rescue based in New York City, dedicated to the rehabilitation and rehoming of small breed dogs and other animals in need. Operating without a physical shelter, they rely on a network of volunteer fosters to provide care and find forever homes for their rescues.
Beastly Rescue is a small animal rescue organization that works with high-kill shelters in New York City to rescue and responsibly place homeless animals. They are dedicated to the rescue and responsible placement of New York City’s homeless animals, always seeking more foster homes and volunteers to support their mission.
Hearts & Bones is a 501(c)(3) foster-based dog rescue with roots in NYC (and Dallas), focused on saving the lives of dogs from overcrowded, high-risk shelters. They pride themselves on matching rescues and adopters thoughtfully—knowing each dog and each family—to ensure a forever fit. With no judgment and lifelong support, they’ve built a compassionate community that transforms lives, four paws at a time
Twenty Paws is a volunteer-powered, Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) rescue that specializes in bully breeds and pit mixes. They tirelessly work to empty shelter cages by rescuing dogs from across multiple states, transporting them to loving foster homes in NYC, and providing medical care, rehabilitation, and emotional support until they find their perfect forever families. Their dedication ensures every dog is given a voice and a second chance .
True North Rescue Mission is a fully volunteer-run, foster-based rescue founded in 2021 and dedicated to bringing dogs in need—often from high-risk shelters in Texas, Puerto Rico, and beyond—to loving forever homes in NYC. They operate without a physical shelter, relying entirely on community care and trusted foster families. True North is proud to partner with organizations like Slaughterhouse Survivors in China and supports diverse rescue efforts across multiple states. All dogs come fully vetted—spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped—and placed into foster homes until adoption. As they say, “Saving one dog won’t change the world, but for that dog, the world will change forever.”
Best Friends Animal Society
🐾 Mochi Lane Shelter of the Month: Best Friends Animal Society (BestFriends.org)
This month we’re spotlighting Best Friends Animal Society, a nonprofit that’s helping push the entire country closer to a future where shelter killing is rare, not routine. They do hands-on lifesaving work and they also strengthen shelters and rescue partners nationwide so more communities can reach (and sustain) a 90% save rate, the “no-kill” benchmark.
Think of it as rescue plus infrastructure: saving pets today, while building a better system for tomorrow. 🧡
Why Best Friends is a big deal
Best Friends supports thousands of shelters and rescue groups across the U.S. through adoption, foster, spay/neuter, transport, training, and funding. They also publish national shelter data that helps communities see what’s working, what’s not, and where help is needed most.
That combo matters because when shelters have support, more animals make it out alive.
Impact highlights (most recently reported full year)
Here are a few numbers that show the scale of the work Best Friends is putting in:
17,848 animals adopted through programs, promotions, and events
20,673 spay/neuter surgeries
8,872 pets transported to areas with more adoption opportunity
7,942 animals placed in foster homes
12,544 volunteers contributing 523,215 hours
$17M+ in funding distributed to 964 network partners
National progress snapshot
Best Friends’ national reporting shows real movement toward better outcomes in shelters overall:
In 2024, 4.8M dogs and cats entered shelters and 3.9M were saved
The national save rate for dogs and cats combined was 82%
425,000 dogs and cats were killed in shelters in 2024
2 out of 3 U.S. shelters are now considered no-kill, with many more close
2025 wrap-up style wins (mid-year momentum)
In the first half of 2025 (Jan–Jun), Best Friends reported meaningful improvement compared to the same period in 2024:
+19% improvement in overall lifesaving
-20% fewer dogs killed
-18% fewer cats killed
-2.7% decrease in dog intake
This is what progress looks like: fewer animals coming in, more animals getting out.
How the Mochi Lane community can help this month
Want to plug into impact in a real way? Pick one lane and commit for 30 days:
1) Foster (even short-term)
Foster homes open kennels, and open kennels save lives. A weekend foster can be the difference for a dog on a tight timeline.
2) Adopt with intention
If you’ve been thinking about it, consider adopting a senior, a large dog, or a long-stay pet. These are the ones who need the loudest love.
3) Donate or fundraise
Support lifesaving basics like spay/neuter, transport, and partner grants. Those dollars multiply fast.
4) Share one pet a week
One post can become a home. If you don’t know what to say, use the copy below.
Share copy (paste-ready)
Help a shelter pet get seen:
“Meet a pet who deserves a home 🐾 If you’re able to foster, adopt, or share, it makes a real difference. This month Mochi Lane is spotlighting Best Friends Animal Society and the nationwide work to save more dogs and cats. Let’s help someone find their person.”
