2009 annual report

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals

Adopt a Lit t le New Yorker Today! Annual Report 2009

®

ContentsLetter from the President 4

Board of directors 4

Vision & mission 5

strategic Programs 6

major suPPorter – maddie’s fund® 9

major suPPorter – asPca® 9

other suPPorters & contriButors 11

aLLiance ParticiPating organizations 11

sPeciaL Programs 14

serVices 15

financiaLs 16

animaL care & controL of nYc 18

our Progress in nYc 19

An elderly observer came upon a young man who was throwing starfish into the ocean. The old man said, “Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” The young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.” The elderly observer replied, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a differ-ence!” The young man listened politely and picked up another star-fish, threw it into the ocean, and said, “It made a difference for that one.” (Paraphrased from “The Star Thrower” by Loren Eiseley.) As with the starfish, with each single dog and cat that is saved, we get closer to our goal of a no-kill community.

The sTARfish sToRY

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009 3

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copyright © 2010 mayor’s alliance for nYc’s animals, inc.

Letter from the President 2009 was a significant year for our organiza-tion, as we are half way to reaching our goal.

I would first like to thank all of our Alli-ance Participating Organizations. Without the collaboration and efforts provided by all of our affiliated organizations, we would not have been nearly as successful this past year. I would like to thank Maddie’s Fund® for its guidance, generous support, and faith in us as a city that we will reach our no-kill goal by 2015, and for bringing us as a country a step closer to becom-ing a no-kill nation. I also want to acknowledge the tremendous support and resources provid-ed to the Alliance by the ASPCA.

But most importantly, I would like to ac-knowledge all of our 150 Alliance Participat-ing Organizations working tirelessly to devel-op a no-kill community. Many thanks also to the North Shore Animal League America for its continued generosity in making its mobile adoption units available to our shelters and res-cue groups, and also to our amazing volunteers and other supporters whose dedicated efforts each and every day move us closer to our goal.

Among the 18 initiatives identified in our ten-year strategic plan, three initiatives in particular have contributed greatly to our achievements in 2009. The Wheels of Hope Transport Program, the New York City Fe-ral Cat Initiative, and the Picasso Veterinary Fund helped reduce euthanasia at Animal Care & Control of NYC shelters to a historic low of 33%, down from 74% in 2002. Fur-ther, the AC&C New Hope Program, which receives partial funding from the Mayor’s Alliance, transferred to Alliance Participat-ing Organizations and other rescue part-ners 17,641 dogs and cats from city shelters,

thereby guaranteeing placement of these ani-mals in new homes, rather than having them be euthanized.

Congratulations and thanks to all of you for your heroic efforts in saving the many lives of New York City’s homeless animals. We have come a long way since 2002, when the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals was founded as a result of three motivating fac-tors: (i) the efforts and the persistence of the New York City Bar Association’s Committee on Legal Issues Pertaining to Animals; (ii) the establishment of the multi-million-dollar Maddie’s Fund in 1999; and (iii) the inaugu-ration of Michael R. Bloomberg as Mayor of New York City in 2002, whose administra-tion has embraced the notion of private in-vestment in municipal projects.

We look forward to next year and con-tinuing to reduce euthanasia at AC&C to a projected level under 30%, thereby moving closer to our goal of New York City becom-ing a no-kill community.


left to right: Ed Sayres, President and CEO of the ASPCA; Julie Bank, the newly appointed Executive Director of Animal Care & Control; Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York City; and Jane Hoffman, President of the Mayor’s Alliance.

ChAirJane Hoffman, esq. President Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals

SeCretArYmeena alagappan, esq.Executive Director Humane Education Advocates Reaching Teachers (HEART)

Caroline loomisProgram OfficerBloomberg, LP Philanthropy Department

Terri maTHews, esq. Senior Policy Advisor NYC Dept. of Design & Construction

elinor molbegoTT, esq.Legal Counsel Humane Society of New York

sCoTT T. sTevensProducer Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Julie morrisSVP, Community Outreach American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)

Jane Hoffman is an attorney and a founding member of the Committee on Legal Issues Pertaining to Animals at the New York City Bar Association. At the 2007 American Bar Association national conference in San Francisco, Ms. Hoffman was honored with the inaugural Excellence in the Advancement of Animal Law Award.

BoARd of diReCToRs 2009

Letter from the President

Vision

mission

Establish New York City as a place where no dog or cat of reasonable health and temperament is killed merely because he or she does not have a home.

In cooperation with the City of New York, the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals seeks to establish partnerships with nonprofit animal organizations to develop creative solutions to deal with issues of ani-mal care and control. Through our multi-year program, we will help these animal advocacy groups reach their highest potential to effectively place and spay/neuter New York City’s dogs and cats.


new York CitY feraL Cat initiatiVeThe New York City Feral Cat Initiative is a major Alliance program that is crucial to our success in achieving our goal of transform-ing New York City into a no-kill community by 2015. The program, a partnership be-tween the Alliance and Neighborhood Cats, provides training, assistance, and informa-tion to the growing number of community cat caretakers in New York City who are performing trap-neuter-return (TNR) to hu-manely reduce the number of free-roaming and outdoor cats.

It’s estimated that tens of thousands of cats live in alleyways, backyards, city parks, and outdoor spaces throughout New York City’s five boroughs. Most of them are lost or abandoned domesticated cats or their offspring and, if they are not neutered, will continue to spawn new generations. Be-cause most of the adult cats are not social-ized to humans, they rarely are candidates for adoption.

Many of the young offspring of these free-roaming cats are “rescued” from the streets and taken to Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C). These kittens and young cats, through no fault of their own, exacer-bate the overcrowding at AC&C shelters – the key driver of euthanasia. Because kittens are adopted at a higher rate than older cats, these kittens deprive many older cats of adoptive homes.

Through the efforts of the Feral Cat Initiative, community cats are humanely trapped, evaluated, given a rabies vaccina-tion, left ear-tipped, and spayed or neutered by a veterinarian. Those young enough to be socialized are made available for adoption if space at the shelters permits, but most of the cats are returned to their managed colo-nies to live out their lives in relative peace. These TNRed cats no longer pose a nuisance to their human neighbors, as they create dra-

matically less noise and odor than intact cats, and they no longer can reproduce. As a re-sult, the number of cats in a colony dimin-ishes over time through natural attrition, as cats grow old and die from natural causes. Rodent control, often a community benefit provided by the cats, is maintained. Volun-teer “colony caretakers” then provide ongo-ing care of the cats, including daily food, water, and clean-up of the area, shelter, and monitoring of each cat’s health.

In communities across the country, as well as in New York City, TNR has proved to be the only effective method of humanely man-aging feral cat colonies and reducing their numbers over time. These efforts help stem the tide of cats being brought to AC&C shel-ters, which are already overburdened and lack sufficient resources to handle all of these cats.

In 2006, the Feral Cat Initiative launched

its innovative, online database and currently has hundreds of feral cat colonies regis-tered. The database allows us to monitor and track the size of these colonies, and new information is provided and updated by an ever-growing network of feral cat caretakers in New York City. Last year, 631 individuals participated in our TNR work-shops, bringing the total number of trained TNR caretakers to 2,649 since April 2001.

The data collected show that these colo-nies are already exhibiting substantial de-clines in size. In addition, thousands of cats and kittens have been rescued and placed in homes from these same colonies. Entire neighborhoods, such as the Upper West Side of Manhattan, are virtually kitten-free. In addition, the number of cats at Rikers Is-land and the Fresh Kills Landfill have been reduced by half.

strategic Programs


wheeLs of hoPeThe Mayor’s Alliance Transport Program, “Wheels of Hope,” is among our most ef-fective programs for reducing euthanasia at AC&C. In 2009, “Wheels of Hope” trans-ported close to 7,000 animals from AC&C shelters and delivered them to nonprofit shelters and rescue groups that have the re-sources to place them into new homes.

As a result, we have designated the trans-port program as a central focus of our ef-forts to achieve our goal that no dog or cat of reasonable health and temperament is killed in New York City merely because he or she does not have a home.

Our fleet of four vans has traveled over one million miles to help save New York City’s homeless cats and dogs. Animals are taken from AC&C, thereby reducing the numbers of pets euthanized for lack of space and the chance that they con-tract upper respiratory infections and ken-nel cough. The relocation from AC&C to a rescue group lessens both the stress on the animals and the veterinary bills of the non-profit groups that care for them prior to their placement into a new home.

In making these lifesaving trips, our vans are supported by an infrastructure targeted at maximizing their usage and effectiveness. A transport coordinator is employed by the Mayor’s Alliance and works to coordinate the numerous trips made by the vans on a daily basis, configuring routes and coordi-nating pick-ups and drop-offs.

The transport coordinator and associ-ate provide seven-days-a-week scheduling coverage. They work hand-in-hand with AC&C New Hope Coordinators, staff members whose positions are funded, in part, by a grant from the Alliance. These New Hope coordinators serve as liaisons between AC&C and other rescue organi-zations, identifying which groups are able

to take particular dogs and cats and com-municating this information to the Alliance transport coordinator.

Our transport program supplements the resources already in place among the net-work of Alliance rescue groups and shel-ters, thereby allowing them to focus on finding caring, permanent homes for the animals. Transportation costs, including vehicle insurance, maintenance, fuel, and the wages of our dedicated driv-ers, are borne by the Alliance.

Some trips are short, while others are long hauls. But ei-ther way, they carry dogs and cats to a new life and a new fu-ture, and make New York City a more humane city and a better place to live for our four-legged companions.

Cats, like dogs, are digitigrades. They walk directly on their toes, with the bones of their feet making up the lower part of the visible leg. Cats are capable of walking very precisely; that is, they place each hind paw (al-most) directly in the print of the corresponding forepaw, minimiz-ing noise and visible tracks.

One female cat and her off-spring can produce as many as 420,000 kittens in seven years if they are not spayed or neutered. It is safe to have your cats “fixed” once they are at least eight weeks old or weigh two pounds.

did You kNow?


PiCasso VeterinarY fund®

The Picasso Veteri-nary Fund® provides financial assistance to help pay for extraor-dinary medical care for sick and injured animals taken in by

AC&C and, in most cases, transferred to other Alliance Participating Organizations that care for them until they are adopted. Traditionally, animals with extreme medi-cal needs that are taken in by animal control shelters are euthanized because the requisite funds to pay for extensive surgeries and oth-er costly treatments are not available.

Thanks to our close ties and strong re-lationships with New York City’s veterinary community, we have been able to negotiate discounted fees with many veterinary hos-pitals throughout the five boroughs. This allows us to maximize the funds raised through the Picasso Veterinary Fund to pro-vide much needed care to a greater number of dogs and cats.

After receiving life-saving treatment, ani-mals are transferred to one of the participating

nonprofit animal welfare groups to be adopted.In 2009, we leveraged our extensive rela-

tionships within the veterinary community to help Alliance participating rescue groups and shelters receive the same discounted fees to allow these organizations to take ad-ditional responsibility for major medical care of AC&C dogs and cats.

In 2009, the Picasso Veterinary Fund helped pay medical costs for approximately 1,000 dogs and cats, providing each one with a second chance and a potentially bright fu-ture. Some of these animals needed just a little extra help to get back in the running for a new home. Others required more extensive treat-ment to repair an injury or treat an illness. But whatever the case, each one of our Picasso Veterinary Fund recipients received a second chance for a potentially bright future.

SAM’S STORY Sam, the first recipient of the Picasso Veterinary Fund, was hit by a car and suffered two very badly broken legs. The Alliance arranged for Sam to be taken to a top orthopedic surgeon who operated on him for a fraction of his usual fee. Sam has fully recovered and enjoys life with a loving family.

In the winter of 2000, an eight-month-old abandoned Pit Bull puppy, born with a twisted muzzle, was picked up by and brought to AC&C. AC&C staff wanted to save this unique animal, and word was put out to the New York City rescue community. When actress and animal advocate Ber-nadette Peters saw a photograph of the puppy with the cubist face, she named him Picasso. He was trans-ferred from AC&C to the Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition (BARC), where a couple that volunteered at the shelter fell in love with Picasso and adopted him.

But in March 2003, a few months before his fourth birthday, Picasso died of kidney failure. Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore, founders of Broadway Barks, created the Picasso Veterinary Fund to keep Picasso’s lively and enduring spirit alive. Today, the Picasso Veterinary Fund is giving hundreds of special little New Yorkers second chances for the good lives they deserve.

left to right: Picasso Veterinary Fund founders Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters. Sam, the first recipient of the Fund.

PiCAsso’s sToRY


maddie’s fund

asPCa

Maddie’s Fund®, The Pet Rescue Foundation is a family foundation funded by Workday and PeopleSoft found-er Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl. It is the largest animal wel-fare fund in history and

was created in 1999 with an astonishing prom-ise of over $300 million to be divided among cities that pledge to create no-kill communities.

In January 2005, Maddie’s Fund® awarded a seven-year grant to the Alliance to adminis-ter the Maddie’s Pet Rescue Project in NYC and Maddie’s Spay/Neuter Project in NYC. Maddie’s Pet Rescue Project invests resources to build a collaborative effort among targeted animal welfare groups to increase pet adop-tions in New York City. According to Rich Avanzino, President of Maddie’s Fund®, “Collaboration is the fastest and most effec-

tive way to build a no-kill community.” Mad-die’s Spay/Neuter Project in NYC seeks to enhance the efforts of the veterinary com-munity and animal welfare groups to increase sterilization of New York City’s dogs and cats. The Fund has allocated $29 million over the seven-year grant cycle to help the Alliance end the killing of healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats. The Alliance is the largest Maddie’s Fund community project in the United States.

Maddie’s Fund is helping to create a no-kill nation where all healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats are guaranteed a loving home. To achieve this goal, Maddie’s Fund is invest-ing its resources in building community collab-orations where animal welfare organizations come together to develop successful models of lifesaving, in veterinary colleges to help shelter medicine become part of the veterinary curriculum, and in the implementation of a na-tional strategy to promote accountability and transparency in animal shelter operations.

The ASPCA® was the first hu-mane society to be established in the Western

Hemis phere and today is one of the largest in the world. In 1866, Henry Bergh founded the organization based on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respect-ful treatment at the hands of humans, and should be protected under the law.

The ASPCA is a founding member of the Mayor’s Alliance, which today includes more than 150 other participating shelters and rescue groups committed to working with AC&C to transform New York City into a no-kill community by 2015. Accord-ing to Ed Sayres, President and CEO of the ASPCA, “We know there are no ‘quick

fixes’ to ending the unnecessary euthana-sia of animals, but we do know, and have proof, that collaboration among all groups in striving to reduce the unnecessary eutha-nasia of these animals can work.”

The ASPCA offers a variety of pro-grams in New York City to provide adop-tion and spay/neuter services to the pub-lic, as well as upholding its commitment to ending animal cruelty. In addition to providing an adoption center and medi-cal care through the Bergh Memorial Ani-mal Hospital on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the ASPCA connects with residents through its mobile outreach initiatives pro-viding free spay/neuter clinics and adop-tion services.

Maddie’s story Maddie, for whom the fund is named, was a beloved Miniature Schnauzer whose unconditional love, devotion, loyalty, and spirit inspired her guardians, Dave and Cheryl, to start a charitable foundation, Maddie’s Fund®. Dave, Cheryl, and Maddie shared ten memorable and happy years together.

Maddie inspired Dave and Cheryl to give generously to help save homeless, abandoned pets in desperate need of love and care. Thanks to the dog with the indomitable spirit, shelter pets across the country are afforded new opportunities to find compas-sionate homes in which they, too, may share in the joy, love, and companionship that Dave and Cheryl enjoyed with Maddie.

asPCa Mobile sPay/Neuter CliNiCs The ASPCA offers free spay/neu-ter surgeries via five fully equipped mobile veterinary clinics that travel to many of NYC’s neighborhoods. Recognizing that many of the most serious overpopulation and animal health crises arise in neighborhoods with limited access to veterinary care and education on animal issues, the ASPCA brings these services directly to the communities.

Mobile adoPtioN VaNThe ASPCA Mobile Adoption pro-gram brings shelter pets and potential pet parents together by traveling to communities throughout the five bor-oughs. Adopters can spend time with a dog or cat and go home with their new furry friend the very same day.

MAJoR suPPoRTeRs


aLLianCe PartiCiPating organizationsMore than 150 animal rescue groups and shelters participate in the Alliance, and work in collaboration on behalf of the city’s homeless animals. The Alliance was created to combine resources, overcome differences in priorities, and facilitate collaboration to solve the problem of animal homelessness in NYC. The Alliance provides financial assistance, resources, and support to these rescue groups and shelters so they can focus on increasing adoptions and spay/neutering of NYC’s homeless animals.

suPPoRTeRs & CoNTRiBuToRs

a place for us

abandoned angels Cocker spaniel rescue

adopt a boxer rescue

adopt-a-Dog

all about spay neuter

all sentient beings

almost Home animal rescue & adoption

american bulldog rescue

american bullmastiff association rescue service

american society for the prevention of Cruelty to animals (aspCa)*

animal Care & Control of new York City (aC&C)

animal Center of queens

animal Haven*

animal rescue force (arf)

animal rescue fund of the Hamptons

animal welfare society

animalkind

animals Can’t Talk (aCT)

animals Can’t Talk rescue and adoption (aCT rescue and adoption)

anjellicle Cats rescue

art for animals*

barbara the Cat lady

betsy’s Cocker place

bideawee

big apple bull Terrier rescue

bobbi & the strays

boxer angels rescue

brooklyn animal resource Coalition (barC)*

brooklyn bridge animal welfare Coalition

Cascade beagle rescue–east

Cat assistance inc.

City Critters*

Cocker spaniel rescue of new Jersey

Csm stray foundation (usa) inc.

Curly Tail pug rescue

Dalmatian adoption

Derrek’s gleeful rescue

Doberman pinscher Club of america rescue Committee

Dogue de bordeaux society rescue

earth angels Canine rescue

eastern german shorthaired pointer Club rescue program

North shore aNiMal league aMeriCa

North Shore Animal League America, head-quartered in Port Washing-

ton, NY, is the largest no-kill ani-mal rescue and adoption organ-ization in the world. Since 1944, The Animal League’s mission has been saving the lives of pets through adoption, rescue, spay/neuter, and advocacy initiatives. Although located in New York, this organization reaches across the country to rescue, nurture, and adopt approximately 20,000 pets into happy and loving homes every year.

toward aNiMals iN loViNg sPaCes (tails)TAILS is group of like-minded New Yorkers working to support the Alliance’s efforts to trans-form New York City into a no-kill community. TAILS is creating a thriving network of compassionate businesses and New York animal lovers dedicated to supporting the Mayor’s Alliance’s programs.

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* founding apo

oTheR suPPoRTeRs & CoNTRiBuToRs

english bull Terrier rescue of new York & new Jersey

eve’s sanctuary

feathered friends parrot adoption

feline rescue mission

feline rescue of staten island

first run medical & rescue fund for animals

for animals, inc.

for our friends

for the love of Dog (rottweilers)

friendly ferals

friends of rescued mastiffs

german shepherd rescue of Central new York

german shepherd rescue of southeastern pennsylvania in brooklyn, nY

glen Highland farm/sweet border Collie rescue

glen wild animal rescue

gotham City Kitties

grateful greyhounds

green mountain pug rescue

Heart and Hand society

Heart and soul animal rescue

Heavenly Huskies & Canine Companions

House rabbit society

Humane society of new York*

The Husky House

internet miniature pinscher service (imps)

in our Hands rescue

italian greyhound rescue nYC (igrnYC)

K9Kastle

Kitten little rescue

KittyKind

Kodi’s Club

labrador retriever rescue - CT

labs4rescue

le Cats on the water

lifeline animal rescue

linda’s feral Cat assistance

little forgotten friends rescue

little shelter animal rescue & adoption Center

long beach Humane society

long island bulldog rescue

long island Cat/Kitten solution (liCKs) rescue

long island golden retriever rescue

long island greyHound Transfer

long island labrador retriever rescue

louis animal foundation

loving Touch

metromalts: metropolitan maltese rescue

mid-atlantic basset Hound rescue

mid-atlantic great Dane rescue league

mighty mutts

miss rumples for small Dogs

mountain rottie resq (mrr) of new York

mutts & mitts of brooklyn

neighborhood Cats

new england border Collie rescue

new england old english sheepdog rescue

aLLianCe PartiCiPating organizations

12 Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

VeteriNariaNs

traNsPortatioNAmbuvet

Canine Car

K9Car

Midtown Chelsea

Pet Chauffer

Pet Taxi

PMS281

PMS Gold 871

PMS281

PMS Gold 871

Gramercy ParkAnimal Hospital

* founding apo


new rochelle Humane society

new York City siamese rescue

nJ schnauzer rescue network

north fork animal welfare league

north shore animal league america

northeastern boxer rescue

northern new england Dog rescue

nutmeg rescue

nY peT-i-Care adoption program

nYC shiba rescue

only Hope Cat rescue

orphaned pets, inc.

p.l.u.T.o. rescue of richmond County

patricia H. ladew foundation

paws To love adoptions

people for animals

peppertree rescue

pet adoption league inc./Chow rescue of nY

poor animals of st. francis

posh pets rescue

r.s.v.p. inc. (responsible solutions for valued pets)

rabbit rescue & rehab

rawhide rescue

red Hook Dog rescue

russell refuge (Jack russell Terriers)

s.a.v.e. animal rescue

safe Hounds beagle rescue

save our strays

save-a-pet animal rescue and adoption Center

saveKitty foundation

scottish Terrier Club of greater new York

sean Casey animal rescue

shelter survivors

The sheltering wing bird preservation and adoptions

shore Hearts golden retriever rescue

small paws rescue (bichon frise)

social Tees animal rescue foundation

spCa of Connecticut

staten island Council for animal welfare (siCaw)

stray from the Heart

Tavi & friends / Tavi’s Curls

Tigger foundation

Tiny Treasures rescue

Treasured k9s

Tri-state basset Hound rescue

Tri-state weimeraner rescue

underdog resq

united action for animals

urban Cat league

waggin’ Train

waggytail rescue

willing Hearts Dalmatian rescue

woof Dog rescue

The worthy pause Thrift & gift shop

Zani’s furry friends


oTheR suPPoRTeRs & CoNTRiBuToRs


boardiNgAnimal Behavior Specialist

Elizabeth Ann Kennels

Evergreen

Hudson Valley Kennels

Monster Mutt

Paws in Chelsea/Paws in Soho

The Spot

Wagging Tail

Regina BauerFrankenberg Foundation

other orgaNizatioNs


sPeCiaL Programs

heLPing Pets and PeoPLe in Crisis Created in response to calls to the Alliance from people facing heartbreaking separation from their pets, this pilot project works to keep pets connected with their owners dur-ing times of crisis. Assistance is provided to women and children fleeing domestic violence and families facing eviction and homelessness. The program collaborates with traditional so-cial services and places pets involved in these difficult situations into temporary care, with a foster family or in boarding, with the aim of reuniting the pets with their families once their situation is stabilized. If a reunification is not possible, pets are placed for adoption, sparing families already in crisis the further pain of leaving their beloved pet at a shelter.

animaL reLief fund (arf) ARF provides pet food to food pantries where cash-strapped NYC pet own-ers can have access to pet food. Since it is not eligible for purchase with food stamps, some pet owners struggling to make ends meet cannot afford to feed their pets. By having access to pet food through food pantries, pet owners do not have to make the difficult decision to surrender their pets to a shelter.

not home aLoneThis patient pet care program provides

assistance for pet owners facing hospitaliza-

tion. By establishing partnerships with local hospitals, this program provides pet care for admitted patients who lack the resources to provide care for their pets while they receive medical care. The program provides peace of mind for patients, allowing them to focus on getting well, and also makes care more accessible to those refusing admittance be-cause “there is no one to care for my pet.” The need for pet care assistance for those seeking medical treatment exists across all income and age levels, but is especially cru-cial for seniors and those on limited incomes.

maYor’s aLLianCe foster Care networkOur network of foster parents who care for a dog or a cat in their home offers these pets an alternative to staying in a shelter. Foster care provides them with a more loving and stable environment.

Foster pets may be ready for adoption, may have a temporary health issue, or may be waiting to be reunited with their family. Foster placements are coordinated to work well for both the foster parent and the pet. Foster care can either be for a few days or long-term.

There is no obligation for foster parents to adopt these animals, and the Alliance is responsible for finding permanent homes for those who need them. The Alliance pays for all medical care and assists with supplies.

Pet ownership is good for your health because pets help lower blood pressure, reduce stress, prevent heart disease, and help people fight depression. People with pets actually make fewer non-serious doctor visits.

Humans have 46 chromo-somes, whereas cats have only 38 chromosomes and dogs have 78 chromosomes.

The world record for the most tennis balls held in the mouth by a dog at one time is five. Augie, a Golden Retriever who lives with the Miller family in Dallas, Texas successfully gathered and held five regulation-sized tennis balls on July 6, 2003.

did You kNow?


sPeCiaL Programs serViCesfree and Low-Cost CLiniCs for sPaY/neuterAmong the most important services the Alli-ance can provide to New York City’s low-in-come pet owners are free and low-cost spay/neuter services. By reducing the number of unwanted animal births, we can reduce eutha-nasia at the City’s shelters and also decrease the number of homeless animals in need of adoption.

The Maddie’s® Spay/Neuter Project in NYC, funded by Maddie’s Fund® and ad-ministered by the Alliance, offers low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for dogs and cats to any New York City pet owner who re-ceives public assistance. The surgeries are performed by participating private practice veterinarians and non-profit organizations.

The Alliance also offers free spay/neu-ter clinics twice each month for dogs and cats. The Alliance advertises and books each clinic, and surgeries are performed by the ASPCA on one of its Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinics outside the AC&C shelter in Brook-lyn. AC&C provides use of its facility for the animals to recover. These clinics provide an opportunity to inform pet owners about microchipping, dog licensing, and low-cost veterinary resources. Each clinic accommo-dates approximately 35 animals and is free to all New York City pet owners, with priority granted to New York City Housing Author-ity (NYCHA) residents.

The ASPCA, the Humane Society of New York, and The Toby Project are all deeply committed to New York City’s ma-jor effort to spay/neuter all of the City’s dogs and cats. The Humane Society of New York assists dog and cat owners with limited means in having their pets spayed/neutered at their midtown hospital facil-ity. The ASPCA provides spay/neuter surgeries in all five boroughs on its Mo-bile Spay/Neuter Clinics, and The Toby Project operates a mobile clinic in the Bronx and Brooklyn.

mobiLe Van adoPtions Because getting animals in front of adopt-ers regularly is crucial to increasing adop-tions, the Alliance and North Shore Animal League America (NSALA), an Alliance Par-ticipating Organization (APO), are working together to bring animals for adoption to the people every weekend throughout the year. The Alliance schedules its APOs on NSALA mobile adoption units, allowing many of the groups that do not have a permanent adop-tion location to be more visible within their communities. Each adoption van accommo-dates up to 30 animals, and on many week-ends, four or five vans make appearances each day throughout the City.

free and Low-Cost miCroChiPPing In addition to licensing your dog, microchip-ping is one of the best ways to ensure that if your pet is lost or stolen and winds up at an animal shelter or veterinary office, he/she can be returned to you. Unlike dog tags and collars, which can fall off or be removed, microchip-ping is a more permanent (chip injected under the skin) form of identifying your dog or cat.

Our microchipping clinics are an impor-

tant part of our effort to promote responsible pet guardianship and to increase the number of lost pets that are returned to their owners. The Alliance offers free or low-cost microchip-ping at numerous events throughout the year. At these clinics, a veterinarian microchips dogs and cats, and we complete each pet’s registra-tion – all for only $25, far less than fees charged by most private practice veterinarians. Since our first microchipping clinic in 2005, we have microchipped more than 2,000 dogs and cats!

CommunitY outreaCh ProgramOur community outreach efforts rely exten-sively on our team of dedicated volunteers. We participate in a variety of events through-out New York City in order to promote our mission of transforming New York City into a no-kill community. At these events, Alliance staff and volunteers educate and provide re-sources for the public about adopting from a shelter or rescue group, the importance of spaying or neutering their companion animals, and how to be a responsible pet parent. We also provide information about community cats and how critical TNR is to humanely reduce the City’s feral cat population.

statement of finanCiaL Position ($)


financiaLs

asseTs 2009 2008

Cash and cash equivalents 2,815,954 2,664,257

Contributions receivable 370,666 0

Security deposit and other assets 16,977 12,148

Fixed assets, net of accumulated depreciation of 65,725 and 41,946, respectively 77,579 84,025

total Assets 3,281,176 2,760,430

liabiliTies anD neT asseTs

liabilities

Accrued expenses 677,926 662,454

total liabilities 677,926 662,454

net assets

Unrestricted 417,873 188,504

Temporarily restricted 2,185,377 1,909,472

total Net Assets 2,603,250 2,097,976

total liabilities and Net Assets 3,281,176 2,760,430

FUNDRAISINGMANAGEMENT AND GENERAL

PROGRAM EXPENSES

3.6%

93.5%

2.9%

2009 operating expenses

2009 Revenue from operations

OTHERINDIVIDUALS AND OTHERS

FOUNDATIONS

18%

81%

1%

statement of aCtiVities and Changes in net assets ($)


supporT anD revenue

Contributions

Foundations 253,500 5,738,591 5,992,091 4,787,082

Individuals and Others 1,130,149 224,993 1,355,142 1,389,679

Other 60,989 12,868 73,857 85,024

Net Assets Released from Restrictions 5,700,547 (5,700,547) 0 0

total Support and revenue 7,145,185 275,905 7,421,090 6,261,785

eXpenses

program expense* 6,467,230 0 6,467,230 5,407,508

total program services 6,467,230 0 6,467,230 5,407,508

management and general 250,999 0 250,999 209,783

fundraising 197,587 0 197,587 198,838

total expenses 6,915,816 0 6,915,816 5,816,129

Change in Net Assets 229,369 275,905 505,274 445,656

neT asseTs

beginning of the year 188,504 1,909,472 2,097,976 1,652,320

end of the Year 417,873 2,185,377 2,603,250 2,097,976

unresTriCTeDTemporarilY resTriCTeD ToTal

Year enDeD DeCember 31, 2008

ToTal

*2009 Program expense includes maddie’s fund nYc spay and neuter Project for Low income new Yorkers. this program provided 18,240 spay and neuter surgeries in 2009.

Year enDeD DeCember 31, 2009


animaL Care & ControL of nYC

Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C) is the largest pet rescue organi-zation in the northeastern United States, with an esti-mated 42,000 animals res-

cued each year. AC&C is New York City’s municipal shelter system operating in all five boroughs, including three full-service shelters and two receiving centers. AC&C is responsible for rescuing, caring for, and finding homes for New York City’s home-less and abandoned animals.

Some people seem to think that many of the animals at AC&C are not as desir-able as those found elsewhere. In most instances that is not the case. The animals that end up there through no fault of their own make wonderful loving pets. In 2008, AC&C ran a very successful advertising campaign, Victims of Circumstances, which stressed that most shelter animals are victims of circumstance, not sickness or abuse — and that their only “crime” is a lack of a home.

Bailey is a great example of the type of dogs available at AC&C shelters. Bailey was brought to AC&C on February 23, 2010 because her owner had abandoned her. Olympic gold medalist Steve Holcomb met the two-year-old Golden Retriever

while visiting the “To-day Show” after

the Olympics on March 5, 2010. Steve immediately

bonded with Bailey and ended up adopting her. Today

they share a home i n in Colorado.

lANolA KAthleeN StoNe, a New York City-based photographer, was given an assign-ment while in graduate school to photograph on 110th Street in New York City. When she saw the AC&C shelter, she thought that taking great pictures of the animals which captured their personality and spunk might aid their adoption. Ms.Stone was particularly interested in the animals that had been there the longest and were “least likely to be adopted.” Her objective was to get them adopted by capturing their true personalities through inspiring photographs.

our Progress in nYC


In 2009, the euthanasia rate at AC&C shelters was reduced to 33% of intake, down 57% or 18,081 fewer euthanized versus 2003, the baseline year.

In 2009, 7,691 (63%) fewer dogs and 10,390 (53%) fewer cats were euthanized at AC&C shelters than in 2003.

Animal transfers from AC&C to other shelters and rescue groups save lives. Transfers have more than tripled, from 5,519 in 2003 to 17,641 in 2009.

did You kNow?

aC&C transfers & adoPtions

1,000

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000Transfers Adoptions

200920082007200620052003 2004

4,927 9,872 10,865 9,313 8,905 8,483 8,192

7,762 8,136 10,256 13,349 15,918 18,283 20,291

TRANSFERS

ADOPTIONS

20092008200720062005200420032002

0100020003000400050006000700080009000100001100012000130001400015000160001700018000190002000021000220002300024000250002600027000280002900030000TRANSFERS

ADOPTIONS

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

3,032 5,519 5,729 6,775 9,937 12,023 13,563 17,641

5,6114,987

9,872

10,8659,313

8,9058,483

8,192

aC&C euthanasia reduCtion

1,000

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

200920082007200620052003 2004

4,927 9,872 10,865 9,313 8,905 8,483 8,192

7,762 8,136 10,256 13,349 15,918 18,283 20,291

TRANSFERS

ADOPTIONS

20092008200720062005200420032002

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

01000200030004000500060007000800090001000011000120001300014000150001600017000180001900020000210002200023000240002500026000270002800029000300003100032000330003400035000

/2009/2008/2007/2006/2005/2004/2003/2002

31,908 31,701

26,456

22,967

20,39718,190

16,706

13,620

We wish to express our deep appreciation to all who volunteered their work, talents, and time to make our first annual report possible. Melissa Solorzano, Graphic Designer LaNola Kathleen Stone, PhotographerRick Edwards, PhotographerMeredith Weiss, Photographer

244 fifth avenue suite r290new York, nY 10001-7604

www.animalalliancenYC.org

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2009 annual report

Documents

starfish storymayors

young man

city shelters

affiliated organizations

old man

new yorker

new homes

major supporter maddies