Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals: 2009 Annual Report by Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals

Annual Report 2009

Adopt a Little New Yorker Today!

The starfish Story

Contents Letter from the President

Board of Directors

Vision & Mission

Strategic Programs

Major Supporter – Maddie’s FunD®

Major SUPPORTER – ASPCA®

Other Supporters & Contributors

Alliance PARTICIPATING Organizations

Special Programs

Services

Financials

Animal Care & Control of NYC

OUR PROGRESS IN NYC

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 difference!” The young man listened politely and picked up another starfish, 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.

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

Board of Directors 2009 CHAIR Jane Hoffman, Esq. President Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals SECRETARY Meena Alagappan, Esq. Executive Director Humane Education Advocates Reaching Teachers (HEART) Caroline Loomis Program Officer Bloomberg, 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. Stevens Producer Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Julie Morris SVP, Community Outreach American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)

Letter from the President 2009 was a significant year for our organization, as we are half way to reaching our goal. I would first like to thank all of our Alliance 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 becoming a no-kill nation. I also want to acknowledge the tremendous support and resources provided to the Alliance by the ASPCA. But most importantly, I would like to acknowledge all of our 150 Alliance Participating Organizations working tirelessly to develop 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 rescue 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 Feral 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. Further, the AC&C New Hope Program, which receives partial funding from the Mayor’s Alliance, transferred to Alliance Participating Organizations and other rescue partners 17,641 dogs and cats from city shelters,

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.

thereby guaranteeing placement of these animals 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 factors: (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 inauguration of Michael R. Bloomberg as Mayor of New York City in 2002, whose administration has embraced the notion of private investment in municipal projects. We look forward to next year and continuing to reduce euthanasia at AC&C to a projected level under 30%, thereby moving closer to our goal of New York City becoming a no-kill community.

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.

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

Vision 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.

Mission 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 animal 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.

Strategic Programs

New York City Feral Cat Initiative The New York City Feral Cat Initiative is a major Alliance program that is crucial to our success in achieving our goal of transforming New York City into a no-kill community by 2015. The program, a partnership between the Alliance and Neighborhood Cats, provides training, assistance, and information to the growing number of community cat caretakers in New York City who are performing trap-neuter-return (TNR) to humanely 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. Because most of the adult cats are not socialized 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, exacerbate 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 vaccination, 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 colonies 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 result, the number of cats in a colony diminishes 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. Volunteer “colony caretakers” then provide ongoing 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 managing feral cat colonies and reducing their numbers over time. These efforts help stem the tide of cats being brought to AC&C shelters, which are already overburdened and lack sufficient resources to handle all of these cats. In 2006, the Feral Cat Initiative launched

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

its innovative, online database and currently has hundreds of feral cat colonies registered. 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 workshops, bringing the total number of trained TNR caretakers to 2,649 since April 2001. The data collected show that these colonies are already exhibiting substantial declines 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 Island and the Fresh Kills Landfill have been reduced by half.

DId you know?

Wheels of HOpe The Mayor’s Alliance Transport Program, “Wheels of Hope,” is among our most effective programs for reducing euthanasia at AC&C. In 2009, “Wheels of Hope” transported close to 7,000 animals from AC&C shelters and delivered them to nonprofit shelters and rescue groups that have the resources to place them into new homes. As a result, we have designated the transport program as a central focus of our efforts 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 contract upper respiratory infections and kennel 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 coordinating pick-ups and drop-offs. The transport coordinator and associate 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 organizations, identifying which groups are able

to take particular dogs and cats and communicating this information to the Alliance transport coordinator. Our transport program supplements the resources already in place among the network of Alliance rescue groups and shelters, 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 drivers, are borne by the Alliance. Some trips are short, while others are long hauls. But either way, they carry dogs and cats to a new life and a new future, and make New York City a more humane city and a better place to live for our fourlegged companions.

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

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 (almost) directly in the print of the corresponding forepaw, minimizing noise and visible tracks.

One female cat and her offspring 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.

Picasso’s Story

Picasso Veterinary Fund

In the winter of 2000, an eight-monthold 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 Bernadette Peters saw a photograph of the puppy with the cubist face, she named him Picasso. He was transferred 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.

The Picasso Veterinary Fund® provides financial assistance to help pay for extraordinary 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 medical needs that are taken in by animal control shelters are euthanized because the requisite funds to pay for extensive surgeries and other costly treatments are not available. Thanks to our close ties and strong relationships with New York City’s veterinary community, we have been able to negotiate discounted fees with many veterinary hospitals throughout the five boroughs. This allows us to maximize the funds raised through the Picasso Veterinary Fund to provide much needed care to a greater number of dogs and cats. After receiving life-saving treatment, animals are transferred to one of the participating

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

nonprofit animal welfare groups to be adopted. In 2009, we leveraged our extensive relationships within the veterinary community to help Alliance participating rescue groups and shelters receive the same discounted fees to allow these organizations to take additional 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 future. Some of these animals needed just a little extra help to get back in the running for a new home. Others required more extensive treatment 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.

MAJOR SUPPORTERS

Maddie’s Fund Maddie’s Fund®, The Pet Rescue Foundation is a family foundation funded by Workday and PeopleSoft founder Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl. It is the largest animal welfare fund in history and was created in 1999 with an astonishing promise 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 administer 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 adoptions in New York City. According to Rich Avanzino, President of Maddie’s Fund®, “Collaboration is the fastest and most effec-

Maddie’s Story tive way to build a no-kill community.” Maddie’s Spay/Neuter Project in NYC seeks to enhance the efforts of the veterinary community 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 investing its resources in building community collaborations 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 national strategy to promote accountability and transparency in animal shelter operations.

ASPCA The ASPCA® was the first humane society to be established in the Western Hemisphere 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 respectful 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. According to Ed Sayres, President and CEO of the ASPCA, “We know there are no ‘quick

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 compassionate 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 fixes’ to ending the unnecessary euthanasia of animals, but we do know, and have proof, that collaboration among all groups in striving to reduce the unnecessary euthanasia of these animals can work.” The ASPCA offers a variety of programs in New York City to provide adoption and spay/neuter services to the public, as well as upholding its commitment to ending animal cruelty. In addition to providing an adoption center and medical care through the Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the ASPCA connects with residents through its mobile outreach initiatives providing free spay/neuter clinics and adoption services.

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

The ASPCA offers free spay/neuter 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 Van The ASPCA Mobile Adoption program brings shelter pets and potential pet parents together by traveling to communities throughout the five boroughs. Adopters can spend time with a dog or cat and go home with their new furry friend the very same day.

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

SUPPORTERS & CONTRIBUTORS

Alliance participating organizations

North Shore Animal League America

More 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.

A Place for Us

Art for Animals*

Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue

Barbara the Cat Lady

Adopt A Boxer Rescue

Betsy’s Cocker Place

Adopt-A-Dog

Bideawee

All About Spay Neuter

Big Apple Bull Terrier Rescue

All Sentient Beings

Bobbi & the Strays

Almost Home Animal Rescue & Adoption

Boxer Angels Rescue

American Bulldog Rescue

Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition (BARC)*

American Bullmastiff Association Rescue Service

Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)*

Animal Care & Control of New York City (AC&C)

Cascade Beagle Rescue–East Cat Assistance Inc. City Critters* Cocker Spaniel Rescue of New Jersey

Animal Center of Queens

CSM Stray Foundation (USA) Inc.

Animal Haven*

Curly Tail Pug Rescue

Animal Rescue Force (ARF)

Dalmatian Adoption

Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons

Derrek’s Gleeful Rescue

Animal Welfare Society

Doberman Pinscher Club of America Rescue Committee

Animalkind Animals Can’t Talk (ACT) Animals Can’t Talk Rescue and Adoption (ACT Rescue and Adoption) Anjellicle Cats Rescue

North Shore Animal League America, headquartered in Port Washington, NY, is the largest no-kill animal 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.

Dogue de Bordeaux Society Rescue Earth Angels Canine Rescue Eastern German Shorthaired Pointer Club Rescue Program

Toward Animals In Loving Spaces (TAILS) TAILS is group of like-minded New Yorkers working to support the Alliance’s efforts to transform 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.

* Founding APO

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

Other Supporters & Contributors Veterinarians

PMS281 PMS Gold 871

Alliance participating organizations

PMS281 PMS Gold 871

Gramercy Park Animal Hospital

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

Transportation Ambuvet Canine Car

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

Glen Wild Animal Rescue

Long Island Labrador Retriever Rescue

Gotham City Kitties

Louis Animal Foundation

Grateful Greyhounds

Loving Touch

Green Mountain Pug Rescue

MetroMalts: Metropolitan Maltese Rescue

K9Car

Heart and Hand Society

Mid-Atlantic Basset Hound Rescue

Midtown Chelsea

Heart and Soul Animal Rescue

Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League

Pet Chauffer

Heavenly Huskies & Canine Companions

Mighty Mutts

Pet Taxi

House Rabbit Society

Miss Rumples for Small Dogs

Humane Society of New York*

Mountain Rottie ResQ (MRR) of New York

The Husky House

Mutts & Mitts of Brooklyn

Internet Miniature Pinscher Service (IMPS)

Neighborhood Cats

In Our Hands Rescue

New England Border Collie Rescue

Italian Greyhound Rescue NYC (IGRNYC)

New England Old English Sheepdog Rescue * Founding APO

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

Other Supporters & Contributors Other Organizations

Alliance participating organizations 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.

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)

Regina Bauer Frankenberg Foundation

Social Tees Animal Rescue Foundation SPCA of Connecticut

P.L.U.T.O. Rescue of Richmond County

Staten Island Council for Animal Welfare (SICAW)

Patricia H. Ladew Foundation

Stray from the Heart

Paws To Love Adoptions

Tavi & Friends / Tavi’s Curls

People for Animals

Tigger Foundation

Peppertree Rescue

Tiny Treasures Rescue

Pet Adoption League Inc./Chow Rescue of NY

Treasured k9s

Boarding

Poor Animals of St. Francis

Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue

Animal Behavior Specialist

Posh Pets Rescue

Tri-State Weimeraner Rescue

Elizabeth Ann Kennels

R.S.V.P. Inc. (Responsible Solutions for Valued Pets)

Underdog ResQ

Evergreen

United Action for Animals

Hudson Valley Kennels

Urban Cat League

Monster Mutt

Waggin’ Train

Paws in Chelsea/Paws in Soho

Waggytail Rescue

The Spot

Willing Hearts Dalmatian Rescue

Wagging Tail

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

Woof Dog Rescue The Worthy Pause Thrift & Gift Shop Zani’s Furry Friends

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

DId you know?

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.

Special Programs

Humans have 46 chromosomes, 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.

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 during times of crisis. Assistance is provided to women and children fleeing domestic violence and families facing eviction and homelessness. The program collaborates with traditional social 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 owners 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 Alone This patient pet care program provides assistance for pet owners facing hospitaliza-

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

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 because “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 crucial for seniors and those on limited incomes. Mayor’s Alliance Foster Care Network Our 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.

Services Free and Low-cost Clinics for Spay/Neuter Among the most important services the Alliance can provide to New York City’s low-income pet owners are free and low-cost spay/ neuter services. By reducing the number of unwanted animal births, we can reduce euthanasia 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 administered by the Alliance, offers low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for dogs and cats to any New York City pet owner who receives public assistance. The surgeries are performed by participating private practice veterinarians and non-profit organizations. The Alliance also offers free spay/neuter 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 Brooklyn. 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 accommodates approximately 35 animals and is free to all New York City pet owners, with priority granted to New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents. The ASPCA, the Humane Society of New York, and The Toby Project are all deeply committed to New York City’s major 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 facility. The ASPCA provides spay/neuter surgeries in all five boroughs on its Mobile 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 adopters regularly is crucial to increasing adoptions, the Alliance and North Shore Animal League America (NSALA), an Alliance Participating 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 adoption location to be more visible within their communities. Each adoption van accommodates up to 30 animals, and on many weekends, four or five vans make appearances each day throughout the City. Free and Low-Cost Microchipping In addition to licensing your dog, microchipping 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, microchipping is a more permanent (chip injected under the skin) form of identifying your dog or cat. Our microchipping clinics are an impor-

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

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 microchipping at numerous events throughout the year. At these clinics, a veterinarian microchips dogs and cats, and we complete each pet’s registration – 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 Program Our community outreach efforts rely extensively on our team of dedicated volunteers. We participate in a variety of events throughout 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 resources 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.

FInancials

Statement of Financial Position ($) 2009 Operating Expenses MANAGEMENT AND GENERAL 3.6%

2009

2008

2,815,954

2,664,257

370,666

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

3,281,176

2,760,430

ASSETS FUNDRAISING 2.9%

Cash and cash equivalents

Contributions receivable

Total Assets

PROGRAM EXPENSES 93.5%

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS

Liabilities

2009 Revenue from Operations INDIVIDUALS AND OTHERS 18%

OTHER 1%

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 FOUNDATIONS 81%

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

3,281,176

2,760,430

Statement of Activities and Changes in Net Assets ($) Year Ended December 31, 2009

SUPPORT AND REVENUE

Unrestricted

Temporarily Restricted

Total

Year Ended December 31, 2008 Total

Contributions Foundations Individuals and Others Other Net Assets Released from Restrictions Total Support and Revenue

253,500

5,738,591

5,992,091

4,787,082

1,130,149

224,993

1,355,142

1,389,679

60,989

12,868

73,857

85,024

5,700,547

(5,700,547)

7,145,185

275,905

7,421,090

6,261,785

EXPENSES Program Expense* Total program services

6,467,230

5,407,508

6,467,230

5,407,508

Management and general

250,999

209,783

Fundraising

197,587

198,838

6,915,816

5,816,129

229,369

275,905

505,274

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

Total expenses Change in Net Assets

445,656

NET ASSETS

*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.

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

Animal Care & Control of NYC Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C) is the largest pet rescue organization in the northeastern United States, with an estimated 42,000 animals rescued 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 homeless and abandoned animals. Some people seem to think that many of the animals at AC&C are not as desirable 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 “Today 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 assignment 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.

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

DId you know?

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.

TRANSFERS

ADOPTIONS

AC&C Transfers & Adoptions

In 2009, 7,691 (63%) fewer dogs and 10,390 (53%) fewer 30,000 cats were euthanized at AC&C shelters than in 2003.

Adoptions

Transfers 30,000

25,000

8,192

20,000

8,905

8,483

9,313 10,865

15,000

9,872

10,000

Animal transfers from AC&C to other shelters and rescue groups 20,000 save lives. Transfers have more than tripled, from 5,519 in 2003 15,000 to 17,641 in 2009. 7,762

8,136

10,256

13,

4,927

9,872

10,865

9,3

2003

2004

2005

200

7,762

8,136

10,256

13,3

4,927

9,872

10,865

9,31

2004

2005

200

10,000

4,987 5,611

5,000

TRANSFERS 0

3,032

5,519

5,729

6,775

9,937

12,023

13,563

17,641

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

1,000

ADOPTIONS

AC&C Euthanasia Reduction

30,000 35,000 30,000

31,908

31,701

25,000

26,456

20,000 22,967

20,000

20,397 18,190

15,000

15,000 16,706 13,620

10,000 5,000

10,000

5,000

1,000 2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals 2009

2003

www.AnimalAllianceNYC.org

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, Photographer Rick Edwards, Photographer Meredith Weiss, Photographer

ÂŠ2009 LANOLA KATHLEEN STONE, www.LANOLA.com (Princess, front cover and Ashley, back cover).

244 Fifth Avenue Suite R290 New York, NY 10001-7604