Help is Now Needed to Keep those Wheels Turning.
Monday, December 22, 2014 – New York, NY – Neither rain nor snow, nor sleet nor hail can stop the Wheels of Hope program from saving the lives of thousands of animals in NYC shelters anxiously awaiting new homes. But a bad transmission just might.
Wheels of Hope, a lifesaving program run by the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, is the only animal transportation program in New York City that offers free passage for shelter and rescue animals. The program supports the daily transfer of cats, dogs, bunnies, and other animals from Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C) shelters to partner shelters and rescue groups that will find new homes for the animals.
Since 2005 — 365 days a year — the fleet of six Wheels of Hope vans has transported more than 80,000 animals from AC&C facilities to rescue groups and shelters that have the resources to care for them and find them new homes. Logging more than 1.4 million life-saving miles to destinations near and far, Wheels of Hope ensures that these animals get a chance to start a new life.
The two oldest transport vans have each logged more than 300,000 miles. Soon it will be no longer economically feasible to keep them on the road. The Alliance needs to acquire a new van now.
Jane Hoffman, President of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, said, “We estimate that together, these two aging vans moved almost 4,600 kittens, puppies, dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, and others to safety last year alone. Losing them from the fleet will leave a gaping hole in our ability to save the lives of homeless pets.
“As a private, non-profit charity that receives no government assistance, the Alliance needs the public’s help to fulfill our mission. Each contribution — no matter the size — will make a difference in the life of a furry, four-legged New Yorker who deserves the chance for a new start in life. Please help us keep the Wheels of Hope turning,” Hoffman added.
Nancy Skluth said that her non-profit organization, Labs4rescue, has been using the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals’ Wheels of Hope transport program for years to transport rescued Labrador Retrievers and Lab mixes.
“Without Wheels of Hope we would have no way to get our dogs from the shelters to foster homes, vets, or their forever homes,” commented Skluth.
Loren McAuley of Rebound Hounds ResQ, a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming of shelter animals, reports that Wheels of Hope drivers routinely go the literal “extra mile” and drive animals to foster homes even if they are hours away from New York City. McAuley recalled Shane, a scared, emaciated, mangy puppy who was pulled from AC&C and delivered by Wheels of Hope to a loving foster home in New England.
“There is no doubt that Wheels of Hope saves lives every single day,” said McAuley. “We, truthfully, would not be saving as many dogs as we do without it!”
To find out how you can help, please visit bit.ly/TurnWheels.
About the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals®
The Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals® is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity that works with more than 150 partner rescue groups and shelters to offer important programs and services that save the lives of NYC’s homeless animals. We are supported entirely by donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals and receive no government funding. Since our founding in 2003, we have remained committed to transforming New York City into a no-kill community by 2015, meaning that no dogs or cats of reasonable health and temperament will be killed merely because they do not have homes. www.AnimalAllianceNYC.org
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