This month we celebrate Responsible Dog Ownership Month. So we think it’s a good time to talk about ways New Yorkers who share their lives with all kinds of pets can find the tools they need to be responsible pet owners.
For many pet owners, these are difficult times. Meeting even some of their pets’ most basic needs is challenging. Rising prices have created challenges for people struggling to afford pet food and veterinary care. Lingering pandemic-related conditions and shortages of veterinarians, vet techs, and other pet-related service providers have left many pet owners scrambling to find affordable and timely care. Spay/neuter appointments, routine and preventive vet care, and emergency medical care all feel out of reach for many pet owners.
Every day, the Mayor’s Alliance responds to emails from people looking to care for their pets responsibly. Most requests are for free and low-cost spay/neuter resources, medical care for a sick pet, vaccinations, microchips, free pet food, and assistance with situations involving community cats. We respond to every request by offering contacts for services we hope will meet their particular needs.
In 2020, we reimagined our website to be a help-desk for pet owners seeking services. Our Need Help? section provides advice and contact information for pet owners seeking health, safety, and legal resources. New Yorkers looking to report a lost or found pet or report animal cruelty will find useful information as well. Just a sampling of the resources we provide include:
Free and Reduced-Cost Spay/Neuter
Emergency Veterinary Hospitals
Also, those New Yorkers who share their lives with rabbits will find useful resources for veterinary care, spay/neuter, and other topics on our Rabbits As Pets page.
We know that finding help for your pets when they need it can feel daunting, especially when funds are tight, vet appointments are scarce, and accurate information is elusive. We hope our website helps make it easier for pet owners to find the information they need. And if you can’t find the information you need on our website, you can email us at info@animalalliancenyc.org.