2012 Progress Highlights

• More than 3 out of 4 lives saved
• Close to 67,000 spay/neuter surgeries
• More than 14,000 transfers from AC&C
• More than 16,000 animals transported through Wheels of Hope
• 237,000 lives saved since 2003!

Among the highlights of our progress in 2012:

Fewer animals were killed.
For the ninth consecutive year since 2003, euthanasia of cats and dogs at our city shelters declined. In 2012, euthanasia fell to 8,252, marking the first time in AC&C’s history that fewer than 10,000 cats and dogs were euthanized. Since 2003, euthanasia at AC&C has been reduced by 74 percent. Major drivers of the reduced euthanasia rate include vigorous community spay/neuter efforts and transfers to AC&C’s adoption partners.

Intake continued to decline.
Intake of cats and dogs at AC&C continued to decline in 2012, to an historic low of 28,921, representing a 10 percent decrease since 2011 and a first-ever annual intake of under 30,000 cats and dogs.

Transfers continued to be our most effective tool for saving lives.
More than 14,000 dogs and cats — representing nearly one-half (49 percent) of the animals entering AC&C shelters in 2012 — were transferred to partner shelters and rescue groups for adoption. Transfers from AC&C have increased by more than 154 percent, from 5,519 in 2003 to 14,050 in 2012. The Alliance’s Wheels of Hope transport fleet transported more than 16,000 animals to rescue groups, fosters, adopters, and spay/neuter and vet appointments.

Adoptions remained strong.
In 2012, adoptions, transfers, and return to owners by community partners — which include 100-plus Maddie’s Pet Partners (MPPs) and AC&C — totaled more than 28,000, representing over close to 76 percent of the total intake by community partners.

More lives are being saved at Animal Care & Control of NYC.

More than 20,200 dogs and cats from AC&C were adopted, transferred to other shelters and rescue groups, or returned to their owners in 2012. Over three out of every four lives were saved by the community collaboration (AC&C and MPPs) in 2012, as compared with one out of three in 2003. Community-wide in 2003, only 33 percent of dogs and cats were saved. By 2012, that rate had increased to 76 percent.

Saving treatable dogs and cats.
Through our PVF Boarding and Medical Fund, more than 1,000 cats and dogs received medical and related care in 2012. The PVF Boarding and Medical Fund, which is dedicated to providing treatment for sick and injured cats and dogs awaiting adoption, is supported entirely by private donations.

Aggressive spay/neuter programs boost surgeries.
Reducing the number of animal births has been a major contributor to our success in reducing euthanasia. Ensuring the availability of free and low-cost spay/neuter services is critical to that success. In 2012, total spay/neuter surgeries performed by private vets and non-profit organizations that report their spay/neuter statistics to the Alliance totaled close to 67,000, with the ASPCA alone providing more than 48,000 surgeries.

TNR for our community cats.
The New York City Feral Cat Initiative (NYCFCI) of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals continued in 2012 to engage and support feral cat caretakers by providing them with information, assistance, giveaways, and TNR and specialized training, such as bottle-feeding and taming kittens. We developed new community outreach materials, including posters and door hangers, to increase understanding about community cat issues in neighborhoods throughout New York City, and elicit greater involvement by potential caretakers. NYCFCI expanded its training efforts to communities across the country interested in starting or strengthening local TNR programs.

We worked closely with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH), City Council, and the ASPCA to re-evaluate Local Law 59 in relation to TNR activities in New York City, and introduce new guidelines calling for DOH to post and maintain on its website a regularly updated list of organizations in New York City that offer TNR information and conduct TNR activities. Through the dissemination of TNR information by DOH on its website, we expect to see increased progress in our attempt to solve the feral cat overpopulation crisis in New York City.

We increased funding for TNR in New York City through specialized grants we acquired from the ASPCA, the Petco Foundation, and a private foundation. These funds were used to pay for spay/neuter, traps, training, and other TNR-related expenses.

Our continuing success in saving lives in New York City is a result of the collaboration of our dedicated rescue groups and shelters; the faith and crucial funding support we have received from the ASPCA and other generous grantors, and most importantly, from individual donors; and the generosity and caring of the thousands of New Yorkers who adopt from a shelter or rescue group each year.

Although the game-changing, seven-year grant we received from Maddie’s Fund ended at the close of 2011, we have continued to reduce euthanasia, increase the number of lives saved, and reduce the number of births through our spay/neuter programs and NYCFCI efforts in New York City. We have come so far, and saved so many precious lives. And now, more than ever, we need New Yorkers to help us continue our successful journey with their life-saving donations.

Please join us in our success in saving lives! Your tax-deductible donation will help save more Little New Yorkers today…and in the years to come.

*According to the latest findings of cities studied by Animal People, the leading independent newspaper providing original investigative coverage of animal issues worldwide. Based on NYC Census Information and NYC Euthanasia Numbers for 2012.