This is Where You Can Adopt Animals in the NYC Area
Visit one of these animal shelters near New York City to adopt a new family pet.
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Cove Animal Rescue
40 Shore Road, Glen Cove
516-676-5913
Cove Animal Rescue is a Long Island animal rescue organization, working toward helping the animals of the City of Glen Cove.
What you need to know: It’s open by appointment only; visitors must bring masks and wear at all times.
Forgotten Friends of Long Island Animal Rescue
Plainview
516-719-0808
Forgotten Friends of Long Island Animal Rescue is dedicated to the rescue of companion animals left in municipal shelters for an extended period of time, overlooked by both the general public and other rescue groups.
What you need to know: Animals can be seen by appointment only; to book an appointment, message Forgotten Friends on Facebook or email at [email protected].
Hopkins Cat Rescue
111 E. Sunrise Highway, Freeport
516-379-2287
Hours: Daily, 11am-6pm
Hopkins Cat Rescue, founded by a mother-daughter veterinary duo, strives to rescue, provide medical attention, and find forever homes for as many cats as possible.
Islip Animal Shelter and Adopt-A-Pet Center
210 S. Denver Ave., Bay Shore
631-224-5660
The Islip Animal Shelter and Adopt-a-Pet Center is a shelter to stray or abandoned animals, as well as a temporary home to adoptable pets.
What you need to know: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption procedures have changed. New information regarding these changes can be found here.
Kent Animal Shelter
2259 River Road, Calverton
631-727-5731
?The mission of the Kent Animal Shelter is to provide a no-kill haven for homeless, abused, and abandoned animals until permanent homes can be found. Programs include Adoption, Rescue, Low Cost Spay/Neuter, Humane Education.
Little Shelter Animal Rescue & Adoption Center
33 Warner Road, Huntington
631-368-8770
Hours: Monday-Friday, 1-7pm; Saturday-Sunday, 12-5pm
Little Shelter aims to serve as a refuge for abandoned and homeless animals by providing food, quality medical care, and shelter, until loving, permanent homes can be found—in essence, to 'Rescue, Nurture & Adopt'.
What you need to know: Appointments are encouraged for those interested in cats.
Long Beach Humane Society Kitty Cove
126 Austin Blvd., Island Park
516-594-1721
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11am-8pm; Sunday, 11am-7pm
Long Beach Humane Society Kitty Cove exists to rescue as many abandoned and abused cats and dogs as possible. This organization aims to transition them to loving and caring forever homes.
Long Island Feline Adoption Center
126 E. Main St., Smithtown
631-360-3611
The Long Island Feline Adoption Center is largely focused on love and the power of love. This organization nurtures cast-away and abandoned cats and kittens in an atmosphere of love and trust—cage free preparation for giving love in their new forever home.
North Shore Animal League
25 Davis Ave., Port Washington
516-883-7575
Hours: Bianca’s Furry Friends Feline Adoption Center is open for kitten and cat adoptions Monday-Thursday, 10am-5:30pm with no appointment needed, and by appointment only Friday-Sunday. The Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt Canine Adoption Center is open daily for puppy and dog adoptions by appointment only.
North Shore Animal League America has been saving the lives of more than 1,100,000 defenseless dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens. This organization envisions a future in which all companion animals find responsible, loving homes where they are free from abuse, hunger, fear, and loneliness and receive the care and respect they deserve.
What you need to know: Social distancing protocols will be observed while on campus and face masks must be worn at all times.
Posh Pet Rescue
770 Park Place, Long Beach
516-431-7674
Since 2006, Posh Pets Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been dedicated to the rescue and placement of homeless animals into loving homes.
Riverhead Animal Shelter
324 Church Lane, Aquebogue
631-765-1811 x2
Animal Visiting Hours: daily, 10am-3pm
The Riverhead Animal Shelter cares for animals by locating owners of lost animals, by finding homes for homeless animals, and by providing shelter, food, grooming, exercise, and medical treatment.
Ruff House Rescue
Oceanside
516-306-4998
Ruff House Rescue is the largest non-profit rescue on the South Shore of Long Island. Its mission is to seek out under-served shelters and communities where they can make the biggest lifesaving impact.
Save-A-Pet Animal Shelter
608 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station
631-473-6333
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11am-5pm; Sunday, 12-4pm
Save-A-Pet Animal Shelter believes it’s their moral responsibility to protect and improve the lives of abused, abandoned, and homeless cats and dogs, and to place them in loving permanent homes.
Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation
102 Old Riverhead Road West, Hampton Bays
631-728-7387
Hours: Daily, 10am-5pm
The Southampton Animal Shelter is one of the leading no-kill animal shelters on Long Island and serves the entire Township of Southampton.
Southold Animal Shelter
165 Peconic Lane, Peconic
631-765-1811
Animal Visiting Hours: daily, 10am-3pm
Southold Animal Shelter is among the top rated shelters in the country, offering a comprehensive array of services for both the animals and their caretakers in the community. This organization provides all animal care, control and sheltering services for the Town of Southold.
Town of Babylon Animal Shelter
80 New Highway, Amityville
631-643-9270
Hours: Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 10am-3:45pm; Thursday, 10am-6pm; Saturday, 10am-3pm
The Town of Babylon’s Animal Shelter aims to balance the health, public safety, and welfare needs of the people and animals in the Town of Babylon, while providing nourishment and a safe environment for stray, impounded, and owner surrendered animals
Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter and Adoption Center
3320 Beltagh Ave., Wantagh
516-785-5220
Adoption Hours: Daily, 10am-4pm
The Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter boasts one of the highest adoption rates in the nation. All adopted pets will be spayed or neutered, will receive required inoculations and will be microchipped.
What you need to know: The shelter is currently operating by appointment only for placement services.
Town of Smithtown Animal Shelter
410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown
631-360-7575
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-3pm; Wednesday evenings and Sundays by appointment only
The Smithtown Animal Shelter and Adoption Center serves as a point of entry for all lost, stray, and surrendered animals, specifically, for the residents of Smithtown.
What you need to know: Only approved adoption appointments will be permitted to enter the shelter.
Last Hope Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation
3300 Beltagh Ave., Wantagh,
631-425-1884
Adoption center hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-7pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm
Last Hope Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of death-due pound, stray and abandoned animals. This organization is attempting to reduce the cat and dog overpopulation problem on Long Island, encourage responsible and affordable pet ownership, and transform the public image of the typical pound or shelter animal.
Animal Shelters in Westchester County
Humane Society of Westchester
70 Portman Road, New Rochelle
914-632-2925
Hours: Daily, 10am-4pm
The Humane Society of Westchester aims to create a living environment that is not just a shelter, but a transitional home for stray, lost, abandoned, injured, and abused animals, until they can ultimately be placed in loving permanent homes.
What you need to know: Open for adoptions by appointment only; no walk ins.
Mt Vernon Animal Shelter
600 Garden Ave., Mount Vernon
914-665-2444
Cat adoption hours: Daily, 11am-3pm; dog adoption hours: daily, 11am-2pm
The Mount Vernon Center for Animal Care is a municipal shelter that serves as a safe haven for thousands of domestic animals who are lost, abandoned, neglected, unwanted or in distress. While a small shelter, Mt Vernon Animal Shelter’s staff and volunteers work tirelessly to improve the lives of resident animals and those within the city of Mount Vernon.
New York Pet Rescue
7 Harrison Ave., Harrison
Contact via [email protected]
Its mission is to aid homeless, abandoned, and neglected cats and dogs, to nurture them in the foster care of volunteers, to provide veterinary care and socialization, and to place them in permanent loving and responsible homes.
What you need to know: It holds adoption events almost every weekend; see here for more information on events. Appointments can be made with foster home.
Paws Crossed Animal Rescue
100 Warehouse Lane South, Elmsford
914-372-7878
Paws Crossed Animal Rescue believes in always working to create a better world for pets and for people as a unified community! It feels its mission is best fulfilled through rescue, rehabilitation, rehoming, advocacy, collaboration, and education.
What you need to know: Closed to the public; adoptions by appointment only for approved applicants.
Rescue Right
402 Old Post Road, Bedford
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9:30am-5:30pm
914-234-3771
Rescue Right works to rescue dogs and cats in desperate circumstances and place them in permanent homes, while also providing free emergency boarding and vet care for pet owners in need
SPCA OF Westchester and Veterinary Clinic
Temporarily location: 1966 Crompond Road, Cortlandt Manor
The campus in Briarcliff is being rebuilt.
914-941-2896
The SPCA of Westchester is a no-kill, nonprofit animal welfare organization dedicated to saving homeless, abused, and abandoned animals and to protecting animals from cruelty and neglect through education and enforcement of humane laws.
What you need to know: SPCA is open to the public by appointment only.
Yonkers Animal Shelter
1000 Ridge Hill Blvd., Yonkers
201-981-3215
Hours: Daily, 11am-4pm
Yonkers Animal Shelter is made up of volunteers looking for homes and rescues for shelter dogs.
Animal Shelters in Rockland County
Hi-Tor Animal Care Center Inc.
65 Firemen's Memorial Drive, Pomona
845-354-7900
Hours: Thursday-Tuesday, 12-5pm.
Hi-Tor Animal Care Center takes in more than 2,000 animals each year and is the only open managed admission shelter in Rockland County.? This center envisions a place of refuge for every neglected, abandoned or abused domestic and companion animal in Rockland County.
What you need to know: All visitors must wear masks and observe a 6 foot space distance.?
Hudson Valley Humane Society
200 Quaker Road, Pomona
845-354-3124
The HVHS puts the cause of animal welfare at its core. In addition to sheltering abandoned and unwanted animals, HVHS actively seeks adoptive homes for these animals.
Animal Shelters in Bergen County, NJ
Bergen County Animal Shelter & Adoption Center
100 United Lane, Teterboro
201-229-4600
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 1-5pm
Opened in 1979, the Bergen County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center (BCAS) is responsible for Animal Control and related services for 49 towns in Bergen and Hudson Counties. BCAS finds homes for a variety of animals, including cats, kittens, dogs, young adult dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, canaries, parakeets, and ferrets.
Humane Society of Bergen County
221-223 Stuyvesant Ave. Lyndhurst
201-896-9300
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11am-3pm by appointment only
The Humane Society of Bergen County is a nonprofit organization operated exclusively through donations. This organization believes in a genuinely humane society, and works to reduce homeless animals, suffering, prevent animal cruelty, exploitation, neglect, and create meaningful life for animals with people.
Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge
2 Shelter Lane, Oakland
201-337-5180
Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge is founded on the belief that all animals have a natural right to humane treatment including proper care and safe shelter. This organization’s primary mission is to provide sanctuary while finding permanent, loving homes for the many animals that come to them.
What you need to know: Adoption is by appointment only every day.