I first learned about this location from an Instagram post about them advertising their Staycation…read moreprogram over the holidays where you can foster a cat or dog over the holidays for a few days. Super conveniently located off the ACE line too at Canal St. They provide all the materials and your preference and they help match you with a furry friend. They were advertising a specific pick up and drop off date for the animals for this program, but i wanted to participate for a bit longer so I called a few days before to see if they're able to accommodate. The staff who answered didn't know the answer so they took down my info and told me someone would call me back. Days passed and I didn't hear back so I had to make a trek down there to ask in-person so that was a bit inconvenient. I wanted some time to prep my home. Anyway when I let them know that I'm a beginner foster and would prefer a cat that is generally friendly with no behavior problems, they helped me match with an adorable adult cream kitty. I picked her up with no issues. They provided me with all the supplies (and more) that I'd need for my week-long foster commitment. They also provided a number that I could text with any concerns should any issues come up. My whole experience was very positive. I'm glad to see that they have now expanded their program with allowing folks to take a dog out for a walk. I've seen further Instagram posts posting about these excursion experiences, but I think you have to come early during the day as only a limited number of dogs are eligible candidates daily. I've done similar excursions at Sean Casey in Brooklyn (no appointment necessary) and ACC (booking required a few days in advance online) so I'm excited this opportunity exists here in a more centrally located place in Manhattan. The shelter also allows visitors to come and view and play with their cats. You just need to make sure you wash your hands before interacting with them. I love this but also hope this doesn't overwhelm the cats too much.

I wanted to share my lovely experience a Best Friends!! It's been one whole month since we brought…read moreour kitten, Juni (short for Juniper) home. We were looking for a cat for our cat. We wanted a playmate for our sweet 1 year old cat, and a friend recommended Best Friends. I came by and the staff were all so sweet and welcoming. They were super informative and encouraged me to play with the cats. During my first visit, I came across the cutest orange female (RARE!) kitten. I had dinner plans and couldn't bring her with me. I came back an hour or so later and she was in the process of getting adopted :,) happy for her but sad for me. It's ok! I just thought that maybe it wasn't meant to be. A week later, I came back to Best Friends with my boyfriend on a mission to adopt a cat. They had an additional room towards the back that housed kittens!!! There were so many to choose from. We chose Juni because she was very cuddly and had a little quirky mustache. The staff made the adoption process so quick and easy. They even provided us a care package with all the necessities (kitten litter, wet and dry food). I expressed my concerns about introducing Juni to our cat at home, and they provided a step by step guide. They even followed up 2 weeks later with our progress. The employees and volunteers here really love what they do.

My experience with them was great. and very fast because this was the second time I am adopting…read morecats from them.

UPDATE: 3:27am Mar 2, 2026 I ENDED UP WITH A KITTEN. LOL…read moreI don't know how, but one minute I was just the moral support, hours layer I call ba k for the little fella, then 3 days later I'm picking up a little black kitten. The last week has been a whirlwind and as I write this I am sitting in a rest stop off 85 with my kitten in tow. He's amazing. I've managed to train him so he loves riding in cars. He's our official "road dawg" lol.

This organization is absolutely fantastic! They brought our girl Eden to us last summer, and we…read morecould not have asked for a more perfect dog! She adores my son and keeps an eye on him. She's wonderful with our other pups. Jeff Berri and his team are incredibly compassionate. He has an enormous heart for all these pups! We will be rescuing another survivor (or possibly two) from them. We are so excited! If you are seeking a truly honest and caring rescue, NDLB is the one for you. They have so many babies in need of homes.

Our family adopted a dog from one of NDLB's Chinese Sanctuaries in East Asia 7 months ago. I have…read morenothing but praise for all of the staff encountered throughout our adoption process, (which from start to finish took a little more than three months). NDLB is an incredible 501(c) (3) non-profit and their global mission of rescuing dogs and cats from immense suffering and complete abandonment, along with their exceptional care and concern for each survivor (no matter the gravity of each animal's injuries), is nothing short of outstanding. The dog we happened to adopt is a Japanese Akita Inu and happens to go by the name Romeo because he happened to be saved from slaughter on Valentine's Day (on February 14, 2020). The founder of NDLB , Jeff Beri, and his crew actually risked their lives twice to save our dog. Once (due to the strict Covid-19 Restrictions in China at that time and a second time to challenge the people who were about to slaughter him). I personally found all of the NDLB staff I interfaced with during the adoption process very personable and easy to connect with. More importantly, I found the staff demonstrated great care and concern for their animals throughout the adoption process. While waiting for Romeo's freedom flight to New York, we received multiple videos and photo's along with ongoing communication from the NDLB Chinese staff who were with him daily. The New York staff made sure I (along with my husband), understood all the possible challenges that came with adopting a dog from overseas and wanted to make sure we were up for this type of challenge. All I can say is Romeo has completely changed our family's life. Our family over the years has had three dogs. Romeo was our first overseas adoption, by far, he is the most considerate dog we have ever had the pleasure of owning, and is always looking out for our well-being. One last positive has been, over the past months, being able to maintain on going contact with Romeo's team in China, and being able to send photos and videos of him here having all sorts of fun in the USA. (See Romeo enjoying sunbathing below).

This shelter is wonderful the dogs are all friendly and all. Some workers are nice, and extremely…read morefriendly but they need a better approach from the workers when interacting with people who volunteer to walk the dogs. The dogs here are wonderful and deserve all the love, but my recent experience with a staff member was absolutely horrific. While volunteering, a male worker aggressively snapped at us for playing with the dog!!

We had a fantastic experience adopting our puppy Mavis from Sean Casey Animal Rescue. They took…read moregreat care of her before we got her, helping her with an issue she had as a very young puppy. And they were very happy to see Mavis again when we brought her for an occasional quick visit and reunion with Sean. Mavis was extremely sociable, happily meeting countless people and dogs on our walks. And also a very avid swimmer -- we took her on many adventures at a lake, a bay, and a pool. We'll always be grateful to this shelter for helping us adopt Mavis, and enjoy 13 great years with this beloved dog.

I don't understand this rescue group. My cat passed away, so I have 2 boxes from Chewy with about…read more40 cans of renal cat food. I called 3 times and no one ever got back to me. Do you not accept donations? Or is it just rudeness?

I met Keri when I was looking for a house and we immediately bonded over our love of animals. As…read moretime went on and we remained in contact, she would show me the new rescues and keep me up to date on them as well as checking on how my own cats were doing. I eventually adopted a kitten (Diana Ross) and she matched our personalities perfectly. Unfortunately, one of my cats unexpectedly passed away around the time the litter was getting fixed and she let me meet love bug Smokey Robinson where I immediately fell in love. We let him heal and my house to calm down before she brought him over and we immediately bonded, another perfect match and it was great to keep a brother and sister together (for better or worse because they are crazy now). You can tell seconds within meeting these two that their love for animals is immense and they are willing to do so much for them. They provide the best care and only have the animal's beat intentions in mind. It's not about the adopter, it's more about the adoptee as it should be. I highly recommend them whether you're ready to provide a fur-ever home or get a new home.

We rescued Cheesecake from Muddypaws this summer. Cheesy is the BEST senior pup!…read more Cheesecake is the HAPPIEST BOY! He bounces, skips and dances to express his happiness! Cheesecake is 10 years old and had never been neutered. The Vet team at Muddypaws are terrific! Cheesy kept getting UTIs because his prostate gland was inflamed. He went on antibiotics several times and we had to reschedule his procedure 3 times! Dr. Miller was great! He understood and accommodated our situation. Dr. Miller neutered Cheesecake on 11/13. Everything went well.

Hello Yelpers, I…read morerecently adopted a sweet little Chihuahua mix named Savannah (now Koka) from Muddy Paws Rescue, and I couldn't be happier! She's a small black bundle of love who has quickly become the heart of my apartment. When I first met her, Koka was a bit shy and timid, but with a little patience and love she's completely come out of her shell. She now goes potty outside, plays fetch, sits on command, and absolutely loves playing with her toys. She's affectionate, kind, and brings so much joy to my life every day. I first saw her on Muddy Paws' Facebook page and instantly fell in love. When I went to meet her at their clean and welcoming HQ, I was so impressed by how organized and caring everyone was. Manesha, her foster, did a fantastic job introducing me to Koka and sharing all the details about her personality and routine. Racheal, the founder, personally walked me through the adoption paperwork -- she was knowledgeable, kind, and completely transparent about the process. It's clear that Muddy Paws Rescue truly cares about every dog and every adopter. They made the entire experience smooth, warm, and deeply meaningful. I would highly recommend Muddy Paws Rescue to anyone thinking about adopting and saving a life. Koka and I are both so grateful!

I escorted my daughter and her fiancé to Animal Haven for a cat adoption. I was very pleasantly…read moresurprised on the care and knowledge of each individual cat they have . You can enter each room with gloves on and then after a thorough interview and veterinary boosters , a two week foster and another appointment we got to bring our little cutie Enoki home. Highly recommend.

The "safety check" isn't just about safety--it's a screening for lifestyle, opinions, and even…read morepolitics. If she doesn't personally agree with how you live, she may deny your application. I recommend blocking her social media access before applying to protect your privacy. During the interview, she took an accusatory tone and repeatedly twisted my words. It felt more like an interrogation than a genuine conversation. Instead of assessing whether I could provide a good home, she seemed focused on finding a reason to say no. What's more frustrating is how much control they want compared to other shelters. Most adoption processes are more straightforward--this one involves initial contact, a lengthy application, an interview that feels invasive, and a two-week trial period where they decide if you're good enough. This isn't standard across the industry, and honestly, it's a deterrent. Worst part? She did all this knowing the cat would stay in the shelter. I already have experience, a safe home, and was willing to adopt an older cat. If someone else truly wanted the cat, I'd be fine with that--I just wanted to see an animal get a home. But gatekeeping isn't helping anyone. The humane society works just fine and it's much easier.

Cute cafe where you can book 50 min spots to play with kitties. Was super excited for this session…read moreas I have a cat back home and have grown up around a lot of cats but was a little disappointed because these cats weren't as friendly or are just sleeping. Makes sense since there are so many people coming in and out throughout the day.

STEPH JUDGEMENT: Adorable cat cafe with adoptable cats and cat merch…read more Totally stumbled upon this place after leaving the Clockwork Bar next door! Can't believe we didn't notice this place on the way to the bar, but perhaps their sandwich board wasn't out yet? Anyhoo, the hubby and I are crazy cat people so of course we had to go in. Apparently this is the first cat cafe in NYC! All the kitties are rescues and adoptable, and there was quite a crowd in the visiting room, visible through a window from the lobby. We were short on time so we didn't play with the kitties, but we chatted with one of the super-friendly staffers for a bit and bought some merch to support. So glad we found out about this place--long may they live!

This place is superb!!! The place is more small- medium sized but the facility is so clean and…read moreorganized!! I took my 6.5 month old kitty in to get neutered and chipped the check in process was insanely smooth and quick the staff was super friendly kind and helpful during the whole process and with helping me understand everything that was being done and to know what steps I had to take next for aftercare and what to do if I needed any assistance after that I highly recommend this place!!

Everything went well. The vets are amazing. Super professional and spend time with the Furbabies…read moreand pet parents. They explain everything and answer your questions. In particular I want to thank Dr Jose Enoch. Dr Aponce and Dr Nelson. They are second to none. The staff and nurses and technicians are amazIng too. They have the patience of Job and know how to work with people. Their bedside manner with the pets is impeccable. Am really happy with the Humaine Society of New York and its team. Am looking forward to routine care. My Furbaby had surgery and is recovering with flying colors.

I'm a former in shelter volunteer turned foster (at least for now) for AMA. They have the sweetest…read morecats/kittens that I've dealt with in a long time, besides my own adopted cat. AMA works strictly with sick, abused, and neglected cats and dogs (although I'm completely a cat person), which is more up my alley than working with perfectly healthy animals (my cat is special needs - he's three legged, so that's how I got into working with sick/special needs animals). I've been with AMA for about six months now, and while I wish I had discovered this rescue first, I unfortunately came across Animal Haven first (AMA all the way - AMA is much cleaner and nicer than Animal Haven). AMA is my favorite Brooklyn shelter, and I know people who have adopted from or volunteer/work at other Brooklyn shelters and have somewhat of an attitude when it should be about the animals in need and not about one's ego. Yeah the adoption fees here at AMA are mandatory (unlike the ASPCA where I also foster - they have voluntary adoption fees based on what you can afford; nothing is required besides being a good quality adopter in the eyes of the adoption team there) and higher than you'll see elsewhere, but the animals are genuinely cared for and loved here. The adoption fees aren't the highest in the NYC area for cats and dogs, but they're higher than most other shelters that I know of. It's hard to not get attached to some of the animals there, and I can name a handful of cats that I've grown attached to since the end of March when I came into the shelter for my first shift: Chewy, Spring, Autumn, Tiny, Puff, Kiki, Sushi, Chili, Maple, and my foster, Muffin. It's hard watching them get adopted, but it's also super exciting to see them find where they belong. Here are some final words - if you like cleaning, socializing, meeting new people in person, having some form of structure to your week, and getting out of the house, then you should volunteer in person at the shelter. If working with too many animals at once is overwhelming to you but you still want to help out, consider fostering - AMA covers 100% of costs (including vet visits which any animal lover knows can get expensive), and Mariya is always available to talk to if you need help.

I was looking to foster a second cat and decided to work with AMA in December. I had the pleasure…read moreof working mainly with Jovanna who was so incredibly thorough in the interview and chats to identify what would work best for me and my cat and who the current cat residents were at the shelter. We decided to foster Alfafa over the holidays to potentially adopt if he was a good fit for the household. It's very clear from my interactions with them that they value every animal dearly and take the extra effort to make sure every potential adopter/foster is the best fit possible. Their application is thorough, they take their time to make sure there's a good match, and it was clear the cats were well taken care of at the shelter. I highly highly recommend anyone considering to adopt or foster to work with AMA, I can't overstate how much respect I have for their work, mission, and the people there.