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.

If your want a loving kitten this is ur place I adopted my beautiful male kitten from them and he…read moreloves kisses hugs and people so much he makes everyone sooo happy and is super well behaved

I got my kitten a month ago and he is the most loving, sweetest kitten ever. He licks our faces, is…read morevery affectionate and loves to play. This is actually my second cat I got from Irina. The first cat I got from Irina was in 2005 and she was very healthy and the best cat ever that lived for 15 years. This cattery breeds amazing cats and I am planning to get another kitten soon from them as well. Irina herself is very kind, caring, and will answer every question you have. You can even call months or years later and she will be happy to help with anything. She also gives haircuts for cats which are amazing as well! I recommend them to everyone if you are looking to add an amazing family member to your family!!! Thank you Irina for everything.

We are so lucky and blessed we got to welcome Carmelo into our home from Brooklyn Paws--the whole…read moreexperience of adopting was smooth and the cost was beyond reasonable with all the kitty shots and neutering included. Justine is an angel who is diligent, loving, and  caring of all the cats in the shelter--they all have unique histories and backgrounds but all have found temporary found families within the shelter. I love that they all have freedom to roam and play with each other in the large room within the shelter. While visiting, we were able to get a clear sense of each cat's personality by the way the interacted with each other and my partner and me. This little guy was the biggest mush, and we learned that Justine saved him and his siblings from near death by saving his mamma. She told us, "this guy has never had  bad day in his life." If you are looking for a new-feline family member, you will love the experience of finding them at Brooklyn Paws! You can also support the work of caring and rescuing these animals by making a tax deductible donation.

We are so lucky to have found Brooklyn Paws Foundation and Justine! They are very careful with and…read moreprotective of every animal they foster and put with a family, it was easy to see how much they love the animals they work with and want the absolute best for them. We love our new kitten so much and it's clear that she got a great start to life under Justine's loving care! Brooklyn Paws Foundation is so helpful and conscientious about where and who they send their pets to, we couldn't be happier to have gotten our kitty from them :)

They dropped off my sweet little panther free of charge! She has worked out amazingly!read more

From the owner: NYC is a Cat Adoption Agency That Can Help Rehome Your Cat!read more

I want to thank Stan and this wonderful organization for helping me with the 3 females in my yard…read morethat I feed and shelter. I have been trying and have reached out to people to help TNR. Some have given their word and i hoped and trusted that the help was forthcoming. It was not. 11 kittens later I reached out to 2 other organizations who stated they would come and asses then would nt return my messages. I reached out to Stan and American Alliance for help. He responded within hours, showed up when he said he would (even a few minutes early). Hes very kind and passionate about what he does. Today my girls were spayed and are recovering. PLEASE DONATE if you can to these wonderful people. HIGHLY recommended THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

Was informed by a neighbor of this organization that helps with Pet Food and Vaccinations sites at…read morelow cost or no cost for vaccinations. As well was helped with leashes coat and harness. Leslie was extremely courteous and professional. Referred me to some other services needed. Zoe at ACC is an amazing person attentive patient resourceful and most professional. Led me and pet in the right direction needed. Can't thank Heaven enough for kind caring and gentle personal whom devoted themselves to help the surrounding community Pets and Parents. Highly recommended.

Everyone, everyday provide stellar service to the community, customers and pets. They gave free…read morevaccinations at Poe Park on the Grand Concourse to all cats and dogs. No income verification needed, no Medicaid card required, just a furry baby, comfortable clothes and patience. Go to their web site for other dates, times and locations throughout the Bronx. Highly recommend!

I have had a long-standing relationship with Rescue City since fostering an elder dog back in 2019…read morenamed King. The experience with Rescue City in that foster was everything we could have asked for in a rescue agency. So, it was a little surprising that when we were looking to adopt another dog from the agency for our young son, that the application was met with a cautious approach and they took a lot of time to vet our application. I thought that we had demonstrated that we are model pet owners. The more I thought about it, the more I realized they were not scrutinizing our application for fear that we were not right for a dog; they were looking for the perfect fit for our family dynamic, and did they ever hit their mark with surgical precision. Within a couple weeks, we had a match that was not just perfect, it was as though Mollie was bred to be a member of our family. When you do something right, you never have to do it again. The process is as easy as it can be for what the agency is doing; finding the best fit for the benefit of both the family and the dog. It is a delicate balancing act that is not easy. When it comes to filling that role, however, they are simply the best at it. If you are looking for a dog, perhaps any agency would suffice. If you are looking for a companion, a family member you didn't know you had, I would not dream of going to another person than Stella, at Rescue City. Keep up the great work.

Had an AMAZING foster experience with these two giant babies!!! Rescue City made the process so…read moreseamless and convenient. They provide you with all the supplies, resources, and support throughout and even a "saying goodbye" pdf for when it's time to send them to their forever home. I was able to meet the family adopting my fosters, and it's clear that RC did their research on finding a perfect fit :) couldn't recommend them enough!

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.

I really appreciate that u describe each cat personality,it gives us a real picture of what a would…read morebe like if you both were a match.

I've been to this cat cafe a few times and it's always fun! The cats are super social and will run…read moreup to you from anywhere. It's really affordable at $12/adult and even when you add on treats during your visit and donations, it's still pretty cheap. I always leave wanting to bring a little fur friend home, but this visit one cat particularly caught my heart. I didn't catch his name since he didn't have a collar. He was super skittish at first and I could tell he had been through some ROUGH times by the coloring around his mouth and nose. We still got to spend some time together and I got a bunch of snuggles. Always appreciative to BCC and all they do to help these little ones! The walk to the cafe is easy and an be followed up with a stroll down the promenade.

Thanks to Happily Ever After Rescue, we met a sweet pup named Margaret (a.k.a. Margarita ). But the…read moremoment we brought her home, she traded in her cocktail name for a crown and became our little princess, Gracie Mae. From the very start, Kristie was so kind, caring, and devoted to making sure their dogs find the perfect forever homes. You can tell how much love they pour into every one of these sweet pups. Amanda and Danielle, that both fostered her were so caring and helpful with all my extra questions too! Gracie Mae has already stolen our hearts -- she gives the best kisses, loves belly rubs, and always wants to be right in the middle of the family action. She's shaken, not stirred, and now officially ruling our castle. Thanks to Happily Ever After Rescue, Margaret a.k.a Margarita became Gracie Mae -- and we truly got our happily ever after.

Pre-Script: Search HEAR Long Island on Reddit. I wish had…read more Original Post: I'm a person living with a disability, seeking a non-service companion to join my family with my aging service dog. HEAR was aware of this via my detailed application and references. I reached out to HEAR via PetFinder very interested in a pup, Relish, who appeared to be a good match with my family. I entered the adoption process, got all of my references confirmed, completed a virtual home visit, set a meet time, and was sent additional pics and videos of Relish after the visit--all validating Relish as a potential match. It was a very hopeful and exciting moment. However, in the same text I was informed I was approved for adoption from HEAR, I was also informed Relish was just adopted, within 18 hours of my confirmed meetup. Prior to this, I was not informed I was competing for the match. Had I advance notice, I might've made other arrangements, but I wasn't offered the opportunity or the warning. I've volunteered for and dealt with more than a dozen rescue agencies in my region as an advocate and supporter, as well as several others throughout my childhood. None of the agencies I've worked with have been less transparent than HEAR. No one wants to be in the position of visualizing a potential family member in their lives, and planning for that hopeful first meeting, only to have them cancelled from the equation less than 18 hours before the meet--removed with no notice of other variables.Instead, they sent pics of other dogs. I've requested my adoption application with HEAR be closed, as I would never recommend anyone who wishes to ethically enter a relationship with a rescue rely on HEAR for the availability of the hopeful companion, or transparency in general. Reply to HEAR's response to this post: HEAR says there were delays. HEAR says I'd rather garden?? These are absolute falsehoods. The timeline below is clear. All communications and appointments were honored. May 11, Kristie confirmed my May 10 application and requested documentation of my landlord's permission to have a second dog. May 12, I submitted that documentation. May 14, Kristie apologizes for *her* delay, and informs me she'll be reaching out to my three references. All references responded the same day, after I let them know to check their "unknown numbers" folder. Friday, May 15, at 7:28pm, a virtual home visit is requested by Kristie. I was already on my farmstead for the weekend--I detailed the farmstead in my application. I let Kristie know I was upstate, and offered to FaceTime from there or when I got back home. She said she'd wait. I proposed a meet time, but Kristie said it could happen whenever, to just text her when I'm home, that she'd be "around." I texted Monday, May 18 to make arrangements. We set it for the next day, May 19. The virtual visit happened with her partner, Sam, because Kristie was unavailable when I texted. During that meeting, an appointment was made to specifically meet Relish on May 23 at the HEAR event. Prior to the arranged meet date, I inquired of its flexibility because planting became a factor--planting is absolutely critical and 100% dependent on weather and climate. Sam responded that probably wouldn't work. So, I CONFIRMED the original meet time. I very clearly confirmed my motivation and intent to meet and spend time with this specific sweet boy, Relish. Still, he was adopted out from under me. NOT ONCE was I informed there were other applicants for him. Not once were any other factors or obstacles to adopting Relish mentioned. And not once did I miss any appointments or communications. I've dealt with much more honest and ethical agencies. It's HEAR's opaque practices that might hurt their ability to adopt, not this honest review. Post-Script: Sam even mentioned she didn't want to leave Relish alone at night with her dogs, because "god forbid something happen." Apparently, that was a legitimate risk as per Reddit. It's absolutely shocking that injury to fosters is still a risk they take.