No-Kill Cat Shelters and Rescues in New York City
Whether you’re looking to adopt, surrender, or volunteer, we took the time to make this list of active no-kill shelters and rescue organizations in New York City to help you find the one that’s right for you.
Where to Adopt
Whenever someone adopts from a no-kill organization, they make room for another kitty who needs extra time finding a new home. These rescues have tons of kitties available.
Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition (BARC)
253 BARC Avenue (Wythe Avenue)
at the corner of North 1st in Williamsburg
BARC also runs the BQE Pet Food Supply store, where profits from help fund the BARC Shelter.
Petco Turtle Bay
991 Second Ave. between 52nd and 53rd
PetSmart Noho
632 Broadway
between Bleecker & Houston
City Critters has a great area for the cats to play with potential adopters on Saturdays and Sundays.
Empty Cages Collective
(mailing address)
P.O. Box 820
New York, NY 10026
For the Empty Cages Collective, you can browse the cats, dogs, reptiles, birds, and small mammals available on their Petfinder and Adopt-a-pet profiles, or read about becoming a pet foster parent.
The Humane Society of New York
306 East 59th Street between 1st & 2nd Ave
The Humane Society of New York’s adoption center is open 7 days a week, and
they’re also looking for volunteers at the shelter.
Kitty Kind
Petco Union Square 860 Broadway
between Union Square & 18th St
Kitty Kind has tons of adoptable kitties and conducts on the spot interviews for potential pet parents. They also provide the cats to Meow Parlour, the New York’s first cat cafe.
Sean Casey Animal Rescue (SCAR)
153 East 3rd Street
between Fort Hamilton Pky and Caton Ave in Windsor Terrace
The SCAR shelter stays open 7 days a week and has late hours so you can visit after work.
How to Surrender
The decision to surrender your cat is never easy, but finding a no-kill shelter or rescue is the most loving choice for your pet. These organizations can help find a new home for your kitty.
Animal Haven
251 Centre Street
between Broome and Grand
Animal Haven accepts cats with good behavior and medical history, provided they have the space. Use the contact form or call to speak to the intake department.
Bideawee
410 East 38th Street
between 1st Ave & Queens Midtown Tunnel
Bideawee intakes cats from the public by appointment. Please call to schedule.
Brooklyn Animal Action
(mailing address) 285 5th Avenue
PMB #456
Brooklyn, NY 11215
While Brooklyn Animal Action does not accept surrenders, they will list your cat on their website for adoption if you are able to temporarily house your pet. They also list extensive information on their website for rehoming resources here and on their contact page.
Where to Volunteer
While all of the organizations listed are accepting volunteers, these rescues are actively seeking pet foster parents and on-site volunteers for their shelters and adoption centers.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
424 E. 92nd St.
between 1st and York Ave
At the ASPCA you can volunteer in the adoption center, be a pet foster parent, or even
become an athletic ambassador and run a 5k in support of the shelter.
Staten Island Hope Animal Rescue
(no mailing address or phone number listed, please use contact form )
Staten Island Hope Animal Rescue is specifically for cats only, and they are looking for foster homes for their kitties. They also hold regular adoptapaloozas and fundraisers with giveaways.
If you know of an active organization that helps to rehome cats, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line in the comments.
Candace Elise Hoes is a pet sitter and blogger at Katie’s Kitty. She is a graduate of the MFA Writing Program at California College of the Arts.
“Mew to You Kitteh’s” by Kevin Jarrett is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
