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NYC PET ADOPTION
PRELIMINARY STEPS
Before you adopt a pet:
- Check for Allergies
About 15% of the population is allergic to dogs and/or cats. However, about 1/3 of cat-allergic people in the U.S. hava at least one cat anyway. If you are allergic, the best advice is to be prepared. Frequent grooming may minimize your symptoms, but there is no guarantee. Only you can weigh the pluses and minuses - companionship vs. an occasional stuffy nose or sneezing.
- Make sure you have time
Pets require training, love and attention. As owners of five cats, we often joke about how we would starve if the cats' collective whining didn't coerce us into frequent trips to the grocery store.
- Stock up before you pick up
For any animal, have a good supply of food on hand, particularly if you haven't owned a pet for awhile (see #2 above).
For cats, get a litter box (a shallow cardboard box with a trash can liner will do in a pinch), and an adequate supply of kitty litter. If you're in an apartment you might want to consider flushable litter; if you have a garden, try wood-chip based litter, which you can compost for next year's crop.
For dogs, get a few chew toys, a leash, and a harness or collar.
ADOPTION CENTERS:
New York City Animal Care and Control
Visit the shelter nearest you and, when you do, please be prepared
to adopt by bringing a photo ID and proof of current address
(like a current utility bill). Remember, adopting a new
pet is a family affair, so bring the whole family to meet
and select your new companion.
NCCACC centers are open 7 Days a Week 8:00am-8:00pm,
(noon to 7:00pm for adoptions)
Closed on All Holidays
Manhattan Animal Care Center
326 E. 110th St., NYC 10029
(between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
Brooklyn Animal Care Center
2336 Linden Boulevard, Brooklyn, 11208
Staten Island Animal Care Center
3139 Veterans Road West
Staten Island, NY 10309
Bide-A-Wee Home Assn
410 E 38th St # 2
(212) 532-4455
Biscuits & Bath - Adoptions
1535 1st Ave at 80th Street, Manhattan
 
PetSmart - Adoptions
7 Route 9, Manalapan, NJ
1520 Forest Avenue, Staten Island
88-25 Dunning Road, Middletown, NY
438 Route 22 East, Union, NJ
PET HEALTH
There is no substitute for a veterinarian, but if your pet has mild symptoms, you might want to look at diet and environmental factors first.
We've crawled through the internet to find the best pet symptom directories. We think PETCO has great ones.
FOR CATS
FOR DOGS
FOR BIRDS
Need a vet? Click on our NYC Veterinarians page for Animal Hospitals, Clinics and Vets.
 
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BEHAVIOR & TRAINING
DOGS:
If you've watched dog training shows on PBS, you know the trick isn't to train the dog, but to train the owner. Training a dog, while requiring time and patience, forms a life-long bond.
The first step is to allot three one-hour sessions with your dog per week. If you can't keep this schedule, consider signing up for a group class with your dog.
CLICKER TRAINING
If you're new to dog training, you might want to try the clicker method.
All you need to get started is a toy clicker (you can order one here or you might have something around the house that will work) and some patience. The clicker is id the doggy equivalent of a gold star in elementary school.
This teaching method focuses totally on positive reinforcement - no yelling, tugging, or other "bad dog" communication required.
In clicker training you watch for good behavior, immediately click, and give your dog a treat (food, praise, etc.). If Fido is stubborn, just wait a minute and try again.
Then increase the amount of walking, sitting, heeling, or whatever. Gradually, you may replace the treats with praise and a pat. When you want to teach your dog something new, dust of the clicker and treats and follow the same procedure.
SIT / STAY TRAINING
Hold a treat near the dog's nose. Move it over his head toward his tail.
Say "sit" and, if successful, use the clicker (if you're taking that route) and follow with the treat and a lot of praise.
Once successful, repeat for 5 or 10 minutes.
Let the dog do what he wants for a few minutes, to give you both a rest. If you can get Fido to sit again, you're doing great, and you can move onto "stay".
While your dog is sitting, place your hand under his chin and say calmly "stay". Again follow with a click (optional), a treat and praise.
LEASH TRAINING
The most important thing to remember when walking your dog is that only one of you can be in control. You can make this abundantly clear to your pet in several ways:
Start and stay calm and, with any luck, your dog will too.
The anarchy usually begins when the dog catches a glimpse of the lease. You can avoid a full-scale riot by requesting her to sit & stay while you are putting on her leash.
Once the dog is on the leash, if Rover plunges head-long into the door or bounces off a wall or two, it's a good sign that you're not quite in control. Again, just stop, and don't open the door until the dog calms down. Walk around inside or in the yard until you think you've gotten the message across.
When the dog starts getting excited or distracted, just stop.
If you've made it to the great outdoors, congratulations! Start with walking around the yard (or up and down the sidewalk if you don't have a yard) and, again, just stop and try the old sit/stay routine.
When all else fails, become one with the dog.
You're not done yet. You may find that, after taking you dog out for many walks, the dog starts resisting when you turn to go home. This is because the dog has learned your route and isn't ready to go home yet. If you can't convince her to sit & stay, your best alternative is to tie the leash around your waist and just keep walking. (if your dog happens to be a Great Dane, our sympathies!) Again, the dog will learn that you are the boss, once you convince yourself!
 
BEHAVIOR & TRAINING
CATS:
SCRATCHING
Cats scratch to mark their territory and to groom their nails. The best remedy is a scratching post, placed in an obvious place and made more enticing by a bit of catnip
You don't have to spend much money... in fact, you can use a small piece of carpet, backing side up, nailed to two pieces of scrap wood:
Many cats actually prefer the more horizontal design!
NOT USING LITTER:
If your cat suddenly stops using the litter, it may be because of an environmental factor. If you recently moved the litter box,
changed the brand of litter used, or let the box go a little too long without cleaning, try undoing these changes.
If you made no such changes, the cat may have been frightened by somthing while using the litter - try moving the box.
If nothing is different, your cat may have a health problem, such as a urinary tract infection, and should be seen by a vet.
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Waggin’ Trails:
Winter hiking with your dog
Dogs, like people, can get the winter blues. Lack of
exercise can cause them to gain weight. Boredom can
drive them to dig at furniture or doorways. They may
chew through shoes or gnaw on the table leg. For
human and dog, getting outside on a vigorous hike in a
natural setting can reinvigorate.
Most parks allow dogs to accompany their owners on
trails. But to keep the environment, wildlife, and your
dog safe and healthy, these are the rules to follow:
1. Protect paws and pads. Outside on the sidewalk,
the packed snow can cut dogs’ foot-pads, and the
salt used to keep sidewalks free of ice can melt in
between their toes, causing hard-to-heal painful
lesions. The parks’ unpaved trails are salt free, but
the dry air, rough ground, and cold can “chap” dogs’
feet. If exposed to salt, wash your dog’s feet with
warm water and gently blow or towel dry. Check for
cracks and, if you fi nd them, seek treatment from
a veterinarian. Most pet stores carry emollients
that can help keep pads soft, but this is not a 100%
solution. If your dog will tolerate them, it is safest to
use doggie boots.
2. Dress Your Pooch for the weather. Remember Buck
from Jack London’s novel, Call of the Wild? The half
St. Bernard, half Scottish sheepdog, is kidnapped from
his warm estate in California and sent to the cold and
snow of the North. And he is not happy. His summer
coat of fur does not protect him from the frigid cold.
Your dog, living in a heated apartment, may not be
well acclimated to the outdoor temperature. If you are
planning to be outside on the trails for several hours,
she may need the extra protection of a warm sweater
and a water-resistant overcoat. Even then, you may
have to limit the length of your hike in relation to
the temperature and wind-chill factor. Shivering and
whimpering are clear signs that your dog needs to get
inside and warm immediately. Also, watch your dog for
signs of frostbite on the sensitive, thin-furred ears and
tail. Last, but not least, the cold air is dehydrating. Your
dog will need warm water to drink on anything but a
short hike.
3. Leash, collar, and tag your dog. It is the law on city
park trails that your dog be on leash – no more than
six feet in length. This ensures that your dog will not
run free and chase wildlife, or disrupt fragile wetland,
native plants, or garden areas. It is also the law that
every dog has a collar carrying a license tag issued
by the Department of Health. Owners must be able
to provide proof of rabies vaccination, as well, on a
timely basis, if asked by the authority. The leash is
also your best defense against losing your dog in
the cold where they can develop hypothermia and
become critically ill.
 
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