NYC Animal Rescue Free directory · All five boroughs

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Help keeping your cat

Food, vet bills, housing, and temporary care, before surrender becomes the only option.

OWNER SUPPORT & KEEPING YOUR CAT - help before surrender (contacts inline)

Resources for cat owners who need help - food, in-home care, temporary/crisis fostering, vet-bill aid, housing support, and pet insurance. ACC offers many of these directly and can talk through options. Verified against ACC, Mayor's Alliance, NYSAVE, and AMC, 2026-08-28. Confirm current availability, which changes over time.

ACC OWNER SUPPORT / SURRENDER PREVENTION

  • ACC CommunityPets - CommunityPets@nycacc.org - (212) 788-4000. Free/reduced vet referrals, spay/neuter, deferred/managed intake, and help during a crisis so a cat can stay in its home. Ask about the surrender-prevention questionnaire; a counselor follows up.
  • ACC may also provide supplies (food, litter, carriers) and connect owners to other agencies. To rehome a cat yourself (often less stressful for the cat than shelter intake), ask about ACC's 'Rehoming Your Pet' tools.

PET FOOD PANTRIES (specific programs)

  • ACC Pet Food Pantry - at the ACC Bronx Resource Center; contact for location, hours, eligibility. CommunityPets@nycacc.org - (212) 788-4000.
  • PuppyKitty NYC - runs a pet-food bank; 501(c)(3) rescues can request stock, and it distributes to people in need. foodbank@puppykittynyc.org - puppykittynyc.org.
  • Animal Relief Fund (ARF) - NYC org providing pet food to people in need. animalrelieffund.org.
  • New York Common Pantry - distributes pet food at events (often with the ASPCA), including in the Bronx. nycommonpantry.org - (917) 720-9700.
  • Food Bank For New York City - pet food is sometimes available at member pantries (varies by donations). foodbanknyc.org/get-help.
  • ASPCA + Food Bank For NYC partnership - free pet food distributed through Food Bank partner pantries citywide.
  • Petco Love 'We Are Family' - collects pet food/litter and distributes through human food-pantry partners across the 5 boroughs; ask your local pantry if they participate.
  • Prince Chunk Foundation - pet food + short-term assistance for families in crisis. princechunkfoundation.org.
  • Kiso's Pet Food Pantry (Brooklyn) - free pet food, focus on senior citizens. facebook.com/Kisos-Pet-Food-Pantry.
  • Feeding Pets of the Homeless - free pet food + vet care via partner sites for people who are homeless or at risk. petsofthehomeless.org.
  • Food Help NYC (finder.nyc.gov/foodhelp) lists food pantries, some of which stock pet food; the donateNYC Directory (donatenyc.org) has a Pet Care/Food category.
  • NEW (2026): the city budget funds pop-up PET FOOD PANTRIES + spay/neuter in every borough via community events - watch ACC + borough-rescue feeds for dates.

SENIOR / DISABILITY / ILLNESS - in-home pet care

  • PAWS NY - free in-home help (litter changing, feeding, vet-trip coordination) for low-income seniors and people with illness/disability who struggle with daily pet care. Also runs a pet food pantry. pawsny.org - (212) 203-4760.
  • CancerCare Pet Assistance & Wellness (PAW) Program - help with pet-care costs for people in active cancer treatment, with a NYC-resident fund. cancercare.org - (800) 813-4673.

TEMPORARY / CRISIS CARE - hospitalization, rehab, housing transition

  • PAWS NY - Hospital Respite Program for people who are hospitalized or in rehab, plus a Substance Use Recovery Program for those entering inpatient treatment. referrals@pawsny.org - (212) 203-4760 ext. 306.
  • ASPCA Community Engagement - may provide free/subsidized short-term boarding during a crisis; ask about eligibility via aspca.org.
  • Animal Haven Community Engagement - short-term boarding for pets whose owners face a temporary crisis (hospitalization, housing transition); space is limited. (212) 274-8511 - animalhaven.org.
  • RescueNYC - holding/recovery space so a caretaker isn't forced to surrender during a TNR or medical situation (see main sheet).
  • ACC - can coordinate options for people entering DHS temporary housing. admissions@nycacc.org - (212) 788-4000.

DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE PET SAFE-KEEPING (free; stay-together or safe foster)

  • URI PALS (Urban Resource Institute, People and Animals Living Safely) - the largest DV shelter provider in the U.S.; NYC co-living shelters let survivors bring pets, with private pet-friendly areas. Free. urinyc.org (ask about PALS); NYC DV Hotline (24/7): (800) 621-HOPE / (800) 621-4673.
  • Safe Haven Program / MAP Foster - networks of foster homes partnered with DV shelters to care for a pet temporarily when the shelter can't take animals, then reunite. Ask a DV caseworker or the NYC DV Hotline (800) 621-4673.
  • PAWS NY - assists with emergency fostering for domestic-violence survivors seeking safety. referrals@pawsny.org - (212) 203-4760 ext. 306.
  • RedRover Relief Safe Escape - grants help cover pet boarding/care for survivors leaving abuse. redrover.org/domestic.
  • Safe Place for Pets (RedRover) - searchable directory of programs by ZIP. safeplaceforpets.org.
  • Safe Havens Mapping Project (Animal Welfare Institute) - directory of shelters with on-site pet housing, boarding partnerships, or foster care during a crisis. safehavensmappingproject.com.
  • Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T) - helps DV shelters house pets on-site. alliephillips.com/saf-tprogram.
  • SPCA Westchester Pet Safety Program - safe-keeping for pets in DV-affected households (Westchester-adjacent). spcawestchester.org/pet-safety - (914) 941-2896.

HOSPICE / SENIOR + LIFETIME-CARE placement

  • Tavi & Friends (Brooklyn) - senior + FIV lifetime care; the specialist. 646-872-1533 - adopt@taviandfriends.org.
  • Cat Castle NYC (Manhattan) - through-senior (up to ~16 yrs) and hard cases others won't take. (973) 752-7750 - catcastlenyc.org.
  • KittyKind (Manhattan) - senior + special-needs placement. adopt@kittykind.org - kittykind.org.
  • Lap of Love - in-home hospice and end-of-life veterinary care across NYC. lapoflove.com - (855) 933-5683.
  • There is no NYC-only senior-cat sanctuary; the lifetime-care rescues above plus fosters are the route for an unadoptable senior.

HELP PAYING VET BILLS (financial aid - prevents economic euthanasia; apply to several at once, funds go to the vet)

  • NYSAVE (NY Save Animals in Veterinary Emergency) - NYC-SPECIFIC emergency funding for sick/injured pets of low-income NYC residents (all 5 boroughs). At/below NYC poverty level (about $41,100 for 1 person / $58,700 for a family of 4); must first be denied by CareCredit/Scratchpay; ~$2,000/yr per household, paid to a participating vet. (917) 669-7281 - info@nysave.org - nysave.org.
  • AMC (Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, Manhattan) funds - Charlie's Patient Assistance Fund (free/subsidized EMERGENCY care), Buddy Fund (cancer), Cooper Fund (radiation), SAVE (seniors 65+), plus military/adopted-pet discounts. Pet must be seen at AMC; apply within 5 business days of treatment. funds@amcny.org - (212) 838-8100 - amcny.org/financial-assistance.
  • ASPCA Animal Hospital (AAH) - low-cost urgent care in NYC for owners with household income at or below $50,000 (bring EBT/SSI/VA/unemployment/TANF proof). aspca.org/nyc.
  • RedRover Relief - grants (avg ~$250) toward urgent, life-threatening care; income under $60,000/yr; paid to the vet. redrover.org/relief - (916) 429-2457.
  • The Pet Fund - non-urgent/chronic care (e.g. chronic conditions); contact BEFORE applying. info@thepetfund.com - (916) 443-6007.
  • Frankie's Friends - lifesaving emergency/specialty care (pet already seen by a vet, good prognosis). frankiesfriends.org/apply-for-assistance-3.
  • Waggle - vet-bill crowdfunding; 100% of funds go to the vet. waggle.org.
  • Condition-specific (cats): cancer - Live Like Roo (livelikeroo.org), Magic Bullet Fund (themagicbulletfund.org), Riedel & Cody Fund; FIP/retrovirus + chronic - The Pet Fund; Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program (VAS/ISS); Diabetic Cats in Need (insulin help).
  • Humane Society of NY - some cases receive full/partial funding via its Animal Emergency Appeal; ask when booking. 306 E 59th St - (212) 752-4842.
  • Dial 211 (nyc.gov/211) for a live operator with current local assistance funds.
  • CareCredit (carecredit.com / (800) 677-0718) and Scratchpay (scratchpay.com) - vet-care financing accepted at most NYC vets. HOW: get a written itemized estimate + proof of need (SNAP/Medicaid/income), then apply to several funds at once.

PET INSURANCE (for planning ahead, not a bill you already have)

Note: some resources here (ASPCA, PAWS NY, ACC, Pets of the Homeless) also appear on the 'Clinics, traps & support' tab; contacts are repeated here so this tab stands alone.

  • Pet insurance reimburses a percentage of FUTURE covered vet costs after you pay the vet; it does NOT cover pre-existing conditions, so it helps most when started while a cat is young and healthy. Compare deductible, reimbursement %, annual limit, and exclusions.
  • Trupanion - trupanion.com - (855) 591-3100. Per-condition deductible; can pay the vet directly at participating clinics; 90% reimbursement.
  • Healthy Paws - healthypaws.com - (855) 898-8991. Annual deductible, unlimited annual coverage, 70-90% reimbursement; fast claims.
  • ASPCA Pet Health Insurance - aspcapetinsurance.com - (866) 204-6764. Customizable; optional wellness add-on; up to 270 days to submit a claim.
  • Nationwide - petinsurance.com - (877) 738-7874. Long-standing; some plans cover lost-pet advertising.
  • Pets Best - petsbest.com - (877) 738-7237. Direct-vet-pay option.
  • Others widely reviewed for 2026: Embrace, Figo, Lemonade, Spot, Pumpkin, Fetch, MetLife. Get 2-3 quotes and read each policy's exclusions before choosing.
  • Tip: ask the insurer in writing how they define a pre-existing condition, and whether curable conditions (e.g. an upper-respiratory infection) can be covered later.

This guide is compiled from the project's research files. Contact details inside it can go stale — check the directory for the current listing, and confirm a number is live before you rely on it.