Kings County is bursting with potential pets looking for their fur-ever homes, and they’re coming to Brooklyn Borough Hall on Saturday for the third annual Adopt A Shelter Animal event hosted by Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
On July 27, animal lovers will be able to meet dozens of adoptable critters from Animal Care Centers of NYC, the ASPCA, Badass Animal Rescue, Flatbush Cats, and Hearts & Bones Rescue. Adoption applications and services will be available on site, so new pet parents can bring their four-legged friends home right away.
“When New York City animal rescues are working around the clock to care for an uptick of animals in need of a home, I’m proud to host Borough Hall’s third Adopt-a-Shelter-Animal with the help of some incredible local rescues and animal welfare groups,” Reynoso said in a statement. “It’s hard to imagine a better way to spend your Saturday than meeting some of the most adorable cats and dogs in the best borough.”
Pet adoptions and fosters surged during the pandemic as Brooklynites, stuck at home, sought out animal companionship. But those numbers dropped in 2021, and shelters have been dealing with overcrowding ever since.
According to Gothamist, quarterly dog adoptions at ACC have dropped by more than half since 2018, and only 311 dogs were adopted from the organization in the first quarter of 2024. ACC’s Brooklyn shelter closed for renovations earlier this month, and the animals there have been transferred to the organization’s new facility in Queens.
The cost of pet ownership in New York City is one of the leading factors for the drop in adoptions, along with the cost of housing and the difficulty tenants can face finding a pet-friendly apartment.
Will Zweigart, executive director of Flatbush Cats, said the city “can’t adopt our way out of a shelter crisis.”
“New York City shelters have been overcrowded for decades. Let’s start addressing the root cause: lack of affordable access to veterinary care,” he told Brooklyn Paper. “We opened our first nonprofit vet clinic Flatbush Vet last year, and could expand this model further with city support. When more community members have the resources they need to keep the pets they have, we’ll need fewer rescue groups and adoption events.”
But, for now, adoption events and foster parents are critical to easing the load on shelters and giving the animals a happier life.
“Anyone thinking about adoption should come to the event and meet all the wonderful animals waiting for a home,” said Katy Hansen, Director of Marketing & Communications at ACC.
She encouraged those who can’t adopt right now, or don’t know if they’re ready for a pet, to try out fostering.
“Fostering gives the animals a chance to decompress out of the busy shelter space,” she said. “ It’s also a great way to see if your lifestyle lends itself to having a pet before making the full-time commitment of adoption.”
Each of the participating organizations — ACC, Flatbush Cats, Hearts & Bones, Badass Animal Rescue and the ASPCA — list their adoptable animals online, so prospective pet parents can check out available animals and adoption applications ahead of time.
“I hope people from all across Brooklyn will come by, help a shelter animal in need, and take home a friend for life,” Reynoso said. “And if you’re on the fence… just come by and these adorable cats and dogs will convince you otherwise!”
Adopt-A-Shelter Animal will take place on Saturday, July 27, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon St. at the corner of Court Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
