A brand new 3,700-square-foot veterinary clinic is coming to Flatbush to provide care for cats and dogs in need of a good home.
Flatbush Cats and the Flatbush Veterinary Clinic is an ambitious $2 million project founded by Will Zweigart to help decrease the cat overpopulation crisis in Brooklyn and beyond.
In 2021, Zweigart quit his job in advertising in order to pursue his dream of caring for homeless cats full time.
“I am just a cat lover who was tired of seeing cats suffer on the streets of New York, tired of seeing cats waiting around in overcrowded shelters, tired of seeing a cycle that never seems to end,” said Zweigart.
Zweigart’s initial fundraising campaign was able to raise $2 million and allowed him to move forward with his master plan: building Flatbush Cats and Flatbush Veterinary Clinic from the ground up.
After many months of construction, Zweigart was able to welcome the public into the Flatbush Veterinary Clinic on Flatbush Avenue on Aug. 21 for a special preview, with a community-wide opening planned for next month.
Now armed with a network of over 200 volunteers, Flatbush Cats will begin to provide in-depth care for the approximately 130 cats it has rescued while working towards its long-term goal of providing more than 7,500 annual spay and neuter surgeries each year. The clinic will also offer vet care to pet owners struggling to afford wellness services for their fur babies.
“I think the most rewarding thing about this work is knowing that we’re actually doing something to solve the problem,” said Zweigart. “We invite cat lovers from Brooklyn, all around the world, to join us, because we need a lot of support, especially as a small organization.”
With plans already underway to expand the facility’s care, Zweigart is launching a second fundraising campaign to help provide funds for spay and neuter surgeries, wellness exams, and vaccinations with an aspiration to expand into dental care as well.
“So we’re thrilled to receive support from some private foundations, animal welfare organizations,” said Zweigart “But, the bulk of the support to build this clinic actually comes from passionate cat lovers from all around the world, including who don’t even live in New York, some folks don’t even live in the US.”
According to the Flatbush Cats website, providing spay and neuter services is a critical step to reducing the number of feral cats roaming the streets of Brooklyn and the number of shelter admissions — which is critically important as city shelters struggle to accommodate high numbers of new animals.
“It feels really good to know that there’s a wide base of support for this project,” Zweigard said. “And I think also, though, that’s, that’s because the need is so great.”
