Where is a great place to adopt a dog in the Bronx?

Answer 1

I would strongly encourage you to adopt from a shelter, such as the Humane Society, the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) or the AC&C (Animal Care & Control).

The AC&C is the only one of these three that does not offer free adoptions. Rather, they charge $25 for a dog over 5 years of age, $65 for a dog between the ages of 4 months and 5 years, and $100 for puppies under 4 months old. This is done to encourage you to adopt an older dog, as most people who are looking to adopt a dog or cat want a puppy or a kitten.

Although there is a cost to adopt from the AC&C, the animals there are all in imminent danger of being euthanized (killed). The AC&C is a kill shelter, not because they are cruel and uncaring, but because they simply cannot afford to continue housing all the unwanted puppies and kittens.

Furthermore, some other shelters that proudly advertise themselves as "no-kill shelters" actually send the dogs and cats that they can't find homes for to the AC&C, where, if they are not adopted, they will be killed.

In short, if you adopt from the AC&C, you WILL be saving a life, no question about it.

I would also strongly encourage you to at least visit the adult dog room, even if what you really want is a puppy. You may find an amazing, loving, gentle and unfailingly loyal adult dog that you just HAVE to adopt. When I went there to adopt my cats, I ended up adopting a 2-week-old kitten and an 8-year-old cat. I was planning to adopt an adult cat and a kitten, but I hadn't planned on adopting an 8-year-old cat, when cats typically live only 15 years or so. But this cat, whom I named Hudson, is the sweetest, friendliest, cuddliest cat I've ever met, and also one of the most intelligent. I realized that I simply could not leave him at the shelter. I had to take him.

What was especially sad, in Hudson's case, was that he had spent his entire life in a home, with a family. He was given away because the family had a new baby who was allergic to cats. So this poor cat was abruptly taken from his home and put into a little cage at a shelter, with almost no human contact and with no idea what he had done to deserve this.

And sadly, his is not an uncommon story. A great many of the pets at the AC&C are not lifelong strays, but were given away by owners who either could not, or did not want to, take care of them any longer.

The only AC&C adoption center in New York City is in Manhattan, at 326 East 110th Street, between 2nd and 1st Avenues, but it is an easy commute from the Bronx, as you just take the 6 train to 110th Street (at Lexington Avenue) and then walk east. The 4-5-6 is the main subway line that runs through the Bronx.

As for the ASPCA, you can visit their adoption center at 424 East 92nd Street in Manhattan, between 1st and York Avenues. Like the AC&C, this location is easily accessible from the Bronx: take the 4-5-6 to 86th Street (at Lexington Avenue) and then walk north and east. The ASPCA does not have an adoption center in the Bronx, but they are affiliated with many shelters in the Bronx. Enter your zip code on their ASPCA Adoptable Dogs in Your Local Shelter page.

The Humane Society also does not have an adoption center in the Bronx, but, as with the first two, they are near the 4-5-6 line. Their adoption center is at 306 East 59th Street, between 2nd and 1st Avenues. So you would just take the 4-5-6 to 59th Street (at Lexington) and walk east.

See the Related Links below for the AC&C, ASPCA and Humane Society websites.