The ASPCA recently announced a groundbreaking, multi-year initiative to significantly improve the quality of life for some of the most vulnerable animals in New York City. Building on the strong foundation created by the success of its existing partnerships across the city, the new initiative will increase the organization’s capacity to care for victims of animal cruelty and expand vital services to pet owners and animal rescue organizations.
Beyond the direct impact in New York City, the efforts of this new initiative will serve as a foundation for research and the development of new medical and behavior diagnostic and treatment protocols, which the organization will share throughout veterinary and animal sheltering fields to help elevate animal welfare efforts across the country.
“The ASPCA is deepening its commitment to help the most vulnerable animals and their owners by increasing the availability of crucial veterinary resources to pet owners in need and by successfully rehabilitating and rehoming more victims of cruelty,” ASPCA President and CEO Matt Bershadker said in a statement. “Taken together, these large-scale measures will reinforce New York City’s position as one of the most humane communities in the country and provide us with new insights that can make a lifesaving difference for shelters, animals and communities nationwide.”
ASPCA is committing more than $45 million to build the infrastructure, in addition to the ongoing operating expenses needed to support the three major elements of the initiative:
1. Improving access to basic veterinary care for low-income pet owners.
More than 22 million dogs and cats nationwide are living in poverty. To combat that issue, the organization will build a network of ASPCA Community Veterinary Centers across New York City to provide low-income pet owners in underserved communities with access to basic veterinary care, including vaccinations and spay/neuter surgery. The ASPCA Community Veterinary Centers will also treat homeless dogs and cats being cared for by animal rescue organizations, expanding their services to the animal rescue community.
The new centers will have a meaningful, direct impact on tens of thousands of animals per year. Additionally, the Community Veterinary Centers will yield critical insights that shorten both diagnostic and treatment protocols. These new protocols will be proven, tested and then shared with the animal welfare community and veterinary professionals, helping to make basic veterinary care more affordable and accessible nationwide.
The first ASPCA Community Veterinary Center is scheduled to open in the Bronx in late fall 2019, followed by Brooklyn in 2020, and Manhattan in 2021.
2. Effectively addressing the complex needs of animal cruelty victims housed in shelters around the country.
The organization will also build the ASPCA Recovery and Rehabilitation Center, a 50,000 square-foot facility in the Hudson Valley, which will provide state-of-the-art behavioral and medical interventions to effectively shelter, rehabilitate and rehome canine victims of cruelty and neglect. The new facility will allow the organization to more than double its current capacity to care for the animals helped through their partnership with the New York Police Department (NYPD).
Many of the dogs who are rescued through this partnership exhibit behavior and medical challenges as a result of the abuse and neglect they have suffered, which can limit their chances of finding a home. At the ASPCA Recovery and Rehabilitation Center, the organization will design and launch studies on how to most effectively resolve behavior problems commonly manifested in victims of physical violence, emotional trauma and severe neglect, and these new tools will be shared with the animal welfare community through the ASPCA Learning Lab Program at the ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center in Weaverville, North Carolina.
In addition, in New York City, the ASPCA is also planning to conduct groundbreaking research aimed at helping behaviorally-challenged cats become successful candidates for adoption. These efforts combined will enable the organization to produce and share insights to better address the complex behavioral needs of animal cruelty victims housed in shelters around the country.
3. Renovating the ASPCA Animal Hospital to maximize capacity and enhance patient care.
With a strong network of ASPCA Community Veterinary Centers in multiple boroughs, and a dedicated facility for the longer-term rehabilitation of animal cruelty victims in place, the organization will also renovate the ASPCA Animal Hospital to maximize its capacity and optimize medical services. Changes to the space will enhance the ability to provide critical inpatient care to animal cruelty victims, as well as to animals from low-income households who require hospitalization, advanced diagnostic testing and complex surgical and dental procedures. These patients will be primarily referred through the ASPCA’s new network of Community Veterinary Centers, partner veterinarians, Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC), the ASPCA’s Community Engagement efforts and their partnership with the NYPD.
“The ASPCA’s expansion of free and low-cost veterinary care for animals will bring much needed relief to New Yorkers’ pets in the South Bronx, upper Manhattan, and East New York,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These clinics will also reduce the burden on our city’s animal shelters by preventing pet surrenders from owners who can’t access basic veterinary care for their pets.”
ASPCA research shows that a lack of affordable veterinary care and limited access to spay/neuter services are primary contributors to pet relinquishment and that many of these challenges can be effectively alleviated with minimal resources.
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