named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
24/7 Animal HelpLINE
Round-the-clock hotline handling animal emergencies and welfare concerns, having managed over 500,000 calls.
Disaster Animal Rescue Transport
Organizes multi-state deployments to rescue animals during hurricanes such as Katrina and Gustav, transporting them to shelters in the north.
International Veterinary Training
Sends veterinarians abroad to train local professionals in spay/neuter techniques, with missions in Romania and Armenia.
Low Cost Vet Mobile
Mobile veterinary hospital providing low-cost medical services, surgeries, and vaccinations to low-income pet owners and rescuers in urban areas.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Animal Adoption Services 2 activities
- Operating animal adoption servicesIntakes animals, provides medical and behavioral care to prepare them for adoption, and organizes adoption events. Maintains a dedicated adoption center with 24/7 live webcams and a phone line for inquiries. Creates and distributes promotional flyers and uses a legally enforceable adoption agreement with a liquidation clause to ensure responsible adoptions.
- Providing post-adoption veterinary supportOffers one year of free veterinary services and free lifetime annual exams for animals adopted through the organization.
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Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Services 2 activities
- Operating mobile veterinary clinicsOperates full-service mobile veterinary hospital units, including the Low Cost Vet Mobile and a mobile surgery unit, providing low-cost spay/neuter, vaccinations, and specialized surgeries across all five boroughs of New York City. Launched the first low-cost full-service mobile veterinary hospital in NYC, serving 17,000 animals over five years and operating two mobile units for eleven years.
- Providing full-service veterinary careEmploys a veterinary staff of nine specialists and performs a wide range of services including major surgeries (excluding spay/neuter), dental procedures, abdominal ultrasounds, and echocardiograms at fixed and mobile locations. Provided care to 36,000 animals and conducted approximately 200,000 examinations over eleven years.
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Animal Protection Advocacy & Campaigns 1 activity
- Advocating for humane animal euthanasia policiesAuthored state legislation and conducted legal advocacy that led to the end of gas chamber euthanasia in Louisiana and North Carolina, resulting in the closure of hundreds of gas chambers across Louisiana and a switch to humane euthanasia by injection. Also prompted Lafayette, LA to end automatic killing and adopt volunteer and adoption programs.
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Animal Rescue Volunteer Coordination 1 activity
- Conducting animal rescue and transport operationsOrganizes multi-state rescue operations to transport animals from high-euthanasia regions in the southern U.S. to adoption opportunities in the north, including rescues following Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav, relocating dozens of dogs and cats to shelters in New York, Florida, Colorado, and other northern states.
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Animal Welfare and Rescue Support 1 activity
- Operating a 24/7 animal help and relinquishment prevention programRuns the nation's first animal relinquishment prevention program, the "Safety Net Program," offering a 24-hour hotline, advice, referrals, support, and low-cost veterinary services to prevent pet surrenders.
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Rescue and Adoption of Cats 1 activity
- Rescuing and sheltering sick and injured animalsProvides medical care and shelter for sick and injured cats taken from Animal Care & Control of New York City.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Advocating for animal control reform in New York CityFiled lawsuits and authored state legislation that led to the termination of a $5 million animal control contract in NYC, ending the automatic same-day killing of homeless pets. Recognized by New York City Council Resolution 985 in 1992. Contributed to reducing NYC’s animal control euthanasia rate to 0.8 dogs and cats per 1,000 residents, the lowest in the country.
- Providing international veterinary training supportSent two Armenian veterinarians to Romania for training at a spay and neuter clinic to build capacity in animal care abroad.
- Sharing legal and operational resources with other animal welfare groupsMakes its court-tested, legally enforceable adoption agreement template available for download and use by other rescue organizations to promote responsible adoptions.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$245K
Contributions & grants$219K89%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$27K11%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$0
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$250K
Cash$250K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$250K
4 years on record · 2021–2024
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 3
- Crystal Cox — Secretary
- Damascus Lopez — Vice Chair
- Garo Alexanian — President
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- ASPCA Partner — Partnered with the ASPCA to subsidize free vaccination clinics in each borough of New York City in 2013.
- Animal Care & Control of New York City Government — Source of adoptable cats, particularly those on euthanasia lists, for the Animal Adoption Veterinary Center.
- Cairo University School of Veterinary Medicine Partner — Alumni affiliation for one veterinarian on staff
- Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine Partner — Alumni affiliation for one veterinarian on staff
- Elmsford Animal Shelter Partner — Distributed rescued animals from Hurricane Katrina and Gustav to Elmsford Animal Shelter for shelter and adoption.
- Humane Society of Louisiana Government — Awarded the Free Spirit Award by the Humane Society of Louisiana for hurricane relief efforts during Katrina.
- Humane Society of Louisiana Partner — Awarded CAN the Pioneer Spirit Award at the New Orleans City Council in recognition of its accomplishments in ending gas chamber killings in Louisiana.
- In Defense of Animals Network — National organization that awarded CAN the Animal Guardian Award two years in a row for its pioneering work in animal control reform.
- Judge Mills Lane Partner — Appeared on a televised court show with Judge Mills Lane and obtained a judgment enforcing an adoption agreement.
- K9Kastle Partner — Rescue partner that takes cats from Animal Care & Control of NYC and collaborates with AAVC on their care and adoption.
- New York City Council Government — Credited CAN in Resolution 985 for its role in ending automatic killing of homeless pets in New York City.
- PetFinder.com Partner — Directs individuals to use PetFinder.com to identify and contact local rescue groups for collaboration on adoption efforts.
- Popcorn Park Zoo Partner — Distributed rescued animals from Hurricane Katrina to Popcorn Park Zoo in Tinton Falls, NJ for shelter and adoption.
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine Partner — Alumni affiliation for one veterinarian on staff
- St. George's University Veterinary School Partner — Alumni affiliation for two veterinarians on staff
- Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine Partner — Alumni affiliation for one veterinarian on staff
- Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine Partner — Alumni affiliation for two veterinarians on staff
- Ulster County SPCA Partner — Distributed rescued animals from Hurricane Katrina and Gustav to Ulster County SPCA for shelter and adoption.
- University Partner — Collaborates on a study about mistaken decisions leading to pet surrender.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Collaborative Re-Homing Approachmethodology: collaborative_re_homingBy engaging pet owners in a structured re-homing process that maintains their responsibility while facilitating adoption, the organization avoids immediate surrender because it preserves owner investment and improves placement outcomes.
- Comprehensive Post-Adoption Support Modelmethodology: comprehensive_post-adoption_supportBy offering free veterinary care, lifetime exams, microchipping, and a lifetime return policy, the organization increases adoption rates and improves long-term animal welfare because ongoing support reduces adopter burden and strengthens commitment to permanent care.
- Legal and Screening Framework for Responsible Placementsmethodology: legal_screening_with_lifetime_accountabilityBy using legally enforceable adoption agreements with liquidated damages, multi-factor screening (including home visits and medical notification), and lifetime accountability, the organization ensures responsible adopter selection because legal and structural commitments deter irresponsible placements and enable long-term oversight.
- Low-Cost Access Model for Financial Barrier Reductionmethodology: low_cost_access_modelBy providing low-cost veterinary services to low-income pet owners, rescuers, and shelter adopters, the organization prevents animal euthanasia because financial constraints are removed as a barrier to care.
- Prevention Through Evidence-Based Educationmethodology: evidence_based_educationBy using research-based education to correct mistaken decision-making, the organization prevents unnecessary pet surrenders because informed owners are more likely to retain pets through challenges.