The Humane Society Of New York

“We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals. Remote from universal nature, and living by complicated artifice, man in civilization surveys the creature through the glass of his knowledge and sees thereby a feather magnified and the whole image in distortion. We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.”

-

Henry Beston from The Outermost House

The HSNY earns

Seal of Excellence

Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Supporters should know that efficient management (by a superior staff of professionals working with a non-salaried President, Board of Directors and volunteers) allows an impressive 90.73% of all monies raised
to go directly into program activities.

HSNY is a founding board member of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC Animals

HSNY is Proud to Have Been Green for Many Years

Thanks to our pet-friendly partner, Affinia Hotels, for creating this adorable video featuring some of our amazing adoption dogs! Affinia Hotels will pamper your dog with their exclusive #VIPaws treatment. Enjoy!

The Alpha Workshop original murals grace our
“Rowsby Dog Pavilion”

Humane Society of New York’s most recent visit to the Hebrew Home was a day enjoyed by all.

Click here for more images of our visits.

Not up for a pup?

Not smitten by a kitten?

Check out our Senior Center for our adorable, adoptable seniors!

Broadway Legends Honor the Humane Society of New York

Orfeh & Andy Karl

to receive

Humane Society of New York’s Sandy Award

Musical Director and Host
Seth Rudetsky

Monday, October 14, 2019

Feinstein’s/54 Below

Thank you to everyone who bid on The Best In Shows Benefit Auction

Both the show and the auction were a great success! It was a wonderful evening, thank you to all!

Marilyn Monroe Bed Sitting – Photographed by Milton H. Greene
©2018 Joshua Greene www.archiveimages.com

5th Fine Art Photography Benefit Auction

in Partnership with

Aperture Foundation

held on

Wednesday May 23,2018, was happily a great success!

Money raised from this event will provide much needed care for the city’s neediest animals.

Thank you so much to Shane and Sixpoint-Brewery for the funds raised at the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, & 2016 Beer for Beasts events, that have helped thousands of animals.

Click here for information about Beer for Beasts

Lyme disease is a serious illness that affects both people and animals. Please speak to your veterinarian to make sure your cats and dogs are protected. Again, this is a very serious, potentially life-threatening illness.

Click here for more information

The woman lived in Maryland and needed to surrender

her dog. There were several rescue organizations in her area, but a friend recommended that she contact our Society.

Sasha was two years old, a classic beauty, and weighed 101 pounds. The woman had grown up with Great Pyrenees; she cherished the breed and Sasha, in particular. The woman knew Sasha’s every like and dislike. She got along with other dogs, chased squirrels and loved being brushed. She was fond of playing one-sided fetch, as she seldom brought any stick back. Most notably, Sasha was often anxious and had severe separation anxiety. If her owner left her alone for more than thirty minutes, she would leave music on for her. A particular Walt Disney soundtrack, Moana, seemed to soothe her the most.

The woman groomed her daily, “Her new family will need to love hair.” Sasha was regularly taken to the veterinarian and was only fed the highest-quality food. But, Sasha had to find a new home because the woman had to go away indefinitely. “I love her so much, but I have to go on a mission. My heart is broken, but I trust you all and know that you will keep her safe.” The woman didn’t hesitate to make the long drive in from Maryland with Sasha to meet us, and we agreed to take this lovely dog into our adoption center.

When Sasha began her stay with us she was quite nervous and upset. A few days went by before she would lift her head up off her paws to look at us. She did respond well to treats, which she gently took from our hands. We knew there was hope for her to adjust, but it would take a great deal of time and patience.

At first she didn’t want to walk outside. “You’ll need three people to get her inside a building, one behind and one on each side.” Thankfully we didn’t find that to be the case. But we didn’t push her; we took her up to our enclosed dog roof-run so she could exercise off leash and get to know us.

Sasha was smart and wanted to please the people that cared for her, and we let her gain her confidence in baby steps. Our dog handlers spent a great deal of time with her. Sitting next to her, leaving and then returning with no fanfare. One kennel person downloaded Moana, her Disney favorite, on his phone and they listened together while he massaged her ears; he quickly became one of her favorite people. In a relatively short time Sasha began to feel comfortable and looked forward to her walks and happily interacted with everyone.

It almost sounds too perfect, but through a friend of the Society, we are pleased to report that Sasha is back to being a country girl. She is now part of a wonderful family on a farm in Vermont.

Any dog can be a shelter dog. Any age, any breed, any size. Like Sasha, you can be beautiful and still find yourself without a home.

Mrs. G was told by the shelter that the kitten was shy and difficult to place. Mrs. G still wanted him, not because she felt sorry for him, but because she, too, was known as the “shy one.” The day she brought him home, he explored the entire apartment many times over and slept at the foot of her bed.

“He was just misunderstood. I understand him.”

The now eleven-year-old cat and Mrs. G enjoyed a quiet life together in the Bronx. A retired art teacher, Mrs. G enjoyed sketching, and her cat was her muse. “There was just something special about Elijah”, she used to say. And she had many pets, mostly cats, in her eighty-plus years.

Mrs. G was coming home from the market when she tripped and broke her hip. As she was taken away by ambulance, all she could think of was Elijah. She called her only relative, a brother, to please go and feed him. It wasn’t easy for her brother, as he lived in another borough and relied on the city’s transportation for disabled residents, but he did what he had to do for his older sister. “If I didn’t have a bossy cat of my own, I would’ve just brought Elijah to my house.”

Mrs. G pulled through her surgery, but during her recovery she developed pneumonia.

Her brother managed to make the same round-trip every day to feed and check in on Elijah and then go see his sister. Three weeks later the dreaded call came from the hospital telling him that his sister had passed away.

“I called the shelter where my sister adopted Elijah, but they said they couldn’t take him back. I can’t let anything happen to him, and the building manager is about to clear out my sister’s apartment. Can you please help us?”

We did take in Elijah. He had a few medical issues that we addressed, but overall he is healthy and extremely good-natured. Everyone here just adores him, and he is safe and happy with us until the right home comes along.

Mrs. G’s brother called us on his sister’s birthday and asked if it would be possible to drop by and see how Elijah was doing. We thought that a visit would do them both good.

“Elijah, look at you! You’re the top cat…you certainly don’t need me anymore!” The man spent time with Elijah on his lap, and it seemed to make a difficult day a bit easier.

When Is a Life Not Worth Helping?

Photo by Richard Phibbs

A lot of people come in for the young ones. In our Vladimir Horowitz/Wanda Toscanini Horowitz Adoption Center we have everything: young, middle-aged and senior animals who come to us in need.

One is Highway, a Dalmatian mix. It’s easy to imagine him as a youngster with his whimsical spots and sweet disposition. Highway is aptly named; that’s where he was found running, scared and barely dodging honking vehicles. A member of our board happened to be in her car and was able to gently and capably coax him into her back seat. Even after his terrifying ordeal, he willingly got into a stranger’s car.

Everyone adores Highway, who we place at about ten years old. He arrived in very serious condition, severely underweight and dehydrated. Because he had pancreatitis, he was too sick to eat. Highway was never neutered and his hearing is poor. Our specialist confirmed that perhaps he sees a shadow or two, but otherwise he is blind.

Nacho is a senior Chihuahua. Like Highway, he is also around ten years old and blind. His lean little legs are long and vulnerable. He was being roughly handled by a group of teens on the street. A concerned adult stepped in and sensed that they had no attachment to the dog. When she offered them ten dollars, they gladly made the exchange. That’s how devalued his little life was to these kids. The woman then brought Nacho to us.

Nacho was not just underweight, he was emaciated. His nails had grown so long they had curled under and into his feet, making it impossible to walk. Our doctors found he has a heart murmur and some age-related kidney issues. We are slowly building him up with nutrient-dense food, vitamin supplements and IV fluids. He has gained weight and is a dream of a patient. When he recognizes a familiar voice, he playfully stands up, takes a bow and wags his tail.

Neither dog had any identification. We will never know how or why they ended up alone and in harm’s way.

Highway is much better. After a lot of intensive medical treatment his pancreatitis is gone and he eats well. He loves to walk briskly and is very confident when we put him in his special harness and lead. Nacho also likes his walks, but on cool, rainy days, he much prefers to lounge in bed with his many toys.

During this terrible period dealing with the coronavirus, our hospital remains open for emergency cases by appointment. As a safety precaution, only staff is allowed to enter our building. We are taking people’s pets at the front door and calling their owners on their cellphones during the exams. The Society is more than just an essential hospital to the community, we are often the only lifeline that people can turn to when their pets are seriously ill. We always help pet owners with financial limitations, but now we are seeing people that have just lost their jobs and don’t know when or if they will be employed again. Any gift that you are able to give will be greatly appreciated.

COVID-19 Message

To our valued clients and visitors:

As the Covid-19 situation evolves we at the Humane Society of New York must take important steps to ensure the health of our patients, our staff and the community.

We are notifying you that we are significantly restricting access to the hospital as part of our commitment to deliver medical care.

This means:

We are handling medical care on a case-by-case basis. We are unable to provide routine medical services at this time.

Only staff members are authorized to enter the facility. Your pet will be collected at the door and medical staff will consult with you during your pet’s exam by phone.

Our Adoption Department is closed to the public. Adoptions are by appointment only. You may complete an application online

If you already have an appointment scheduled we will be contacting you to reschedule. Rest assured, if we are unable to reach you prior to your appointment we will still honor your appointment at a later date. You may also email us at [email protected]

We apologize for any inconvenience this new policy may cause, and we hope you understand we did not make these decisions lightly or without considerable thought. These are difficult but necessary steps intended to keep everyone safe as we manage the Covid-19 crisis.

RIVER OF PEOPLE WITH

ELEPHANTS
IN DAY

Nick Brandt’s new work: “This Empty World” deals with the escalating destruction of the natural world at the hands of humans, showing a world where, overwhelmed by runaway development, there is no longer space for animals to survive. The people in the photos are also often helplessly swept along by the relentless tide of ‘progress’. Environmental degradation will almost always affect poor rural people the most, due to the exhausted natural resources upon which they rely. So the people in this photo are not the aggressors, but like the elephants, victims of environmental degradation beyond their control.

T H I S E M P T Y W O R L D

www.thisemptyworld.com

Exhibitions in London /

New York / Los Angeles

Publication of New Book
Click here to buy the book

Below are close up details of RIVER OF PEOPLE WITH ELEPHANTS IN DAY

Nick Brandt – Humane Society of New York Humane Medal recipient and founder of
Big Life Foundation

Photo by Richard Phibbs

Regardless of who you are or where you come from, you could find yourself needing help.

2017 had many in our country facing natural disasters, and animal organizations from all over came forward to help.

The Society arranged transports to bring animals up from the affected areas. Our first responsibility is to the animal, and we had much to deal with. Getting them here was just the beginning.

The dogs and cats received medical workups as they arrived with various degrees of medical issues. We were not surprised to see kennel cough, giardia and a variety of parasites. But some arrived seriously ill with tick-borne illnesses, such as debilitating Lyme disease. Heartworm disease, in various stages of advancement, was present in over half of the dogs. The treatment for heartworm disease is long, complicated and potentially dangerous. The heart and lungs must be closely monitored, and many months of medicine and strict cage rest are required. Sadly, one older Chihuahua’s heart was ravaged with the disease and we could not save her. One of the kittens had been badly injured and required several surgeries to close up his wounds. A young, gentle dog named Giselle was skin and bones when she arrived. She was found to be filled with cancer.

Not every case was as dire. One heartworm-positive dog arrived with four healthy puppies. The pups were adopted after being spayed and neutered, and the mom slowly regained her health.

Caring New Yorkers stepped forward to adopt a hurricane rescue. Our experience has been that to really rescue an animal, we need to go slowly to thoroughly evaluate them medically, as well as behaviorally. It’s terribly important to get to know all of the animals in our care. Only then are we able to place them in the correct home, for both the family and the animal.

HUMANE MEDAL

Martin Usborne, for his outstanding service on behalf of animals, is the recipient of the Humane Society of New York’s 2018 Humane Medal for his work.

Mr. Usborne’s deep concern for the abandoned and ravaged hunting dogs of Spain, the Galgo, has resulted in his extraordinary book, Where Hunting Dogs Rest. His portraits give his subjects the nobility and stature they deserve, while subtly exposing their cruel and inhumane treatment.

Click here to read more

Our wish for all animals, everywhere, is a safe place to lay their heads at night.
–Virginia Chipurnoi, President

Home should be a safe haven but sadly for some animals it is the opposite, a place where they are neglected, forgotten or disposed of. Only a very small number of dogs and cats remain in one home their whole lives. Fully 90% are given away, or are victims of loss, theft, or abandonment. They must cope with the confusion, fear and loneliness that follow. We deal with these issues every day, the enormous amount of medical care we provide in our hospital, rehabilitating and placing animals safely, stopping this turnover and finding the home the animals will be able to spend the rest of their lives in.

Richard Phibbs’ many photo shoots with HSNY adoption animals have created lovely portraits. These photos have been seen all over the world, inspiring shelters everywhere to do the same. Richard Phibbs’ book “Rescue Me” featuring our dogs and cats is available on Amazon.

As mentioned in the Metro Section of the New York Times
Gilded Gift-Giving: The City That Leaps From the Page

“Witnessing Phibbs and his crew devote equal effort to the shelter and its animals – clients who couldn’t even begin to generate the kind of fees Phibbs’ talent commands… told the story best. If anyone needed Phibbs’ caliber of PR and an eye towards revealing a soul’s inner beauty- it was the loyal animals who had suffered from their human’s misfortunes. These former family pets needed a head shot and a good publicist –Phibbs provided both.” – Dr. Pia Salk who was there for one of the Phibbs’ photo shoots