Report On The Shelter Conditions And Adoption Efforts Of Animal Care And Control Of New York City

Animal Care and Control (AC&C) of New York City is a not-for-profit corporation that provides animal care and control services. Under contract with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), it is the sole organization responsible for the care of the City’s entire homeless and unwanted animal population. The contract requires that AC&C provide humane sheltering as well as adoption efforts to reduce the number of homeless and abandoned animals. In this audit, we evaluated the conditions under which animals are sheltered by AC&C and the level and success of AC&C’s efforts to promote the adoptions of animals from its shelters.

Audit Findings and Conclusions

Overall, AC&C shelter conditions are adequate, and staff is generally responsive to the needs of both the animals and the public they serve. However, cleaning could be improved with more timely cleaning of adoption wards, spot cleaning of cages, and properly drying floors. In addition, other improvements can be made in the following areas: shelter security, investigations of animals missing from shelters, the isolating of sick animals from healthy animals, and walking the dogs.

We found AC&C’s level of adoption efforts to be adequate, except for not providing adoption services at its receiving centers in Queens and the Bronx. These efforts included a Web site at www.nycacc.org promoting adoption, daily adoption hours at all of its full-service shelters, off-site adoption events, and New Hope placements with pet rescue organizations. However, we could not determine the success of these efforts with regards to the number of animals adopted due to the absence of original adoption agreements and supporting documents.

Although we did not evaluate the veterinary care of animals at the shelters, pet rescue organizations and customers surveyed had concerns about the health of the animals. Moreover, AC&C does not have a required customer service quality-assurance program.

Audit Recommendations

Based on our findings, we make 13 recommendations, including the following:

AC&C should ensure that:

• Cleaning procedures are followed, including the timely cleaning of adoption wards, the periodic spot cleaning of cages, and the proper drying of floors after being cleaned.
• Sick animals are separated from healthy animals.

• Efforts are increased to get volunteers for dog-walking activities or find alternative solutions to address this issue.

• Doors to restricted areas and cabinets containing pharmaceuticals are locked at all times.

• Complete adoption documentation is maintained, including signed adoption agreements, for seven years, as required by its own policy.
• There is adequate medical staff to address the medical needs of the animals.

• All animals are examined shortly after they arrive and that contagious animals are immediately isolated.

• A formal customer service quality-assurance program is developed and instituted to identify areas that may need improvement.
Agency Response

In their response, DOHMH and AC&C officials generally agreed with the audit’s findings and recommendations.