A NOTE FROM OUR FOUNDER

I created Woof! Rescue in 2005 to help address the plight of homeless, abused, sick, injured, stray, and abandoned dogs and cats surrendered to Animal Care and Control(ACC) -- the New York City shelter system.

The three city shelters – Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island – are tremendously overburdened and underfunded by the NYC Department of Health.  Their overcrowded conditions are the reason why healthy and potentially adoptable animals either die from illness or are euthanized.  It’s a tragically sad situation – many of these animals have lived with families for years and were loving pets, while others have been mistreated, neglected, or even worse, abused or “thrown away”. 

Woof! Dog Rescue, is registered with the city’s New Hope Project, the liaison created by Mayor Bloomberg between rescue groups and the shelters.  Woof and other rescue groups pull many of the adoptable dogs and cats from the shelters, and provide them with the safety of foster homes, much needed medical attention, re-socialization, training, and tender loving care, all in preparation for finding them their new forever homes.  We are a small organization with a few loyal, hard-working volunteers, and much of our days are spent arranging for foster homes, training, veterinary care, and screening potential adopters.

Woof and our affiliate out-of-state rescue organizations remove over 100 animals from the New York City shelters each year.  Most have been exposed, at the shelters, to “kennel cough” and other highly contagious upper respiratory infections.  One of our little rescue dogs contracted such a severe case, which had developed into pneumonia, that he spent the first weeks of his freedom in intensive care at the Animal Medical Center until his recovery.  This hospitalization cost our organization over $10,000, but his life was saved, and he’s happily living with his wonderful and loving new family.

For many years, I have personally provided the funding for all of Woof’s operations. Recently, with the help of our caring and capable volunteers, we have begun the task of raising much needed donations online.   We welcome contributions of any amount (please note that Woof! is a 501(c)3, so all donations are 100% tax deductible) – but even more important, please refer anyone to us who is interested in acquiring a new pet, and would be willing to adopt or foster a homeless dog or cat.

Barbara Fox, Founder

Woof! Rescue NYC, Inc