Home > Out of the Cage! > June 2005 > Message from the President: Achieving Maddie's Fund Goals: Saving More Lives

Message from the President

Achieving Maddie's Fund Goals: Saving More Lives

by Jane Hoffman, President, Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals

According to adoption figures reported by Alliance Participating Organizations (APOs) in April, covering the first four months of 2005, overall adoptions among APOs increased by 1,136, or 45 percent over 2003 figures for the same four-month period.

These figures reflect a 73 percent increase in New Hope transfers (animals transferred from AC&C to Alliance member shelters and rescue groups) in the same four-month period. That's 736 more transfers. The majority of these transfers were facilitated using the Alliance transport van that was purchased late last year. As a result of these transfers and AC&C's own aggressive adoption efforts, total euthanasias at AC&C were reduced by 26 percent when compared to the same period last year.

The Alliance has distributed approximately $140,000 from the Maddie's Fund grant to over 60 APOs that exceeded their adoption goals in the first four months of this year.

We're tremendously heartened by the recent adoption statistics — they confirm our belief that NYC will indeed become a place where no healthy or treatable dog or cat is euthanized merely because he or she does not have a home. Through the monumental strides being made by the individual APOs, the impressive collaborative efforts among shelters and rescuers and Animal Care & Control, and the crucial financial fuel provided by support from the ASPCA and Maddie's Fund, it appears that NYC is well on its way to becoming No-Kill NYC in the foreseeable future.

One of the most obvious challenges to moving animals out of harm's way is transportation. Despite its daily traffic snarls, the average New York City resident does not own a car. As a result, finding a means to transport animals from AC&C to other APOs is difficult. The purchase of the Alliance's transport van was a major step forward in meeting the challenges.

Now, in order to facilitate more transfers of animals from AC&C and thereby reach our no-kill goal more quickly, the Alliance is looking to acquire another transport van as quickly as possible. A new van will cost roughly $35,000 to purchase, and another $15,000 to operate in its first year. Since monies from the Maddie's Fund grant cannot be used for the purchase, we're looking to other sources of funds, including donations from companies and individual supporters. If you want to help by making a donation, visit the Donate Funds page on our web site. If you think your company might want to help support the Alliance's mission, please contact us at info@AnimalAllianceNYC.org.

And of course, if you want to help save a life by bringing into your home a special little New Yorker, please visit the Alliance adoption web site at BigApplePets.com, or contact any of our member shelters and rescue groups featured on our web site.

– Jane

For more information about the Mayor's Alliance and its Participating Organizations, please visit the Alliance web site at www.AnimalAllianceNYC.org.