The city is dumping another $1 million into its troubled jam-packed animal-shelter system to hire and train 14 new staffers, City Hall said Friday.
The Animal Care Centers of New York City — a nonprofit with a $1.4 billion contract to run the Big Apple’s animal-shelter system for 34 years — recently announced it was suspending its intake of dogs and cats because of “critical” overcrowding.
The move came days after a Post expose revealed ongoing sickening conditions at ACC’s new $75 million city-funded shelter in Queens.
Anna Garguilo, an adoptions counselor with Charmy, 4, an Akita mix. Stephen Yang
“ACC’s work to ensure no animal is left behind is essential to protecting animals across New York City, and our administration is proud to invest $1 million in additional funding to support the work ACC does and boost their capacity to better care for animals,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.
“I also urge New Yorkers looking for a pet addition to their families to adopt, so we can ensure that every animal can find a loving home.”
But GOP mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa slammed the funding announcement as a piecemeal solution to the larger problem of animal welfare in Gotham.
“The city has completely ignored animal welfare,” Sliwa wrote on X. “Today’s $1M for ACC is a drop in the bucket. ACC has a 34-year contract worth over $1B—and yet our shelters are overcrowded, surrenders are paused, and animals are suffering.”
New York City mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa holds a campaign event outside of an Animal Care Center on 110th street in East Harlem in Manhattan. Stephen Yang
“ACC has a 34-year contract worth over $1B—and yet our shelters are overcrowded, surrenders are paused, and animals are suffering,” Sliwa said. Stephen Yang
The red-beret-wearing Republican, who shares an apartment with six rescue cats, earlier this week called for the city to end its contract with ACC and replace it with a city-run overhaul that would include a “quasi-private public partnership” to shift the cost away from taxpayers.
A new animal welfare agency would be created in the “basement” of City Hall and all shelters would be kill-free and offer free spay and neuter programs under a Sliwa administration.
The ACC has three active sites across the five boroughs with more than 1,000 animals in its care.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks at a press conference to announce that 200 rescues have been made through the NYPD’s drone and enforcement operations targeting subway surfing on July 21, 2025 in New York City. Andrew Schwartz / SplashNews.com
A new animal welfare agency would be created in the “basement” of City Hall and all shelters would be kill-free and offer free spay and neuter programs under a Sliwa administration. Stephen Yang
While the ACC is mandated to have a location in each of the five boroughs, the Brooklyn location is currently closed till 2026 for renovations, and the Bronx resource center has been “temporarily” closed since May.
Another $92 million facility in The Bronx is still under construction even though it was slated to open in the spring.
The ACC did not respond to a Post request for comment.
Adams’ campaign did not respond to a request for comment, either.