The Scoop New York is an indie non-profit web site and newsletter covering the movement for a true no-kill New York, from BUF to BK.
We take names. We step on toes. We bring receipts.
NYC ACC KILLS, published by TSNY, enumerates and memorializes adoptable cats and dogs who were nonetheless exterminated by Animal Care Centers of New York City.
Every week, NYC ACC KILLS subscribers receive The Weekly Carnage: bios, photos and videos of adoptable cats and dogs known to be recent ACC victims. Subscribers also get monthly memoriam posts that include ACC data summaries along with an updated compendium of animals whose lives were ended by ACC that month. Videos from current and prior months may also be found on The Scoop New York’s YouTube channel.
For more New York companion animal news, follow NYC ACC KILLS and The Scoop New York on social media.
About NYC ACC KILLS memoriam posts
Like virtually all New York City officials, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin, NYC ACC staff as a rule do not respond to uncomfortable questions concerning the kill pound they’re responsible for.
Information in NYC ACC KILLS memoriam posts, therefore, is drawn from reader tips, records ACC has chosen or is required to make public, and the ACC “at-risk outcomes” list.
As evidenced by its monthly and annual outcome data reports, ACC kills far more cats and dogs than appear on the at-risk list. ACC exterminates many healthy and adoptable cats and dogs without first offering them for adoption. Victims of this practice are known among advocates as “silent kills.”
Under direction from higher-ups including chief DVM Robin Brennen, ACC will often spay or neuter a cat or dog only to exterminate her or him during recovery, or soon after. This practice is known as “spay-neuter-kill.”
Known silent kills and spay-neuter-kill victims are identified as such by NYC ACC KILLS.
Since cats are underrepresented on ACC’s “at-risk outcomes” list, they are also underrepresented here.
Due to ACC obfuscation and gaps in record-keeping, memoriam posts are, sadly, bound to be incomplete. The Scoop New York continually adds names and images of ACC victims to NYC ACC KILLS as we find them. Follow NYC ACC KILLS and The Scoop New York on social media for updates.
If you’re an NYC ACC networker or volunteer and would like to contribute information on exterminated cats and dogs, or share your experience working with ACC, we want to hear from you. Discretion guaranteed.
A note about names: Many animals come to NYC ACC with unknown histories, including their names. In addition, ACC does not always use the name a cat or dog is accustomed to, even if the agency knows what it is. As a result, many animals exterminated by ACC are never properly identified. Unfortunately, for the most part NYC ACC KILLS has only the names provided by ACC, even if those names are incorrect or nonsensical. ACC-assigned names are presented here without quotation marks unless TSNY can confirm an animal was known by a different name when admitted to ACC.
ACC operates under putative supervision by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, which endorses the publicly-funded killing of healthy and adoptable cats and dogs at will and with impunity.
CHIEF NYC ACC VETERINARIAN
Robin Brennen, Sr VP Animal Health & Welfare: Email
OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR NYC ACC OVERSIGHT
NYS Ag Commissioner Richard Ball: 518-457-2771; Email
Mayor Zohran Mamdani: Contact form
City Council Speaker Julie Menin: 212-788-7210; Email
Council health chair Lynn Schulman: 212-788-6981; Email
Comptroller Mark Levine: 212-669-3916; Contact forms
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams: 212-669-7250; Email
City Council members: Lookup
Borough presidents: BX; BK; MN; SI; QS
NYC DOH Commissioner Alister Martin: 311; Contact form
NYC DOH ACC minder Corinne Schiff: 646-632-6496; Email
In memoriam
Dodger [261766]: 4 years old; killed September 6. The video above of Dodger is from when she arrived at ACC, a healthy family dog. The photo is of her four weeks later, sick and emaciated.
Dodger, surrendered due to landlord issues, lived with a family that included kids and other dogs. They said he was affectionate and playful. ACC noted that Dodger was very sweet and friendly on intake. Two days later, ACC reported that after being placed in a pop up crate, Dodger began growling and avoiding the leash and was unable to be removed for a walk. Later that day, a handler stopped by offering treats and baby talk. Dodger became wiggly and wagging. A day or two later, Dodger was moved to a kennel, grew more comfortable, and did well on walks as well as doggy playgroup.
A little over a week after intake, Dodger began having persistent and severe diarrhea. He was vomiting, not eating, and losing weight. He also had CIRDC. Seventeen days after intake, ACC reported that Dodger was now emaciated with marked muscle wastage and mild ataxia (loss of balance), likely due to his weak state.
ACC wrote, “Patient has been reported to not take oral medications, and he requires medical handling for injectable treatments. His behavior (growls/snapping when attempting to be leashed) makes it difficult to treat appropriately in shelter. Monitor ability to treat and QOL [quality of life] closely while in shelter.”
Did they even attempt to give Dodger shots? Their notes suggest that they considered treating a sick dog under their care to be impossible. They didn’t diagnose a cause. Instead, ACC killed Dodger on day 29.
Azriel fka Azalea [257390]: 1 year old; killed September 9. Azalea, found stray, went on a brief trial adoption and was returned with a new name, Azriel. A volunteer wrote, “Azalea is a young man found scared frozen in a park by a grood Samaritan who thought he was hurt. Thank goodness, he was not! What a cute kitty, cream and orange, shy but curious and wanting to make friends. Azalea takes a while to come out of his hiding box, his safe place, one step forward, two steps backward but in the end, the desire to be petted and loved is stronger … He is for sure a gentle cat … too adorable.”
ACC agreed he was a sweet cat, who “solicits and appreciates attention, is easy to handle and tolerates all petting. This cat is suitable for any level of adopter experience.”
Azalea was rejected by an outside vet for neuter due to a heart murmur. ACC neutered him in-house the next day. Later, they claimed Azalea’s heart murmur as the reason to place him on the at risk list and then to kill him, which Dr. Robin Brennen’s vet team did 86 days after his intake.
Sunshine [264715]: 9 years old; killed September 9. Sunshine was found on September 6 and killed three days later, a silent kill. She was never listed for foster or adoption.
Chester fka Goob [256825]: 10 months old; killed September 10. Chester, formerly known as Goob, arrived at ACC stray in mid-June. He was seven months old, an active exuberant puppy. Chester was adopted mid-August and returned after two days due to his high energy and jumping. On return, ACC added the sedatives Gabapentin and Clonidine to the Trazodone he was already being given.
ACC wrote, “Chester is a fun-loving, enthusiastic boy with a zest for life! He’s always excited to get out and explore, loves sniffing around on walks, and enjoys learning new things. He’s already practicing cues like ‘sit’ and ‘down’ and has even started clicker training, showing he’s eager to engage with his handlers — especially when treats are involved! Chester is looking for an active family who can continue building his manners while embracing his goofy, affectionate personality.”
Chester did well on walks, was responsive to handlers, would remain sitting at the handler’s feet for treats, and didn’t react to dogs or people passing by. He remained an exuberant happy puppy, although he still tended to jump socially, as puppies usually do. That’s what ACC considers a behavior problem, making a dog eligible — in their minds only — for killing.
Team Brennen killed adorable Chester 25 days after he was returned from adoption.
Axel [261356]: 3 years old; killed September 10. Axel was found tied up outside. The police described him as “friendly, outgoing, and docile.”
On intake, ACC said he was very friendly with a wagging tail, wanting to play. A volunteer wrote, “Every person stops us as we walk down the street with Axel, telling us how much they love him and how handsome he is! Our behavior team has taken to him, teaching him all kinds of skills like the 123 game and how to relax on a mat. He leans in consistently for pets and is a very social boy. In playgroup, Axel played with a female dog exuberantly and with soft body language. Axel is a lovebug, consistently leaning into whoever is near him to pet him. He is soft, playful and totally up for any adventures you want to invite him on.”
When a staff member grabbed his leash near his neck to move Axel away from another dog, Axel bit the handler’s hand, leaving no broken skin. For that one instance, they made a sweet, much loved pup “rescue only” — able to be fostered only through their New Hope partner program, which requires both a rescue organization and a foster in order to escape ACC.
ACC killed Axel on day 41.
Larry the Lobster [263341]: 2 years old; killed September 10. Larry the Lobster, a stray, was very scared, reacting to loud noises and avoiding being leashed, which at ACC often involves being lassoed with a rope leash.
The first time this happened to Larry, ACC wrote: “Handler attempts to lasso him and he flinches. Handler attempts one more time and he escalates to growling and lip curling.” Of course he did. Lassoing a scared pup is the last thing you’d do to make him feel safe.
In the quiet of the office, Larry was social, sitting next to staff and leaning in for pets, happily scampering around the room. The video above captures one of these moments, showing the joyous, beautiful pup he was.
ACC killed Larry on day 18.
Cruz [259418]: 6 years old; killed September 10. Timid on intake, fearful and avoiding people, Cruz, a stray, grew more social with time. Always gentle and cooperative, he was the kind of dog who might not get noticed despite his gorgeous face, droopy jowls, and melancholic eyes.
It requires work to find a home for a dog. Too many, like Cruz, are ignored instead. And all dogs, including Cruz, are de-listed from ACC’s website once they are given a kill command. Even before they kill them, ACC disappears them.
ACC killed Cruz on day 67, ostensibly for jumping and biting the leash.
Ford Explorer [262388]: 2 years old; killed September 10. Ford Explorer was a gentle and scared stray trying to be brave. His video shows him being brave — he ventured out of his kennel — but still scared and vigilant. His tail tucked, he trembled; he stayed close to his handler and scanned his environment in anticipation of danger.
He himself was no danger. He liked to lick hands, communicating his need, seeking assurance. That video broke hearts. It didn’t keep him alive long enough to find a home.
Ford was a beautiful and healthy young pup that ACC killed on day 29.
Cookie King [254795]: 3 years old; killed September 11. Cookie King was the King, adored by volunteers and praised by staff. He came to ACC an underweight stray and quickly won hearts. ACC extolled his “happy go lucky personality.” Volunteers echoed that sentiment, “a happy, enthusiastic, people-loving pup,” said one.
“Cookie is described as loose, wiggly, social, and eager to engage, and that’s exactly how he was when I interacted with him. He loves treats, attention, and being part of the action.” said another. “What’s a wonderful guy like this doing in a pop-up crate in the hallway when there is so much fun to be had in the world?”
“Come take him for a walk,” said yet another. “And then keep walking all the way home.”
That didn’t happen. ACC killed Cookie King on day 84. New York City animal advocates trying so hard to save Cookie King responded: killing this beloved pup on a solemn day, September 11, was particularly hurtful.
Maple [262081]: 4 years old; killed September 11. Maple, a stray found tied to a bench, was reported to be loose and wiggly on intake. A day later on medical exam they wrote she was “frozen with fear as if a human hand had never touched her.”
ACC quickly spayed her.
ACC staff wrote that Maple was “friendly, active and people-oriented … jumping up socially when excited but also has a soft side and enjoys leaning into touch.”
A volunteer said, “She’s a pint-sized pup with lots of love to share. Still shy but coming around, we had a nice walk through the park, with lots of passersby stopping to say ‘hello’.”
Three days later ACC said she was tangled in a harness in the hallway and in the chaos of the moment bit one of the three handlers surrounding her. The next day they made Maple TDO (transfer door only), which meant she could no longer leave her kennel for walks or even for potty breaks.
That decision had consequences. Ten days later, still a prisoner in her kennel, the cable of the transfer door (shuttling her between two sides of the kennel so they could clean it) broke and slammed on her tail. The distal end of her tail had to be amputated.
Dr. Brennen and company killed Maple in day 32, after the “shelter” disappeared her from the outside world, making her both a silent kill and spay-neuter-kill victim.
Odette [264278]: 10 years old; died September 11. Odette, a 13-pound stray, came to ACC so severely matted that she couldn’t see properly. ACC reported that she had trouble breathing on walks and passed out.
Suspecting pneumonia, with concerns about her heart, they put her on the “at-risk” list to find a rescue organization to take care of her and provide the medical support she needed.
According to ACC, Odette died in her kennel the next day, day 10, before they had an opportunity to exterminate her themselves.
Bubbles [264748]: age unknown; killed September 11. Bubbles was found on September 8 and killed three days later, a silent kill never listed for foster or adoption.
They never bothered to determine her age; she was described as geriatric.
Grey Girl [263610]: 7 months old; killed September 11. A silent kill, never listed for foster or adoption, Grey Girl was at ACC for at least two weeks. When she arrived and why she was killed we don’t know.
Roxie [253378]: 1 year old; killed August 12. Roxie’s family included four kids, dogs and cats. Her guardian said she was friendly and playful, anxious when left alone. At ACC, Roxie behaved as an exuberant puppy would, often jumping to greet people and pulling toward things that interested her. She rolled over for belly rubs and enjoyed pets.
ACC wrote that she was “noted to have too much energy.” Too much energy? Puppies aren’t supposed to be stuck in cages 23 1/2 hours a day, seven days per week.
From the start, Team Brennen gave Roxie Trazodone and Clonidine, which apparently didn’t slow her down to their satisfaction. So they added the third drug in the compliance cocktail: Gabapentin.
What excuse did they use to kill her? They cite a number of factors, all behaviors you might expect from a dog separated from the people she loves and stuck for almost two months in a cage. It included sensitivity to and fleeing from loud noises; stress-related behaviors such as heavy panting and licking kennel bars; hard barking and lunging at a handler on one occasion; sometimes being kennel reactive, pulling hard toward neighboring dogs in their kennels.
Citing “behavior problems” such as these, ACC asserts its right to kill just about any dog or cat it wants to. ACC exterminated Roxie on day 57.
Which is just how Mayor Mamdani and Speaker Menin want it.
