ASPCA Opens Animal Recovery Center in Hudson Valley to Rehabilitate and Rehome Thousands of Canine Victims of Cruelty Rescued in New York City

NEW YORK - The ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) today announced the opening of the ASPCA Recovery & Rehabilitation Center in Pawling, N.Y. to shelter, rehabilitate and rehome canine victims of cruelty. The 33,000 square-foot space will provide high-quality integrated behavioral and medical care to animals rescued in partnership with the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Many of the animals who come to the ASPCA through the ASPCA-NYPD partnership face physical and psychological wounds as a result of the abuse and neglect they've suffered, and when criminal charges are brought, can require longer-term care until ownership is legally determined. The new Center will give even more rescued animals the critical space, time and support they need to heal and to treat dogs with behavior and medical problems that cause suffering and prevent adoption, allowing the ASPCA to significantly increase its capacity to care for some of the city's most vulnerable animals.

"Without treatment, adoption would be impossible for many of the animals who come into our care through our partnership with the NYPD, due to the abuse and neglect they've suffered," said ASPCA President and CEO Matt Bershadker. "With the Recovery & Rehabilitation Center, animals in crisis have a safe place to heal, and ultimately a second chance to thrive in loving homes."

The purpose-built facility can house up to 80 dogs and includes oversized kennels with outdoor access, a large indoor play area, multiple training rooms, a state-of-the-art veterinary suite, 14 play yards, and a "Wilderness Pen," where dogs can safely experience the sights, sounds and smells of the great outdoors. These unique features, along with the Center's team of experts in veterinary medicine, animal behavior and sheltering, ensure that canine victims of cruelty receive the enrichment, exercise and care they need to recover. Dogs who have completed treatment and are legally cleared for placement will be available for adoption locally in New York and through our national network of shelter partners.

The ASPCA operates four facilities dedicated to the daily care, enrichment, and medical and behavioral treatment for rescued victims of abuse and neglect:

• The ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center in Weaverville, N.C.
• The ASPCA Cruelty Recovery Center in Columbus, Ohio
• The ASPCA Recovery & Rehabilitation Center in Pawling, N.Y.
• The ASPCA Animal Recovery Center in New York City.

These specialized facilities provide a unique opportunity for experts to study shelter animal behavior and develop treatment protocols to resolve behavior problems, advancing the animal welfare field at large. In a September 2022 ASPCA survey of shelters and rescues from all 50 states, more than two-thirds of shelter professionals said their inability to manage the frequency and severity of animal behavior needs is a top barrier to placing animals in adoptive homes. The ASPCA offers in-person and virtual learning opportunities for sheltering professionals, helping other animal welfare organizations provide behavioral support for countless shelter animals facing barriers to adoption. Additionally, the ASPCA Equine Transition and Adoption Center in El Reno, Oklahoma, cares for horses and other equines in need of training and adoption.

For more information on the ASPCA's work to help vulnerable and victimized animals across the country, please visit www.aspca.org.