Are you looking to add a new member to the family? A pet can be a friend for life for the little ones—and the rest of the family. So if your home has an open space ready to be filled by a furry friend, here are NYC's top places to adopt a new dog or cat. Plus, check out some lesser-known options for adoption and some things to consider before taking the plunge if you're a first-time pet owner. 

And if you're a dog lover, don't miss out on Grand Central's Museum of the Dog!

Animal Care & Control of NYC — Citywide

The largest pet organization in the Northeast rescuing over 30,000 animals per year, Animal Care & Control of NYC is a nonprofit organization under contract with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. It strives to find homes for all abandoned or homeless animals and, therefore, classifies itself as a full-service shelter rather than no-kill. 

You can search online to see what dogs and cats are available, be it cat, dog, rabbit, or guinea pig, or visit one of three care centers in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island. You can add available pets to a favorites list or search for a pet by their number to check their status. There are also mobile adoption events nearly every weekend where you can meet and greet available animals. Adoptions can cost as little as $25 or as much as $250, depending on the animal.

ASPCA NYC — Upper East Side

ASPCA headquarters are located in New York City and include an adoption center. The ASPCA, or American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is a non-profit that's been around since the 1800s. You can make an adoption appointment before visiting or come by when the shelter is open for visitors. You can also sign up to be informed of "undercover cats" that might be a good match for you—these are cats who are a little shy and don't show their personalities well in a shelter environment.  Adoption fee is a suggested $150 but the ASPCA will accept whatever you can afford. 

The Humane Society of New York — Midtown East

Despite the all-encompassing name, the Humane Society of New York does not operate in conjunction with other organizations and is relatively small, housing only 200 animals max at any one time. Visits are by appointment only, which you can make only after your adoption form has been approved. Once you're accepted, a team member will reach out to discuss which animals at the shelter will be the best match for your family. 

Bideawee — Murray Hill

In operation for more than 100 years, Bideawee offers a lifelong support network to pet owners, including access to their animal hospital in Westhampton, education and training services, pet memorial parks, and a community of pet lovers.

You don't need an appointment to visit, but you can plan to bring home your new furry friend the very same day. If you already have a dog, the shelter requires you to bring them in to ensure they get along with their new sibling. When you're ready, a Bidawee Matchmaker will walk you through the process, consider all your information, and match you up with the perfect animal for your family. Bideawee also has another adoption location in Westhampton.

Animal Haven — Nolita

Animal Haven is a small no-kill local shelter that also offers training and rehab services. Potential adopters are encouraged to visit and meet the animals, then fill out an adoption application if you fall in love with one of their dogs or cats. The application is then processed and a meet-and-greet is scheduled, which every canine and human member of your household must attend. If you're a good fit, you'll be allowed to finalize the adoption.

Sean Casey Animal Rescue — Windsor Terrace

This small Brooklyn animal shelter socializes its animals before finding them a home, thereby making them a "SCAR grad." Although they mostly specialize in dogs, this shelter also houses some cats and exotic pets, like reptiles, birds, and rodents. It's not unusual to see a large tortoise or two hanging out in their yard during your visit. 

Want to experience what it's like to own a dog before you commit? The Sean Casey shelter lets you take their dogs for a walk! No appointment is required—just stop by with your ID (kids are welcome too, but they're not allowed to hold the leash on their own). This is a great way to get the dogs exercise and socialization and to give potential owners the chance to get to know the dog. 

Bobbi and the Strays — Glendale 

Founded in 1998 by Roberta “Bobbi” Giordano, this shelter rescues animals from difficult situations and provides them with the love and medical care that they need. Animals at Bobbi's are treated for health issues, spayed and neutered, given their vaccinations, and provided any special care that they need. Their adoption requirements are a bit different from other shelters: They only adopt out to NYC and Long Island residents, they do a house visit to ensure that the pet is going to a suitable space, and their required age of adoption is 25 (it's 18-21 in most other NYC shelters). All these rules are in place to make sure that each animal finds a home that's perfect for them. The organization also hosts several community programs, including an anti-bullying workshop for kids and a planned "Bobbi's Book Nook," where kids can read to adoptable cats. 

North Shore Animal League America — Port Washington, Long Island

The North Shore Animal League is the world's largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization. You can browse online for available dogs and cats or go to its adoption center to meet potential pets in the spacious facility. The animals at this shelter are well cared for, receiving medical care if needed before they're offered up for adoption. The shelter also includes a lot of information about each animal's needs and personality right on the website, to make it easier to find a pet with the right temperament for your household. 

A personal note: My husband and I were references for a friend when he got his (amazing) dog here and they were diligent about calling and ensuring that he had the space and financial capability to care for the dog. 

Breed-Specific Rescues

If you are looking for a specific breed, you may be able to find it at a local shelter, but you can also search the internet for a rescue that focuses only on your desired pedigree. For instance, the NYC Shiba Rescue specializes in (of course) shiba inus, the Long Island-based New York Bully Crew rescues pit bulls and pit mixes from bad situations and kill shelters, and Waggytail is a small dog and cat rescue that's 100% foster-based, to name just a few. A website like Petfinder can also be a huge help since it allows filtering by breed. 

Cat Cafes

NYC currently has three cat cafes: Koneko, Meow Parlour, and Brooklyn Cat Cafe. While it's fun to visit them just to hang out with the kitties, they're also a fantastic place to find your new forever cat. All cats at the cat cafes are adoptable through different shelters and rescue centers, Visiting the cafes also gives you a chance to interact with the kitties in a natural, more relaxed environment and discover which cat is best suited for your family. 

Pet Stores

You might not consider a pet store as a place to adopt (rather than shop) but many stores, including Petco and Petland, work with adoption agencies. Petco, for instance, has adoptable cats and kittens from KittyKind, while PetSmart works with several charities, including an organization that transports stray dogs from China to find their forever homes here in the States. 

Pet stores also often host adoption drives and mobile adoption events in collaboration with local rescue centers. Keep an eye out for an event near you.

Things To Consider Before Adopting a Pet

Is your home ready for your first pet? Roughly 20% of adopted pets are returned to the shelter within six months of adoption. Pet adoption isn't something you can take lightly, and you definitely want to be sure that your home is ready for a new permanent family member. 

Many shelters have information for prospective adopters that reviews what you should consider before you adopt. For instance, the Sean Casey Animal Shelter recommends asking yourself these seven questions before you take the plunge:

1. What kind of pet do I want?
2. Am I prepared financially for a pet?
3. Does my Landlord allow pets?
4. Do I have enough space for a pet?
5. How much time do I have to dedicate to a pet?
6. Are all the people/pet(s) in my household ready for a new pet?
7. Does anyone in my household have allergies?

Answering these questions can get you on the road to finding the right pet for you—or deciding that it might not be the right time for you. 

If you do decide that adoption is the right move, the ASPCA has a more in-depth guide on how to choose a pet and prepare your home for their arrival on their website. 

Kim Franchino, Bideawee’s Senior Manager of Rescue & Welfare, offers some more insight into what to consider before you adopt a pet. "Adding a new furry member to your family could be a great decision that brings a lot of love into your home, saves an animal's life, and creates lots of fun memories," writes Kim. "However, adopting a pet is a serious commitment." She cites five main points to consider:

• It's a long commitment, with dogs and cats living between 10 and 18 years, and some living well into their 20s. 
• Your family's lifestyle will determine what kind of personality to seek in a pet. Is there someone home most of the day, or would your pet be alone most of the time? Do you take a lot of vacations? 
• If you have other pets in the home already, their personalities and ages will also be something to consider when adopting a new pet.
• Training and socialization needs will vary by animal. Certain animals need more consistent work with getting socialized around others, and potty training can take a long time with months of work! 
• Children's personalities and ages are, of course, also an important factor to consider.

Kim writes: "Believe it or not, as cute as a young puppy or kitten seems, they can be the scariest type of animals to children! This is because they don't know boundaries yet and are children themselves- puppies and kittens are more likely to excitedly chase a moving target (like a scared child running away from a jumping puppy), are more likely to jump, and are more mouthy, which can be really scary to a child, even if the animal is not being aggressive in any way."

If all that sounds intimidating, you may be tempted to start smaller. However, don't make the mistake of getting a smaller animal as a "starter" pet. Birds, rodents, fish, and reptiles require just as much care as a larger animal. It's also much harder to find a vet who can help you with a sick "exotic" animal, as non-dog and -cat animals tend to be classified—a fact I know all too well when I had to scramble to find someone who would see my egg-bound budgie, and then figure out how to pay the exorbitant emergency care fees following the visit.

And at the end of the day, if you're still not absolutely sure that pet adoption is right for you, you can consider fostering, instead. Fostering an animal is a great way to introduce your household to an animal with a shorter time commitment. Nearly all the shelters on the list above take volunteers for animal fostering, so reach out to any of them if you're interested in opening your home to a pet temporarily. 

Who knows, you might just "fail" at fostering and find your forever pet this way!