Sponsorship is your personal monthly donation commitment to support critical programs offered by North Shore Animal League America. In line with our no-kill promise, our Pet Sponsorship Program provides medical treatment for all the special-needs pets in the program. These animals are ensured the support they need – even when that means providing lifelong care.
Yes, of course you can. The minimum for each Sponsor Pet is $5.00 per month.
Yes, you can give the gift of Pet Sponsorship to someone who shares your passion for animals. Just call our toll-free number 1-877-Be-My-Pal or email us at [email protected].
You can sign up to become a sponsor on our website using a credit card or over the phone using our toll-free number 1-877-Be-My-Pal.
Send the Foster Care Program Manager the person’s contact information and we will be in touch with them regarding our adoption process.
All of our adoptable pets are listed on multiple pet search websites, such as Petfinder. We regularly share updates on our animals in foster care via social media (mainly Facebook and Instagram) and do work behind the scenes to match interested adopters with available animals. We also encourage fosters to advertise their foster animal on their own social media pages as well.
North Shore Animal League America covers the cost of veterinary care for foster animals at our Medical Center only. Appointments can be scheduled directly with the medical center or through the Foster Care Program Manager .
Please give the Foster Program Manager at least 1 week notice if you will be travelling and need supervision for your foster animal. You will make plans with the Foster Program Manager to either return the animal to Animal League America or bring the animal to another approved foster.
This is not a “foster to adopt” program. Fostering is intended to provide temporary care to an animal. We work hard to make sure each animal is adopted into the most compatible home and acknowledge that sometimes it is their foster home. If you are interested in adopting your foster animal you must contact the Foster Care Program Manager as soon as possible since foster parents do not have the first right to adopt. If the animal does not have any interested adopters at the time the foster expresses interest in adopting, the foster parent may submit an adoption application to potentially adopt the animal.
Sometimes. We always match newly approved fosters with their first foster animal based on their experience level and parameters listed in your application (under 25 lbs, friendly with other cats, etc.). After that, fosters can respond to foster opportunities that come up through our email newsletter or on social media. Keep in mind that the animals that are in need of foster homes vary and we can’t always give fosters a choice between multiple animals.
*Note: Not every animal seen on our website is eligible for fostering.
Welcoming a new foster into your home is an exciting experience. It is important to acclimate your new foster animal appropriately. Upon being accepted into our Foster Care Program, you will be briefed with the proper home acclimation methods for dogs and/or cats. Often times this is the animals first experience in a home, you should expect to work on common training issues such as house training, proper eating regimen, and socialization. We always provide fosters with as much information as we have and take into consideration the foster’s experience level when placing an animal.
If you run into additional behavior issues with your foster animal, we have a team of pet behaviorists as well as Foster Care Program staff who would be happy to assist you in correcting the problem. More often than not, it is a small issue that can be corrected with a little extra attention and time. We always ask, no matter how small the issue is that you notify the Foster Care Program Manager so we can make sure it is handled properly.
Fostering is extremely rewarding, but we acknowledge that sometimes it can also be difficult and emotionally taxing. Every foster experience is different, but we’re always here to help and have a community of veteran fosters who help guide new fosters through the trials and tribulations of fostering. Often times, this will be the first home the animal has ever known so we ask that all foster animals are given the courtesy of an open mind and patience while they are settling into their new environment. Fostering is fun, rewarding, awesome, and so many other things, but nobody will say that it is easy.
Yes, but you need to make proper arrangements for the animal to be cared for during the day. This may include coming home on your lunch break to care for them or hiring a professional dog walker.
- Adult dogs must be let outside to relieve themselves at least 3x/day (the longest they can be left alone is 6 hours) and fed 2x/day (morning & evening). They also require proper exercise and mental stimulation. Puppies require even more attention and supervision, and are not typically placed with a foster who works out of the home full time.
- Adult cats must have their litterboxes scooped at least 2x/day and be fed 2x/day (morning & evening). They should receive socialization and fosters should plan to spend at least 10-15 minutes a few times each day engaging your cat in some form of activity. Kittens require even more attention and stimulation, and are usually placed in pairs.
On a daily basis, you are responsible for providing your foster animal with love, food/water, shelter, safety, training and proper socialization.
You are expected to be available via phone call, text, and/or email to provide updates on how the animal is doing, coordinate vet appointment or meetings with potential adopters. You must answer any questions we may have about your foster animal honestly so that we can make sure they stay healthy and all of their needs are met. You are expected to transport your animal to our Port Washington, NY campus whenever necessary, when given reasonable notice for purposes including veterinary care, readmission to the shelter, meetings with potential adopters, training, etc. You are expected to make plans to pick up any supplies you need directly with the Foster Care Program Manager and return all supplies to Animal League America so that it is available for another foster to access. We also ask that fosters send us photos and videos of the foster animals in the home to use on the animal’s online profile and our social media channels.
Animal League America provides its foster parents with any core supplies that their foster animal needs, medical care, basic training and support from our foster team and community! Supplies includes food, basic care supplies (collar, ID tag, leash, bowls, size appropriate crates or carriers, beds, etc.), medication, preventative care and more! If you like a particular brand, unfortunately you would have to supply that yourself. We can only supply you with what we have in stock here at our Port Washington, NY campus.
Yes, as long as your animal is altered, up-to-date on all core vaccines and on monthly preventatives! We will need your veterinarian’s contact information for a vet reference to verify your animal’s medical history. Keep in mind that the foster animal is coming from a shelter or hospital environment and could be harboring an illness, so we recommend keeping the animal separate from your resident animal for at least two weeks.
Yes, our 2024 All-Cash Sweepstakes ends Dec. 31, 2024, and prize winners will be chosen no later than Jan. 31, 2025, from all eligible entries received. Simply return your reply form by the deadline date indicated in the package you received, and you’ll get an entry for a chance to win any of the major prizes we’re giving away. Reply by the Fast 50 date and you’ll be entered for a chance to win one of our Fast 50 prizes. Visit our 2024 Sweepstakes Rules page for a complete outline of all rules and disclosures in our newest sweepstakes.
Our 2026 All-Cash Sweepstakes ends Dec. 31, 2026, and prize winners will be chosen no later than Jan. 29, 2027, from all eligible entries received. Simply respond by Dec. 31, 2026, and you’ll get an entry for a chance to win any of the prizes mentioned. Reply by the Fast 50 date mentioned, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win one of our Fast 50 prizes. Visit our 2026 Sweepstakes Rules page for a complete outline of all rules and disclosures for our 2026 Sweepstakes.
Note some of our direct mail packages have amended 2026 rules, where those who wish to enter our ALL-CASH 2026 Sweepstakes without giving a donation MUST respond online by going to the web link mentioned in the package received. Those giving a contribution can mail back their response or go online to donate and enter. Visit our amended 2026 Sweepstakes Rules page for a complete outline of all the amended rules and disclosures for our 2026 Sweepstakes.
Just call us at 516-883-7900, extension 700 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Give us your name and address, and we will remove your name from our list. Please note that you may continue to receive mail for a short period until the removal takes effect, after which you will not receive any future mailings.
As many similar organizations regularly do, North Shore Animal League America may rent or exchange your name with other organizations. The reason we do this is to secure additional income so that we can save more animals’ lives. However, we would be happy to remove your name from our rental list at your request. Just call us at 516-883-7900, extension 700, and give us your name and address for removal. You may also contact the Direct Marketing Association, to have you added to their national registry. This will allow you to reduce the amount of national commercial or nonprofit mail you receive at home. You can register online, or via mail.
Because of good friends like you, we continue to save tens of thousands of animals each year – over 1.1 million since we began in 1944. Please take a tour of our website and learn about all of the wonderful programs at North Shore Animal League America.
If you would like to receive a sweepstakes mailing from us it’s simple. Just send us via email (or regular mail) your complete name and mailing address along with your request to be added to our sweepstakes mailing list and we will add your name to our next available mailing.
You can unsubscribe directly from the bottom of any e-mail message sent to you from NSALA; you can log into your online account; or you can send us an email at [email protected].
We’re pleased to update your mailing information. Simply email us at [email protected] and be sure to include your name and both the old address and your new address.
We would be happy to update your mailing information. Please email us at [email protected] and provide both the incorrect name on your package and your correct name and address, too.
To be taken off of our mailing list, please email us at [email protected] and be sure to include your complete name and address.
If there is an animal shelter that has been affected by a disaster like Hurricane Katrina, the Animal League will utilize its’ the mobile rescue/adoption units. When unexpected disaster strikes, many shelters are inundated with additional animals coming in as a result of the disaster. The Animal League provides transport to safety for displaced animals, emergency triage care, as well as humane relocation of animals to the Animal League shelter in New York.
A rescued animal can stay at the Animal League as long as it takes to find a loving home. Most of the animals are prepared for adoption within three or four days. They are groomed, medically examined, behaviorally evaluated, vaccinated and spayed or neutered prior to adoption. On average, most of the dogs and cats at the Animal League find loving homes within a week. This quick turn around time enables the Animal League to maximize the number of lives saved. There are special needs dogs, cats, puppies and kittens that may take months to find the right match.
Sadly, there are homeless animals all over the country and the Animal League rescues them from death. Each year, the out of state humane relocation program saves the lives of over 7,000 puppies and dogs nationally by transporting them to the safety of the Animal League. This is the largest humane relocation program in the country. In addition, over 11,000 more homeless dogs, cats, puppies and kittens are saved through local and tri-state area rescue and adoption programs. The majority of the rescued animals come from overcrowded municipal animal shelters where they would not have had a chance for adoption.
Rather than spending thousands of dollars at the local pet store, rescuing an animal from a shelter is much more rewarding since you are saving a life and also much less expensive. You can usually adopt a pet from your local shelter or rescue group for a modest adoption fee which will include vaccinations and spaying or neutering. Most shelters and rescue groups offer support services such as training and medical care for the adopted animal. On the other hand, most pet stores buy their animals from cruel puppy mills. When you buy an animal from a pet store, you are increasing the demand for the cruel supply of mill produced animals. Every animal adopted from a shelter whether it is a no-kill shelter or not, will help save a life.
For more information or to let us know if you have already included the Animal League in your estate plans, please contact our Office of Planned Giving at (516) 883-7900 ext.354 or email us at [email protected].
All inquiries will be kept strictly confidential, and imply no obligation to make a gift.
Becoming a member is as easy as it is important, and there are many ways to do it:
- You can name the Animal League as a beneficiary of your estate through a will or trust document
- You can create a Charitable Remainder Trust naming the Animal League as a beneficiary
- You can make the Animal League a full or partial beneficiary of a life insurance or retirement plan
- You can name the Animal League as a beneficiary of a transfer on death bank or stock account
A “planned gift” can come in many forms, but they all share a common characteristic in that the Animal League’s use of the gift is deferred in your lifetime.
Planned gifts are an essential element in our continued mission to save over 20,000 cats, dogs, puppies, and kittens each year and find them new, loving homes. As you will learn from the information contained in this section, there are many ways to make your own planned gift and contribute to our life-saving mission.
Everyone who makes a planned gift to the Animal League becomes a member of the Pet Protectors Society and will be recognized (either by name or anonymously) as an essential supporter of the Animal League. Membership in the Pet Protectors Society is a wonderful way to evidence, both now and in the future, your love of animals and your commitment to their protection.
Monthly Sponsorship offers great rewards. You will receive a personalized certificate and color photo of your sponsor pet, a letter of appreciation from North Shore Animal League America, updates highlighting the health and wellbeing of special needs pets three to four times a year, and Animal League America’s quarterly newsletter, Paw Prints.
Many of our special-needs pets are adopted into a loving, responsible home, but require long-term care for their special needs. Animal League America will continue to provide for each of them, even if it’s for the rest of their lives. Without this support most of the pets with costly needs would be overlooked. Our promise is to continue the funding and we hope you will remain committed to our lifesaving program.
Credit card and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) withdrawals are made on the last business day of each month. These methods get more of your money to the pets in our care and allow Animal League America to plan ahead, effectively saving more lives.
Yes, you reserve the right to change: your monthly pledge amount; the number of monthly sponsor pets; your donation payment method at any time. It’s quick and easy, call our toll-free number 1-877-Be-My-Pal or email us at [email protected] and we’ll take care of it for you right away.
Yes, you can! As a valuable supporter and animal lover, we certainly don’t want to see you go, but we understand that a supporter’s ability to make a monthly gift may change over time. Just call our toll-free number 1-877-Be-My-Pal or email us at [email protected] and we’ll cancel your sponsorship. If, however, you decide at any time to reinstate your sponsorship, we’d be more than happy to bring you back into our beloved family of Sponsors!
Yes, there are! If you have been a monthly giving Sponsor for five years, you will become a Lifeline Sponsor. If you have been a monthly giving Sponsor for 10 years, you become a Guardian Angel Sponsor. More importantly, your generosity is appreciated by all the dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens who so desperately need your help.
Pregnant dogs and cats are often the first to be euthanized in an overcrowded municipal shelter, because they don’t have the staff or facilities to care for pregnant mothers or their litters. These animals give birth in our Nursery where their litters are safe from destruction. Your monthly donations to the Nursery will continue to provide these babies, their mothers and all the animals in our care, with a safe place to live, nourishment and the medical attention they so desperately need.
Animals with conditions and illnesses that will remain with them for the rest of their lives would likely be euthanized elsewhere, but not at North Shore Animal League America. As a no-kill shelter, we make a commitment to all animals. The special medical needs of all our Sponsor Pets are covered by Animal League America. This eliminates the additional lifelong costs for a special needs pet as an adoption deterrent. Please become a Sponsor to help care for the special needs dogs and cats, and all our rescue animals and together we can make a difference!
We have outpatient hours from 10am – 6pm every day of the year. The last appointment for the day is scheduled at 5:30pm. You can make an appointment by calling the Foster Care Program Manager or the Foster Care Coordinator.
That depends on when the veterinarian needs to see the animal again, and when it can finally go up for adoption. Usually the veterinarian likes to see the foster animals at least monthly.
There are a wide variety of canines and felines looking for foster homes, including:
- Kittens and puppies that are too young for adoption
- Cats and dogs recovering from surgery, illness, or injury that need a place to heal
- Newly rescued or other animals that are not thriving in the shelter environment
- Cats and dogs with special needs (both behavioral and/or medical)
- Senior cats and dogs looking for a home to spend their retirement
- Cat and dog nursing litters that need a quiet home to thrive
We have a wonderful Pet Behavior Department that can help with many of these problems. Please contact the Foster Care Program Manager to be connected.
There is always an adjustment period for fosters (humans and animals!). Fosters are expected to work through challenges with their foster animal with the help of the Foster Care Program and Pet Behavior personnel. However, we understand that sometimes it isn’t the right fit. In that case, you would make arrangements with the Foster Care Program Manager to return the animal, and we can try to find you another animal to foster that might be a better match.
Contact the Foster Care Program Manager & Medical Center immediately. If the emergency occurs after hours or our medical center is closed, contact the Foster Care Program Manager and if it is a true medical emergency, take the foster animal to the nearest emergency veterinary hospital. We will only cover the cost of an emergency visit if we consider the condition a true veterinary emergency, which we define as a condition that is immediately life threatening to the animal.
Please call the Foster Care Program Manager or the Pet Health Center to make an appointment for the animal to be seen by a veterinarian.
We hope that you plan ahead, but if you do run out of food you can always call and get more. If it is late at night, please try to feed the animal something similar to what they are already eating; if it is formula (for kittens), there is a recipe in the workbook that you can make at home.
We ask that you wait until your kitten/puppy or your cat/dog has been fully vaccinated and in the home for more than a month.
Great! Have them call the Foster Care Program Manager or Foster Care Coordinator with their information and we will contact them. They will have to come in and fill out an application and pay the adoption fee. They must go through the same process to be approved for an adoption as any adopter.
If you are no longer able to foster, please notify the Foster Care Program Manager to be removed from our program. If you currently have a foster pet in your care, please contact the Foster Care Program Manager to make plans to return the animal (and all supplies). We require a one (1) week notice to remove an animal.
Please call the Foster Care Coordinator, the Foster Care Program Manager, or the front desk of the Pet Health Center as soon as possible. The phone number for the Pet Health Center is 516-883-2000.
Sorry, no — only Animal League-owned animals (foster animals). However, we do have an affordable veterinarian care Pet Health Center at the Animal League. Their phone number is 516-883-2000, or you can email them at [email protected].
No. If you bring your foster animal to an outside veterinarian, we will not cover or reimburse you for the expenses. North Shore Animal League America is a non-profit organization and cannot cover the cost of another vet; the animal must come back here for care. Our medical center is open from 10AM – 6PM every day. The last appointment for the day is scheduled at 5:30pm.
It depends on your time, space and the needs of the foster pets — you can foster a whole litter of kittens ranging from 2-8 at a time, or a litter of puppies.
Sorry, no — the foster animal must come back to Animal League America if you go out of town. We can board the animal while you are away and then depending on the animal, you can foster them again once you return.
It varies! We have both short term foster opportunities that last a couple of weeks and longer term foster opportunities that last over a month or until the animal is adopted.
No. We have older animals (one year and older) that do not need round-the-clock care. If you are seeking to foster a puppy, you do need to be home most of the day.
If you are interested in fostering, please fill out an application here. You must be 21 or older, live in the NYC metro area, and be allowed to have animals in the home. If you live with family or roommates, please check with all of the adults in the household to make sure everybody wants to foster.
It depends on the severity of your allergies and what your doctor recommends. There are some canine breeds that are less likely to cause an allergic reaction than others.
No, in fact, there are many dogs and cats that would be ideal for this situation. Our Adoption Counselors will help you find the dogs and cats in our adoption center that would do well in this situation.
Please call (516) 883-7575 and speak with one of our representatives. NSALA is a limited admission no-kill facility, which means once we admit an animal, we care for them until we find them a home. This distinction also limits how many pets we can accept based on the space available in our shelter. Our counselors can explain this in more detail, so please call us and we will help if we can.
It’s estimated that about 25% of the animals in shelters nationwide are purebred. If you are interested in a specific breed, ask to have your contact information placed on our waiting list of people interested in purebred animals. Come visit the shelter, you may be able to find an animal that has traits that are similar to those of the breed you have in mind.
Usually, we have a nice selection of breed-specific dogs in our adoption center. They are adopted quickly. In case you don’t find what you’re looking for on your first trip, you can complete an adoption pre-approval form and submit a special request. Our Adoption Counselors will call you once we find the right pet for you.
Although we have a wide variety of breeds, you will almost always find a large selection of mixed-breed animals – pets we call Mutt-i-grees®. Our large selection of Mutt-i-grees® come in a great variety of sizes, shapes and colors, and our counselors will help you find your perfect match.
Many of the animals at the Animal League are puppies and kittens that are just starting their lives. Older dogs and cats may have had previous owners, and in most cases these wonderful pets were relinquished to us simply because their owners moved. Many adult pets have already been exposed to house-breaking and obedience training. Remember, too, that companion animals are remarkably adaptable and have a boundless capacity for love. Just because an animal has lived with someone else first, doesn’t mean they won’t make a wonderful companion for you!
Even with the best-behaved animal, you should expect a period of adjustment as your pet becomes used to its new home, family, and routine. No animal, no matter where it comes from, is problem-free or comes with a health and behavior guarantee, but if you’re prepared to provide your new family pet with some time, training, and patience, your reward will be a loving friend and companion.
Yes. At the Animal League, we carefully screen animals for serious health and behavior issues.
I am interested in adopting an animal listed on your website. Who do I contact for more information?
We have many animals available for adoption and receive many inquiries about these pets. You can learn more about an animal by clicking the blue “INQUIRE ABOUT…” button at the bottom of their adoption profile pages. Or, if you live in the area, we suggest that you come down and visit us. Click here for regular hours and directions to our Port Washington, NY campus. If you have a specific question that you would like answered prior to coming to see us, please email us at [email protected] or call us at (516) 883-7575.
Our adoption fees are as follows:
| Puppies (up to 6 months) | $375 |
| Adult Dogs (over 6 months) | $125 |
| Puppy Mill Rescues (over 6 months) | $325 |
| Small Breed & Pure Breeds (over 6 months) | $325 |
| Kittens (up to 6 months) | $125 |
| Double Kittens | $200 |
| Adult Cats (over 6 months) | $75 |
| Double Adult Cats | $100 |
Where applicable, a $50 Spay/Neuter deposit is required for kittens, $75 for puppies. Please note that adoption fees at our mobile adoption locations may vary.
Every shelter has its own policies for approving adoptions. Our adoption screening process is designed to ensure that each animal is placed with a responsible person, one that’s prepared to make a lifelong commitment. An important part of the adoption process is to match the life-style and needs of the adopter with the individual dog or cat being considered. If the screening process occasionally seems overly strict, please try to remember that our first priority is to consider every animal’s best interests.
When you visit North Shore Animal League America’s adoption center, an Adoption Counselor will help you determine the type of animal that will best fit your lifestyle. They will introduce you to the animals you are interested in. The meet and greet will give you the opportunity to bond with your potential companion. You will have plenty of time to play and interact with your new friend in our family-friendly areas designated for that purpose. When you decide to adopt an animal, the counselor will walk you through the process and help you complete the application.
We are located in Port Washington, NY. For driving directions and public access information please click here.
As the world’s largest no-kill pet rescue and animal adoption organization, North Shore Animal League America has hundreds of puppies, kittens, dogs and cats just waiting to join your family. Learn more