Volunteerism at the AC&C
Over the years, even when the ASPCA ran the City's animal shelter system, volunteers periodically rebelled
against the dysfunction and, at times, outright cruelty they witnessed. The response -- by ASPCA and AC&C
alike -- had sometimes been to lock out volunteers in retaliation. The Comptroller's Audits of the AC&C
criticized this outrageous practice, and emphasized how volunteers must be invited into the shelter, made to
feel welcomed, and encouraged to offer their talents and labors to help the shelter animals.
Beginning in mid-2006, volunteers became more assertive in their efforts to improve the shelters. They offered
to photograph and write up bios about shelter animals -- as the AC&C intake photos were (and remain)
disgraceful, and bios had been non-existent. Volunteers asked for and were granted access to the AC&C's
internal software program in order to create and post their materials. That was a decisive moment, enabling
volunteers to identify endemic problems with the software program, data inputting, and (most important) how
some animals were being overlooked or forgotten. Volunteers insisted on a dog walking program involving
volunteers and staff. Volunteers started a Compassion Program to give comfort to dogs facing euthanasia.
Volunteers insisted on a Cat Enrichment Program (which is still in its infancy). In late 2007, Volunteers asked
new AC&C management to ensure that Cruelty Seizure dogs no longer be held 24/7 in cages for months at a
time. A Cruelty Seizure Committee was formed. A staff position was created to oversee all the cruelty cases
and to coordinate with the District Attorney and an outside pro bono attorney. The seized animals were to be
given special attention, treatment, rehabilitation and, hopefully, a new home as soon as feasible.
Volunteer morale and numbers began to grow. Manhattan always benefited from a more substantial volunteer
force than Brooklyn (which is located in an uninviting area of that borough). Even so, for two years Brooklyn
had a small but effective corps of talented volunteer photographers/biographers. The Staten Island shelter
never benefited from the new volunteer movement, however.
Beginning in the last quarter of 2009, volunteerism began to plummet. There were volunteer complaints about
how some of them were being treated by management. Many volunteers were frustrated at how their concerns
about animals were being ignored. A Volunteer Coordinator, after serving for only a few months, abruptly
resigned. Volunteers were left in limbo. Brooklyn was hardest hit: volunteers dropped down to a handful.
In December 2009, volunteers complained to the new Interim Executive Director. They pointed not only to the
lack of leadership for them, but also how the AC&C appeared to be looking to volunteers to make up for a
noticeable drop in staffing.
While AC&C management made good on their promise to find a new Volunteer Coordinator (one was
announced on December 5, 2010), they were silent about the understaffing issue.
We wish the new Volunteer Coordinator the best in her efforts to revive the volunteer force in all three shelters.
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