FAQ

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Member Support can be reached at (800) 628-0028 , but please review the FAQs below to see if the information you're looking for has been addressed.

The ASPCA is regularly the subject of news coverage in local and national print, digital, and broadcast media outlets. For current media news, please visit our online pressroom . News media professionals, please contact the ASPCA Media & Communications team using our media request form or call (212) 876-7700 ext. 4655.

There is only one ASPCA, and the headquarters are in New York City. Although we assist local SPCAs with resources, such as training and grant funding, we are not directly affiliated with them.

The ASPCA does have facilities and limited services in select locations across the county. For more information, please visit our NYC , Los Angeles , Miami , and North Carolina webpages.

The ASPCA supports local shelters and rescue groups with a variety of resources to help save the lives of animals in communities throughout the U.S. These efforts include grant funding, disaster response efforts, behavioral rehabilitation, relocation of homeless animals, training to identify and respond to animal cruelty, and so much more.

ASPCApro.org is a website dedicated solely for animal welfare professionals that provides training, research and resources to help animal welfare professionals save more lives.

Reporting animal cruelty varies state by state and even city by city. Always start with your local police department and Animal Care & Control. You can also visit our Report Animal Cruelty page for more information.

If you are in NYC and witness animal cruelty in action, please call 911. If you would like to report suspected animal cruelty, please call 311.

The ASPCA is a driving force behind the creation and passage of lifesaving animal welfare legislation, including strengthening anti-cruelty laws, fighting commercial dog breeding operations (often known as puppy mills), protecting horses from slaughter, and much more. We work to enact policies that protect animals on the local, state, and federal levels of government. Visit our Improving Laws for Animals section for more information.

The ASPCA's executive compensation policies and practices are consistent with IRS rules regarding "reasonable compensation" for nonprofits and are similar to other organizations of similar size and scope. The combined average total compensation over the last three years of our executive leadership team at the ASPCA amounts to approximately 1.39% of our total annual budget, a slim margin. Visit our Annual Report page to see our compensation practices and copies of our latest annual report and our most recently filed IRS Form 990.

The ASPCA does not euthanize animals simply due to being returned, space constraints, or lack of housing options. We have extensive programs in place to find appropriate adoption or placement options for the animals in our care while also recognizing that we have the responsibility to make the best decisions for each animal and the community in which we live, particularly in cases involving severe behavior or medical issues or dogs deemed dangerous under applicable law. Euthanasia must be understood for what it is: a last step to spare animals from further hardship and suffering, and in some cases, to ensure the safety of the community.

Because the term "no kill" has different meanings to different people, it's not one we use to describe ourselves. The ASPCA's number one priority is improving positive outcomes for animals. Specifically, we seek to increase the number of lives saved and decrease the number of animals admitted to shelters.

We achieve these objectives by working in partnership with other animal welfare organizations, creating and funding innovative programs, conducting research that helps inform and improve sheltering work, and by challenging ourselves and our partners to meet the needs of animals and their people in the communities we serve.

Please visit our Policies and Positions section for our position on no-kill community coalitions .

Each year in the U.S., billions of pigs, chickens, cows and other farm animals are raised and slaughtered for food on industrial facilities that are more like factories than farms. Animals suffer from extreme crowding, caging, painful mutilations, neglect, and the inability to engage in the most basic, natural behaviors. This is inhumane and out of step with mainstream American values.

The ASPCA is dedicated to addressing farm animal suffering by promoting higher-welfare farming practices and increasing public awareness about how to make more humane food choices. The ASPCA's Shop With Your Heart program provides resources to help navigate food labels, including a list of higher-welfare and plant-based food brands. We also offer the ShopKind Helpline , a text-based service where shoppers can get a quick response from an ASPCA expert about questions related to farm animal welfare and how to find and demand alternatives to factory-farmed products. Visit Shop With Your Heart for more information.

In addition to these resources, we also work with food companies and farmers to help them transition to independently verified higher-welfare farming practices. We also encourage lawmakers and citizens to advance laws that would better protect farm animals from cruelty, clarify misleading food labels and promote the transition from factory farming to better practices. With the help of concerned and engaged consumers, advocates, businesses and lawmakers, we know that a more compassionate food and farming system is possible and are working hard to make it the way of the future.

Since the ASPCA's founding over 155 years ago, equine protection has been an important part of our efforts. The ASPCA works with the rescue community and equine industries to help horses safely transition to new careers and homes and increase horse adoption. We also provide grant funding to horse rescues, work to increase safety net support for horse owners, enhance anti-cruelty efforts to stop equine abuse, and work toward a permanent ban on horse slaughter in America. Visit our horse welfare page for more information on our work.

The ASPCA is the oldest animal welfare organization in the country and a leader in hands-on work protecting, rescuing, and caring for thousands of vulnerable animals nationwide. We are honored to partner and collaborate with local shelters, rescues, and other animal welfare groups as we all work toward the same goal of helping save and improve the lives of animals in communities throughout the U.S., and we strongly support the independent work of these organizations.

The ASPCA:

• Operates a 24/7 Animal Poison Control Center , which provides assistance to pets in emergency situations, 365 days a year
• Assists authorities in animal cruelty investigations around the country, and helps to rescue the victims, and provides legal support to help bring animal abusers to justice
• Rehabilitates extremely fearful homeless dogs and paves the way in animal behavior best practices
• Deploys our response team nationwide to assist animals impacted by natural disasters
• Helps find animals loving homes by working with shelters across the country to relocate homeless animals to areas where they have their best chance of adoption
• Provides grants, training and resources to local animal welfare and rescue groups from coast to coast
• Offers community services in Los Angeles , New York City , Miami , and Asheville to help keep pets in homes and out of shelters
• Advocates for legislation and public policies that protect animals and combat cruelty

Help get legislation passed by joining the ASPCA's Advocacy Brigade . As a member of our Advocacy Brigade, you will receive regular updates informing you of the introduction and status of various bills pending in your state legislature and Congress and what you can do to help. Active involvement by concerned individuals like you is extremely important in the successful passage of legislation to better protect animals.

The ASPCA Events department creates and engineers major fundraising events for the ASPCA including, the ASPCA Humane Awards Luncheon. Should you have interest in attending any ASPCA fundraising event, please e-mail Jessica Lanzetta in the Events department at [email protected] . Please visit our ASPCA Events page for updated information.

Yes, the ASPCA is a 501(c)(3) charity, and your donation may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed under applicable law.

Of course! Please make your money order or check payable to the ASPCA and send it to:
ASPCA Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 96929, Washington, DC 20090-6929.

13-1623829

Based on our latest available financial data, approximately 77 cents of every dollar we spend advances the ASPCA's mission through lifesaving programs and services around the country. More information on how donations are put to work can be found here.

Although donations cannot be specified or designated to a particular program or fund, rest assured that the support of our members is greatly appreciated and the ASPCA will use those donations in the area of greatest need.

You can obtain a matching gift form from your human resources department and return it to the ASPCA, or you can search for your company and complete a matching gift form online . You can also email [email protected] if you have any other questions about our matching gift program or call Member Support at (800) 628-0028 .

Yes! The ASPCA now has an online store hosted through Amazon. You can visit the ASPCA's Amazon Store to purchase ASPCA apparel in a variety of sizes.

It's easy! You can donate any car, truck, R.V., or boat—in any condition and from any location—to help us save animals and get a tax deduction at the same time. Visit our vehicle donation page for more information or to get started on your donation.

Including the ASPCA in your will or trust is a meaningful way to help us continue to serve animals in need. Many of our programs and services have benefitted from individuals who had the foresight to include the ASPCA in their estate plans. Visit our Planned Giving section to learn more about giving through bequests from your will, charitable gift annuity, retirement assets, life insurance, charitable remainder trust, and more.

Online: All of our secure donation forms on the ASPCA website have a URL that starts with "https://secure.aspca.org." Our e-mails are sent from e-mail addresses that include @aspca.org or @e.aspca.org. Learn more about the ways to give to the ASPCA.

If you suspect an email or website may be fraudulent, please contact the ASPCA directly at [email protected] to verify if we are aware of the situation, have authorized the use of our name, and do, in fact, receive support from them.

Phone Calls: The ASPCA periodically uses a paid fundraiser to call on behalf of the ASPCA. This ensures ASPCA can maintain the funding necessary to continue our lifesaving programs and be where we are needed to help vulnerable animals at a moment's notice. Any call placed on behalf of the ASPCA will clearly state that the call is being made on behalf of the ASPCA and will provide the name of the company calling. The caller will also be able to confirm your member I.D. number.

If you suspect a phone call may be fraudulent, please contact Member Support at (800) 628-0028 and provide the name of the company and phone number from which you were called to verify we have authorized them to make calls on our behalf.

There are three ways to make a tribute donation:

• Online: You can make an honor, memorial, or birthday gift online , which has an eCard and printed card option.
• By mail: If you'd like to send a check, please enclose a note indicating the name of the deceased or honoree, the name and the address of the person you wish us to contact concerning the donation, and who it is from. We will send out a tribute card to the person you've indicated. Please send your check to: ASPCA Tributes, 520 8th Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10018.
• By phone: We also accept credit card donations over the phone. Please call (800) 628-0028 .

We have special place cards that indicate that a donation has been made in honor of guests in lieu of favors. To receive place cards, you can donate online. You can also call (212) 876-7700, ext. 4516 to make your credit card donation over the phone, and your cards will be shipped. For more information, you can e-mail Linda Tiramani at [email protected] .

Thank you very much for your donation—and we are so sorry for any inconvenience that you may be having. First, you'll need to determine if the extra charge on your online credit card statement is a pending charge. A pending charge usually means that you submitted incomplete or inaccurate information when you made your donation. Even if you received an error message, your credit card company will still place a pending line item on your online statement. If you have determined that the extra charge is a pending charge, it will be canceled by your bank in a few days. If it is not a pending charge and has not been canceled after a few days, please contact Member Support at (800) 628-0028.

Thank you for your commitment to animals with your Guardian membership! Your monthly support makes a huge difference for vulnerable animals across the country. You can find our monthly giving FAQs on this page in the Guardian FAQ tab .

Our complimentary t-shirt for donors only comes in size XL (Extra Large). Stocking a single size reduces the ASPCA's costs, ensuring that more of your gift goes directly to our programs that benefit the animals we serve. If you would like to purchase a t-shirt in another size, you can visit the ASPCA's online store on Amazon.

It typically takes at least six to eight weeks from your donation date for your Welcome Pack to be processed and reach you. If you still have not received your Welcome Pack, you can contact Member Support by calling (800) 628-0028 .

Thank you for your support! This is likely the result of a delay between the date your renewal gift was received and keyed into our member database and when our renewal mailings were prepared and mailed. If you have renewed, please disregard any additional notices that you may have received.

ASPCA Guardian tax receipts are emailed automatically at the beginning of March. Printed tax receipts will be mailed at the end of March. If you need your receipt prior to this time frame, please call our Member Support team at (800) 628-0028, Monday through Friday 8AM to 8PM ET.

All of the animals in our commercials were rescued or cared for by the ASPCA. Many of the animals were rescued from cruelty cases like dogfighting, puppy mills, and hoarding situations, as well as natural disasters. Photos and videos are part of our evidence documentation process. All animals are transported to safety, where they receive immediate care and treatment from our expert team.

Yes, and you may see us in your area! The ASPCA's face-to-face fundraising program is a team of professional, knowledgeable, and highly trained fundraisers who aim to start conversations about the lifesaving work of the ASPCA and provide the opportunity to make an immediate difference for animals across the country. Look for them around your community!

You may see our dedicated and enthusiastic fundraisers on busy streets or outside businesses in your communities. Here's how you'll know you're talking with an authorized ASPCA fundraiser:

• They are wearing an orange or black ASPCA branded bib, jacket or shirt.
• They have a badge prominently displayed with their name and photo identifying them as a professional fundraiser with one of our partners: 3Sixty, Ascenta Group, New Canvassing Experience (NCE), or Up Fundraising.
• They have other ASPCA gear and materials.
• They have a tablet to collect payment information electronically.
• They will not accept cash or check donations.

If you have any questions about our fundraisers, please call (888) 779-5599 .

There are many ways to give to the ASPCA, but starting your own fundraiser is a great way to encourage your friends, family and community to get involved in helping animals.

Through Team ASPCA , you can easily start fundraising campaigns for your birthday, wedding, in honor of a special person or pet, or even an event.

You can also use your own Facebook and Instagram accounts to start fundraisers for the ASPCA.

Facebook has a guided setup to walk you through the process and even allows you to add your own text, dedication, and photo. Maybe you want to add a photo of your own adorable pet and dedicate it to them—you can customize it to your liking!

Instagram has step-by-step instructions on how to set up your fundraiser and will even help you post a link to your fundraiser in your bio.

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) is the premier animal poison control center in America. It's available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to assist pet parents and veterinarians when an animal has potentially ingested something toxic like human medication, chemicals, dangerous plants or other harmful products and substances. They receive an average of 1,000 calls a day, helping more than 200,000 animals each year. A fee may apply to help offset the cost of having certified toxicologists available at all times. Visit our APCC page for more information.

If you suspect your pet may have been poisoned or has ingested a toxic substance, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) at (888) 426-4435 . APCC is a national telephone hotline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and staffed with veterinarians and Board Certified Veterinary Toxicologists who can properly answer your questions. Please note: There is a fee for this lifesaving service.

The ASPCA does not provide emergency medical advice over phone, email or social media. We urge you to take your pet to a local vet immediately.

If you suspect your pet may have been poisoned or has ingested a toxic substance, please call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) 24-hour emergency hotline at (888) 426-4435 . Please note: There is a fee for this lifesaving service.

There is no reason to believe that a person is either incapable or unwilling to properly care for their pet merely because they are unhoused. Studies have shown that the homeless often put their pets first, and there is no correlation between income and a pet owner's ability and desire to care for their pet. Therefore, the ASPCA's work is focused on ensuring that there are more supportive services to help keep people and pets together. In any situation where you witness what you believe to be animal cruelty where you live, you should report it to local law enforcement.

The ASPCA believes that laws should protect animals in jeopardy, and this includes laws that permit law enforcement as well as regular citizens to intervene where animals are trapped in hot cars. These laws are in effect in some places, but not all, so it is best to know the law where you live to figure out what you are permitted to do in these circumstances. Whenever you believe an animal is at risk in a hot car, call 911 immediately so that law enforcement can respond and provide assistance. It takes only minutes for the situation to become fatal—on a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can reach 160 degrees, even with the windows cracked.

Please visit our Report Animal Cruelty page to find detailed instructions for recognizing and reporting animal cruelty within New York City and elsewhere in the United States.

If circumstances arise that prohibit you from caring for your pet, there may be options for you to consider before relinquishing your pet to an animal shelter.

If you have encountered a behavioral problem with your pet, there may be things you can first try to improve your animal's unwanted behavior. Please consult a reputable trainer or animal behaviorist for assistance. Your local humane organization should be able to help with a referral. You can also see our helpful behavior tips for common problems.

If you have made up your mind to re-home your companion animal, your best bet is to find your pet a home through your own personal contacts (i.e., your veterinarian, dog walker, pet sitter, friends, family, co-workers, etc.). You may also wish to list your pet on Petfinder.com or visit Get Your Pet to connect with people near you who are looking to adopt a companion animal and meet potential adopters to find a good home for your pet.

Do not give up if you do not find a home for your animal right away! Finding an ideal home for a companion animal may take considerable time and effort, but your pet's future is in your hands. Be sure to screen potential adopters carefully; ask them for references; inquire about employment, financial stability, and previous pet ownership. Ask to visit their homes before you place your animal to ensure that the environment is suitable, and be sure to follow up with calls and visits.

Relinquishing your pet to a shelter should be your last resort. Most animal shelters operate at full capacity, and some may have a waiting list to accept an animal into their care. Make sure that any shelter you bring your animal to has a reputation for humane conditions and successful adoptions. To find a shelter near you, please visit our Find a Shelter page .

While the ASPCA does provide financial assistance in the form of grants to certain animal welfare organizations, we are unfortunately unable to provide financial help with an individual's vet bills.

We suggest that you consider asking your animal hospital or private vet if they provide payment plans. Your local humane organization or animal advocacy group may also have information about organizations in your area that assist pet owners. In addition, the following may be good resources for other affordable options for veterinary care:

• Care Credit , a credit card company for veterinary care
• American College of Veterinary Surgeons (301) 916-0200
• Hearts United for Animals (402) 274-3679
• RedRover [email protected] ; (916) 429-2457
• MaxFund (for animals with no known owner) (303) 595-4917
• The Pet Fund

If you're in New York City: nysave.org (917) 669-7281

There are many breed- and injury-specific groups that might be able to help, depending on your pet's circumstances. Guidelines for applying for assistance can be found on their websites. The information given above is provided as a courtesy and does not imply the endorsement, recommendation, and/or approval of any company or organization.

New York City: To schedule or change a spay/neuter appointment, please call (877) SPAY-NYC . For more information regarding our mobile clinic, visit our ASPCA Veterinary and Spay/Neuter Services in NYC page .

Outside of NYC: Visit our Low-cost Spay/Neuter Programs page for more information.

The ASPCA strongly recommends that pet owners microchip their pets, in addition to current identification tags and a license for dogs. You may also wish to discuss microchipping with your local veterinarian.

If you haven't done so already, we recommend calling your local animal control agencies, animal shelters (both municipal and private), and rescue groups in your area; one of them could have your pet in custody already. We've also gathered resources you can use to know what to do when a pet goes missing.

Your local police department, animal shelter, or animal control agency should be able to assist you with this. To find contact information for your local organization, please visit Petfinder's Shelters & Rescues database (please note: the ASPCA is not affiliated with this site.)

New York City: Please contact Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) by calling 311 (for all five boroughs.) Please note: ACC is not affiliated with the ASPCA.

Outside of NYC: Contact your local humane organization, animal control officer, or Police Department for assistance.

Thank you for opening your heart and home to an animal in need! Visit our Adopt section for information on adopting ASPCA animals in NYC, Los Angeles, and North Carolina, or to find a dog, cat or horse available for adoption near you. Here are some quick links:

• ASPCA dogs in NYC
• ASPCA cats in NYC
• ASPCA cats in Los Angeles
• ASPCA dogs in North Carolina
• Adoptable horses
• Adoptable dogs near you
• Adoptable cats near you
• Find a shelter near you

ASPCApro.org is a website dedicated solely for animal welfare professionals that provides training, research and resources to help animal welfare professionals save more lives.

We most likely have more than one member record for you in our database. Please call (800) 628-0028 or email [email protected] . We will be happy to remedy this for you. To ensure a quick resolution, please provide us with the complete name and address information. Please note: our mailings are prepared in advance to reduce costs, so it may take up to 90 days to notice a change.

Please call (800) 628-0028 or email [email protected] . We will be happy to accommodate you. To ensure a quick resolution, please provide us with the complete name and address information. Please note: our mailings are prepared in advance to reduce costs, so it may take up to 90 days to notice a change.

If you'd like to receive fewer solicitations, please contact (800) 628-0028 or email [email protected] . We will be happy to rectify the situation for you. Please note: our mailings are prepared in advance to reduce costs, so it may take up to 90 days to notice a change.

ASPCA staff work from coast to coast with pet owners, communities, shelters and rescues, law enforcement, legislators and many others to improve the lives of animals. From advocacy and education to cruelty investigations and disaster response, from behavioral rehabilitation to low-cost veterinary care, we help rescue, care for and protect vulnerable animals and find homes for those in need.

Please visit our Careers page to find and apply for open positions in a variety of departments.

The ASPCA is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

For more information on your EEO rights under the law, view the EEO Law Notice [PDF] and EEO Law Notice Supplement [PDF] .

Visit our Volunteer Opportunities page for more information on opportunities across our facilities and program areas. Or visit our Find a Shelter page to find shelters or rescues near you to contact for local volunteer opportunities.

Thank you for opening your heart and home to animals who need a little extra TLC. Here are some quick links to find more information on fostering opportunities with the ASPCA:

• Animal fostering in New York City
• Feline fostering in Los Angeles

Or visit our Find a Shelter page to find shelters or rescues near you to contact for local animal fostering opportunities.

You may submit your photo to us using this form.

Please email us your old and new email addresses to [email protected] .

Please click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email the ASPCA sends out. If you have already deleted your email from the ASPCA, you can send us an unsubscribe request to [email protected] .

To stay up-to-date on the latest news from the ASPCA, please follow us on ASPCA social media:

• Facebook
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• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

The ASPCA authorizes permission to reprint specific articles, photos, and other educational information on a case-by-case basis. To consider your reprint request, please provide the ASPCA with the following information:

• The full legal name of the organization requesting permission to reprint.
• Contact information (organization name, address, phone number, e-mail).
• The type of organization requesting reprint authorization (e.g., for-profit or not-for-profit).
• The location and date the requested information appeared on the ASPCA website.
• How the requested reprint will be used.

Information may be provided via email, regular mail, and/or fax to the following addresses/fax number:
ASPCA
Attn.: Legal Department
424 E. 92nd Street
New York, NY 10128
Fax: (212) 860-3560
[email protected]

Please allow at least two weeks for processing after all information has been received by the ASPCA Legal Department. The ASPCA's failure to reply to any reprint request is NOT implied or explicit permission to use such materials. Permission to reprint any ASPCA material is made on a one-time-only basis; additional reprint requests must be approved by the ASPCA.