Everyday, animals throughout the city are routinely euthanized due to overpopulated shelters and lack of adopters. But one special program, the Mayor's Alliance for NYC Animals' Wheels of Hope, is working to save those animals.
Launched in 2005, Wheels of Hope is the only program of its kind in all of New York state that provides critically needed transportation to help move Animal Care & Control animals threatened to be killed to rescue groups that have the time and space to care for them.
President of the Mayor's Alliance Jane Hoffman explains why Wheels of Hope is needed here in the city:
In New York City, where transportation of animals is more challenging than in many other areas, this program is crucial. Many people who live in NYC do not own cars, so providing a means of transporting the animals is essential to our life-saving goal. The Mayor's Alliance funds the program completely including purchasing the vehicles, operation, maintenance, fuel, insurance and registration.
Alliance coordinators work every day of the year to help transport these animals in need, assisting nearly 150 to 200 or more dogs and cats to safety a week. Hoffman says since 2003, euthanasia in Animal Care & Control has dropped 68 percent.
Big achievements, but Hoffman says challenging obstacles remain, such as rising costs, "especially fuel costs, place a tremendous burden on the program. We rely upon private donations to keep the wheels turning day after day."
Check out Wheels of Hope and some of the animals saved from the program below:
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