New initiative will pay for 3,500 surgeries, easing financial barriers for low-income New Yorkers, relieving overwhelmed shelters, and getting cats off the street
The New York City Council voted to allocate $500,000 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget funding to launch a new program expanding affordable spay and neuter services to reduce cat overpopulation that has overwhelmed rescuers and shelters, while providing affordable services for low-income cat-owners. The program will support 3,500 surgeries for both rescue and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) volunteers and pet owners, reducing the financial burden of care that can help tackle the city’s cat overpopulation crisis. It is a model for a program that could be implemented citywide, and marks the first time the Council is funding an initiative dedicated to animals.
The Council is allocating the funding to Flatbush Cats, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ending overcrowded animal shelters by making veterinary care accessible and affordable for more New Yorkers. In addition to creating thousands of new appointments, the initiative will free up capacity for TNR volunteers to utilize American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) facilities in the Bronx, Queens, and East New York.
The City is experiencing an urgent cat overpopulation problem, with animal shelters stretched beyond capacity, an issue largely driven by the lack of spay and neuter services that results in unchecked breeding. The rising costs associated with pet care and veterinary services lead to more abandoned pets and the need for accessible care in New York City is massive. More than half of all New Yorkers – over 4.7 million people – live in households that cannot afford a basic vet visit. Free-roaming cats can create challenges for communities, including threats to other animals, the spread of illnesses, and noise pollution from fighting and mating. Humane and effective TNR programs are essential to improving conditions for both cats and neighborhoods.
This new funding marks a critical step forward, but it addresses a fraction of the citywide need for spay and neuter services. Flatbush Cats will design a measurement program to evaluate the impact of these targeted investments, creating a scalable model to demonstrate the value of increased citywide funding in the years to come.
“Providing affordable spay and neuter services is critical to making veterinary care more accessible for cat owners and easing the growing challenges of cat overpopulation and overcrowded animal shelters,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “With this new City Council funding, we are making cat veterinary services affordable for New Yorkers to support more humane conditions and strengthen the quality of life in our neighborhoods. The Council is proud to support this pilot program by Flatbush Cats as an important step towards advancing sustainable solutions for our city.”
“Every pet deserves to see a vet – and today we take one step closer to making that a reality in New York City,” said Will Zweigart, Executive Director of Flatbush Cats. “We are grateful to Speaker Adams and the City Council for investing in solutions that make veterinary care affordable for those who need it most. This pilot will show what is possible when we expand access to affordable, essential care — and make the case for increased citywide investment to meet the enormous need across New York City.”
“High-volume spay/neuter, including TNR, is the most humane and sustainable solution to cat overpopulation,” said Tanya Copeland, President of Bronx Community Cats. “It reduces the burden on our community and municipal shelter system. By targeting high-density areas, it ensures resources will be allocated in an efficient and impactful way. We commend City Council leadership for championing this allocation and eagerly await the results of how this pilot program with Flatbush Cats can be scaled to The Bronx, the area with the greatest need.”
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