Tara from Empty Cages Collective helped me find the LOVE of my life, my main man Steve! I was looking to adopt an adult cat, and I emailed Empty Cages after finding them on Petfinder.com. Tara emailed me back and we scheduled a time for me to come visit the shelter, which is not too far away from my apartment. Its located pretty close to McCarren Park. Anyway, i got there and was given a tour of all the cats (along with some recovering urban wildlife - like a possum!), with the opportunity to hold, hug, and play with each of the cats, to see who I was compatible with. I was instantly drawn to Steve, a 7-year-old handsome (in my eyes) gray fellow who had a funny stinkface, and a motorboat purr, who had sadly been in the shelter for a few months after his owner passed away. He wasn't that outgoing, but I found myself coming back to him at the end of the tour, and putting in an application for him. A few days later after checking with my references, Tara emailed to let me know that he was all mine, and they just had to take him back to the vet to give him the go-ahead. I wasn't sure how he, an adult cat, was going to react to being outside of a cage and living with a stranger in a new space. He was nervous and hid for about 2 weeks, but since, we have become BESTIES and his personality has blossomed into a totally new cat, a personality that didn't come through at the shelter, but that I'm so grateful to have in my companion. He is the best, and is proof that we should follow our gut, and that even after being stuck in a shelter, if given a loving, caring home and owner, your older cat with love you and thrive in his new environment. Tara and Empty Cages have been so helpful to me, a first time cat owner. I have followed up with them since when I needed to go to the vet for an eye infection, and they gave me great suggestions for Steve. Please support them! They are doing great things for animals and their new owners. read more

Empty Cages Collective - my cat steve!!!! the best cat in the world!!! thank you empty cages collective!! - Animal Shelters Near Me

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We found ECC through a petfinder link because we were looking for a roommate for our existing guinea pig, and found Whoopi a few weeks ago. The entire process was pretty painless...filled out an online application, notified my personal references they would get a call, and then met up with Natalia who was fostering Whoopi. We brought our GP over the first time to see how they'd get along (which they did), and ended up picking up Whoopi for good a week later (we had to gather a few more items before bringing Whoopi home). Overall would highly recommend ECC, Natalia was a pleasure to work with, and you can tell how much she cares for and loves the animals she fosters. read more

Empty Cages Collective - Whoopi (L) and our cavvy Lily (R) chowin' down on some salad :) - Animal Shelters Near Me

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Had a terrible experience with this rescue. We got two guinea pigs a while back and the girl was pregnant. We already had 1 adult boy so that made it two adult male and an adult female (that was pregnant) so we couldnt keep any of the boys from the pregnancy. The guinea pig had 1 girl and two boys so we decided to surrender the new baby boys to ECC because we didnt have space to keep any other boys. We got in contact with a lady named natalie which is a volunteer of ECC. we had a terrible experience with this lady. When i got to her apartment which was PACKED with animals running everywhere, this lady had a terrible attitude. She had this "i know it all attitude" that made me feel terrible and made all these comments about my guinea pigs and made me feel like a terrible owner. After moving into a new apartment we were able to have more space and decided to get an extra guinea pig from a lady in brooklyn that had them up for adoption. I posted a picture of the new guinea pig on my Instagram, this lady natalie found my instagram, she went into my instagram took a screenshot of the photo i posted and reposted on her instagram account saying terrible things about me, how bad of an owner i was etc.. etc.. like who does that? How professional of ECC to have someone volunteering for them that harasses people on social media. When i called her out and ECC on instagram what did ECC decided to do? block my instagram. Yup i guess they dont want people to know the true. And lets not even mention the fact that she told me the surrender fee for the guinea pigs was $60 when i got to her apartment she was trying to get more money from me telling me that she made a mistake and the surrender fee was actually higher than that. She also had the nerve to email me the same day i was going to her house to drop off the guinea pigs asking me to bring a cage, food and toys on top of that. Like are you kidding me? I suggest you go to another place to adopt. Check other rescues and organizations. Dont give your money and time to this people. I love animals, but these people are obsessive to the point that they invade your privacy and take photos of your instagram to bash you in their social media. read more

I had a great experience adopting my fur baby (guinea pig). This was the first adoption I had ever done in general. I have to say the process may be a little longer than just going to a pet shop and picking one up, but it's a lot more rewarding knowing you've adopted an animal in need. Natalia helped me out a lot by sending me links and articles helping me figure out things like bedding, cages, food, etc. I would totally be willing to adopt from Empty Cages again. read more

Empty Cages Collective - Lacy (left) and Katy (right) I adopted Katy about a week ago. Lacy and I couldn't be happier! - Animal Shelters Near Me

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Empty cages was a pleasure to work with in the adoption of my cats. Their staff (all volunteer) were dedicated to helping ensure that their animals ended up in loving and secure homes, something I find to be incredibly important. Their vetting process for adoptees- while extensive- helped ensure this outcome. Once I adopted my pets, Empty Cages helped provide for their neutering and vaccinations. In my opinion they went above and beyond to ensure healthy and safe lives. This was even apparent in the adoption contact- which included things I didn't even think of such as making sure window screens were present for the cats and that I had a vet relationship already established. Beyond their obvious care about animals, all volunteer staff, and help with my specific adoptees, Empty Cages' mission to help all animals is laudable. They do not engage in speciesism, which is unique for adoption agencies. I wish I could give them 6 stars on Yelp! read more

Empty Cages Collective - My adopted boys! - Animal Shelters Near Me

I don't think I've missed your point, I addressed your point it's you who isn't quite getting it. I'm not going to go on about this any longer after this, if your ignorance is what gets you through in life thats your own problem and nothing I care about to change your mind but to make a final point: The squirrel was in danger and I called you for help #1 the organization OFFERS HELP #2 if myself or any untrained person is in harms way and if they feel in danger than you have no right to criticize and harass someone for their incapability (it's why I called for help and the reason so many other people contact this organization) #3 to quote you PETER, " It isn't a crime to not suffer fools gladly. However, allowing animals to suffer unnecessarily when you have the ability to help should be." It actually is a crime to harass someone, look into it. and also, if in your mind it helps you rest easy to think that you can make up stories and reasons for your awful behavior-- grow up because the reason why I called was for some HELP and if I wasn't going to be getting it from this organization as I had clearly wrote about before than On to the next one; this squirrel wouldn't have been left there and you have no right to assume otherwise... and here's another one of your quotes, " and instead posted a "bad" yelp review while our volunteers were offering medical care to a suffering animal" --and you know what? It's my right to write a bad review and how would you know the time line of my posts to whatever it is that you were doing.. so now your a stalker? and you know what it is I'm doing, and what I'm thinking? Hmmm... Your responses are very disturbing but you prove my point even further. congratulations buddy. read more

First: I recorded my whole adoption process! You can find it here: https://youtu.be/f5A73a2Qri0. If the link doesn't work for some reason, just search "welcome home guinea pigs" on YouTube and you'll see a thumbnail of three lil pigs all crowded around a single sliver of tomato. Can't miss it. As a current veterinary-school applicant, I find it completely insane that ECC is an entirely-volunteer rescue organization given my own volunteer work in shelters. I'm so impressed with how timely and responsive Natalia, a lovely coordinator, was when I contacted ECC to begin the application process. I was deeply grateful as well to see the thoroughness of the application, because it was very evident that ECC's mission is to ensure loving, well-equipped, and well-informed owners. Natalia was fostering my babies herself, and welcomed me into her home with such warmth and hospitality when I picked them up. She was patient in answering all of my questions about my girls: favorite foods, any medical issues, etc. The girls were essentially feral when ECC received them, which was a few weeks prior to when I adopted them. Natalia had fostered them to a point where they were much more confident and her love and devotion to them was so apparent, but nonetheless, she adopted them out to me so selflessly and for that, I am endlessly grateful. I've stayed in touch with Natalia who truly endures this labor of love for the animals and humans alike. I couldn't recommend ECC more highly! read more

ECC is a nonprofit all-volunteer animal rescue and veterinary/rehabilitation center. They have a number of kittens and adult cats for adoption, including rescued feral kittens that they help with socialization. The staff here are super-(com)passionate and helpful and go to great lengths to make sure every animal is treated with caring and respect. If you're looking for a furry companion, (or want to volunteer some of your time!) you should definitely consder ECC. read more

My adoption of my wonderful feline roommate from Empty Cages was easy as can be. I 1st saw a kitty I was interested in on their blog: http://emptycagescollective.wordpress.com/ and then later in the week went to PS9 where they were hosting an adoption event. Three days after visiting my future roommate and filling out an adoption application I was called and told she would soon be coming to my home. After some furious kitty proofing of my apt a few days later my kitty companion came home. I took here to the Vet, where she got the thumbs up. The staff I dealt with at ECC were totally profession and do great work rescuing animals and providing compassionate care for them. And they do not stop just at kitties, but with injured animals of all breeds, feathers, fins, etc. Just a wonderful organization that deserves any and all accolades and assistance it receives. Call them if you are thinking of rescuing a kitty of your own. read more

ECC has a great mission but their conduct is counterproductive to finding a loving home for all the pets in need. I was interested in adopting from ECC. But, after communicating with a representative who had the undertones of an emotionally distorted teen, ended up adopting a similar pet from North Shore Animal League. I'm writing this review to encourage adoption from a shelter/ rescue and to suggest that if you are considering giving a donation to ECC, please give the funds to a different rescue, where your donation will have a greater impact. My ordeal: I contacted ECC by email about adopting a kitten I found on their website who was up for adoption by itself (not in a pair). I got a prompt response that the pet was still for adoption so I completed an application. I received a phone call the same day (again, outstanding response time), but that's where everything went downhill. On the phone was a person who I'm sure had the best intentions, but unfortunately is a poor communicator. Although having plenty of experience with cats, I initially received a ten minute lecture-rant on cat safety from a representative with the undertones of an emotionally distort teen. I was not asked factually relevant questions but rather subjected to this rant without being able to get a word in. Only then, did the person inform me that I can only adopt the kitten if I adopt another one with it (contrary to their website). I explained that at this point I'm only able to adopt one kitten but the person on the phone attempted to pressure me into adopting two kittens. At this point I ended the call. I ended up adopting a beautiful kitten of similar age at the North Shore Animal League, where I passed the background check without any issues. While ECC has a noble mission, their communications are lacking and impede their goals. I'm concerned that their animals miss out on good homes because the ECC representatives have poor communications skills or mix actual facts with their unconventional personal views. If you can adopt one of their pets, please do, but if you're considering a donation, please give it to an organization that will use it wisely and put the animals first and not their egos. read more

Poor process. No follow ups. Wasted my time going to visit the pet. I contacted Empty Cages Collective to inquire for a specific cat via email after I received a message from The Pet Finder. I did receive response quickly with procedures saying I should fill out a form and visit the cat that weekend during an event. I went to the event on Saturday with the completed adoption form and gave it to a women representing the organization. She reviewed and said that I pretty much should be fine passing the process and that she would call the 3 references I supplied on Sunday. She said the whole process should take about a week. I waited for communication until Thursday but without any news, so I wrote an email to them. I got a mail back saying the cat was adopted by someone else. I just think the handling of this is not good. If there was already someone else in the process of adopting, they should have informed me. And if I didn't ask for it, I would never have gotten the news that the cat was adopted. I don't feel like dealing with them ever again as there is no promise and it wastes your time and emotional energy. read more

This is one of the best shelters I've ever visited. The people who work here, as unpaid volunteers no less, seem extremely committed and dedicated to ensuring the animals there are well looked after and provide an excellent refuge for them in the interim. The woman I spoke to, Natalia, was super sweet and let me interact with hamsters I was considering adopting, to make sure I thought they'd be a good fit. I fell in love with these 2 brother hamsters and took them home that day (after I'd passed the adoption process). And considering I could have paid $10 for a hamster from Petco, without knowing how healthy it was, or paying $10 for a hamster to give it a home and think of that money as a donation to a great cause, it was a no-brainer for me. I highly recommend adopting from here because even when I looked at the rabbits and cats, they all seemed so happy and really cared for. read more

Empty Cages Collective - A beautiful happy hamster. - Animal Shelters Near Me

PJ, Natalia and everyone at Empty Cages Collective have been so helpful to me! I have called to ask for assistance in helping various wildlife I found injured in Prospect Park-- PJ always got back to me quickly with helpful information. Most recently they assisted me by taking in five kittens I found at my local feral colony in a very crisis filled time for me. I already had one set of kittens I was caring for, and they made room for the new set and were wonderfully kind and compassionate about their care. I can't say enough nice things about this group and the many lives they have saved. I will always be grateful to them. read more

This is a fantastic animal shelter led by a passionate team of people. Natalia is a warrior. We adopted one of our cats from Empty Cages after we met him at an adoption event. He is so awesome!!! Natalia didn't put any pressure on us, and was careful to check our references and follow up with the particulars of our application. We visited our potential cat several times at the shelter before making the decision to bring him home. They have a really good set-up at their facility which allowed us to really get know him and see how he interacted with other cats, which was important for us since we were getting another cat simultaneously from elsewhere. There are so many cats (and other animals) worth meeting at empty cages! Go visit and adopt. If we could bring another creature into our home we would absolutely would go back to them. They do noble work. We are so grateful!! read more

Empty Cages and PJ have helped me with injured animals a few times in the past and I cannot thank them enough. Once in Greenpoint, I was able to catch a chukar partridge (a local slaughterhouse escapee). They can be difficult to catch as they fly, but to rescue a bird you can gently drape a lightweight towel over them and scoop them into a carrier, which is how I was able to get this one after several attempts. I called a few places and ECC got back to me right away to say they'd take it. I am happy to say he is now upstate in a lovely sanctuary with others of his kind, living out his days, thanks to ECC. Most recently a friend and I spotted a sick kitten in a bodega in Ridgewood. The owner (who was the worker there) is on a very fixed income and she was worried about the kitten so she'd brought her into work to keep an eye on her. I said I'd try to find some help for her as she couldn't afford the local vet, who is known to charge very high amounts even for routine visits. I posted a plea on Facebook and PJ responded. I was able to take the kitten and her sibling to ECC's vet and with ECC they were treated, cared for, fostered, and returned to the owner when they'd recovered from their respiratory & parasite infections. The owner decided to adopt out one sibling through ECC as she couldn't afford to keep both. Thanks to ECC the kittens are happy & healthy and have wonderful homes! read more

Natalia and ECC are awesome! They went the extra mile to ensure that the bunny we adopted, Onyx, was going to a good home. Natalia spent extra time ironing out all of the details of bunny ownership on the first visit and she was available to help out with questions long after adoption to make sure things went smoothly. 10/10 would adopt again! read more

Natalia is a fantastic, loving person, who has made it her full-time mission to take care of all the poor, innocent creatures who aren't lucky enough to have a home. This is a full-time, 24-hour, volunteer mission for her, that she does purely out of the kindness of her heart. When I was first looking to adopt, I tried many shelters and had a difficult time learning information, finding the right help, and getting the assistance that I needed. Natalia spent an hour alone with me, one on one, letting me spend quality time with each cat, until I found the right kitty that connected with me. She continues to be there, months later, to help answer my questions and guide me through the responsibilities of being a pet owner. Without her around, there would be literally hundreds of dogs and cats hungry and out on the streets. She makes the world a better place and I couldn't recommend any place better to adopt! read more

I had a good experience with empty cages. I fostered one cat Melanie, for 4 months, who got adopted, and then another, Priscilla, who I paid to adopt. I dealt with Natalia at the pet store on Driggs, and through the adoption process and cannot recommend her enough. I took Priscilla to the vet a while ago, and realized I had never been given Priscilla's medical records, so I texted Natalia and got them an hour or so, which was fantastic. read more

I would give Empty Cages Collective 15 stars, if I could. I fostered a cat for this group. They rescued her off the streets of Brooklyn, with a serious head injury. They vetted her and then one of their lovely volunteers delivered her to my apartment, which was really nice. Oh, and they gave me a cat carrier because they're super nice. I just adopted this cat and insanely love her. I am THRILLED with this group. They are a compassionate animal rescue, busy saving lives and alleviating suffering. They are AWESOME. I have read a couple of cranky Yelp reviews about ECC, and I understand people's tall expectations regarding adoption & animal rescue...I've been involved with animal rescue for decades. Come on people, get real. Do you know how expensive veterinary care is these days? It cost ECC at least $150. for my cat's spay alone....I have no idea how much her initial vet bill and eye removal surgery cost, but its probably many, many hundred dollars, if not over a thousand. An adoption donation is necessary to continue providing care for other animals. Rescue isnt pretty and it's not free. Please donate heavily to this group, so that they may continue helping the animals. If you want to help animals, help ECC. Donate. Adopt. Foster. Volunteer. Tell others. (And go vegan). My adopted kittyis the most beautiful cat on the planet. If ECC hadn't rescued and vetted her, she would have suffered a miserable death, alone on the streets. She probably would have died from infection. But now she's purring and snuggling in my warm apartment. If you like this happy ending, please support ECC. Thanks. :-) read more

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**NOTE: I'm not suggesting not to adopt animals from this shelter. Ultimately, this is about helping animals, &they shouldn't have to suffer because of the owner's lack of appropriate communication skills. The 1 star is for the way I was treated by PJ. He was extremely unpleasant. And that's putting it nicely. Here's the backstory: I inquired about one of their dogs that was staying at a foster home. I read their website, noticed the $100.00 adoption fee requirement (which is listed on the site) filled out the application and sent it to PJ. I heard back from the foster person that my application was accepted and I arranged a meeting with the dog, Julie. I agreed to adopt her under the impression she was in good health. I asked for the medical records to double check that she was ok because I would be bringing her home to 4 other animals (and I wouldn't want all of them to get sick/catch anything from Julie). She didn't have the records on hand, but assured me she was in good health. The foster person also told us that the suggested donation is $200 but that it was negotiable, and that I would hear from PJ. I brought Julie home and introduced her to the other 4 rescues that I have. When I got her home, I noticed she had a really red mark on her skin, on the back of her neck. I texted a picture of it to PJ who advised me to take her to the vet, and that Empty Cages would cover the cost. This made sense to me since I was told she was healthy, so I immediately made an appointment. At the vet's visit, the vet informed me that she has a very bad case of ear mites, and a tooth infection w/ pus and that she would need surgery to remove it. I was shocked because I was told Julie was healthy, but really glad that we could get her on the path to good health ASAP. PJ once again agreed to pay for all of this, which again made sense to me because I was told she was healthy. I was very annoyed that I wasn't told the truth about her health, because I put the health of my other animals in jeopardy. I could have easily kept Julie away from the other animals until her ear mites were cleared up, but now I'm treating 4 other animals for the possibility of these ear mites. The good news is that Julie is now on the road to recovery and already seems in better spirits after having 9 teeth removed! Which brings me to tonight. I received a text from PJ that I need to pay $200 for the adoption donation. I said "I can afford $100." He again said that I needed to pay the $200. I was confused and asked where it said that on the website, and that the foster person said the donation is negotiable. He called me up and told me that it is non-negotiable and the donation is $200.00. He was very rude and would barely let me get a word in and went on to say that I was "haggling" and "this isn't e-bay!" He didn't care that the website says $100. He started to lecture me on animal rescue and transport and how expensive it is and trying to call me out on being a vegan and that I should know better. His tone was very aggressive and I was completely caught off guard by this. I am not a cheap person. I have done animal rescue/transport, TNR and understand the cost can be excessive, but a person trying to give a good home to an animal should not be treated this way. I was not haggling. I was simply confused and was trying to understand how the website says $100 and I was told "negotiable" (I was also told good health) and now I am being yelled at for even questioning him! He went on to tell me that I should not have any animals if I can't afford $200, and that I should give Julie back because she is "highly adoptable". I take care of 4 other rescued animals and there was always a "suggested donation". I never "bought" an animal, and I would always pay what I could afford at the time, and I have never been treated like this by other organizations! He also mentioned that I would get her medical records when he got the money. Knowing that Julie is older and already has these issues, I'd rather save my money for future vet visits, and also use it to pay the vet bill for the 4 animals I am treating for possible ear mites. I did agree to pay, and I will follow through on my word. This is the owner of this organization. It's very sad that an organization dedicated to helping animals could be run by such a nasty person. I don't appreciate being berated because of a misunderstanding that could have been handled in a more respectful way. ***UPDATE 12/2/2013: It's now almost 1 month since I paid the donation fee and I still HAVE NOT received the medical records for this pup. My communication attempts are being ignored. read more

Please note that you can't just stop in--call or email them to make an appointment to see the available kitties. They're small and don't have staff for "drop-in" visits, though their space is VERY easy to get to by public transportation. read more

I adopted my two wonderful kittens from EEC and I can't say enough good things about their mission and the people who work/volunteer there. Aside from being compassionate to the animals they rescue and care for, they are also dedicated to finding the adoptable animals proper furrever homes. They do their homework to make sure anyone adopting will be a responsible and loving parent. If you are thinking of adopting a cat, please think of contacting EEC and giving a home to a rescue! read more

I got two amazing cats from ECC. The first one Sutton has become my 8lb. dog Manny best friend. Nero the 2nd cat is very calm and loves to just chill in the sun. ECC is doing great work in BK and I wish more people would adopt from them, they put in a lot of hard work and money to help cats that people chose to disregard they are true heroes in the feline world! Thanks ECC! read more

Frustrating application process and curt, rude responses. I got rejected because someone, at some point, did not find my social media presence up to par for adopting a rat. (?? I can't even begin to understand what that means, and I don't have the energy to care when there's so many other amazing ways to adopt animals in this city) I'm more than happy to support adoption and fostering of animals but their attitude is counterintuitive. This is my first negative Yelp review and I'm bummed to have to make it. read more

I adopted my cat from ECC in early July. I've had her about a month. The volunteers at ECC worked with me to answer all of my questions about her. Even after I adopted her and had a health-related question, they were very responsive. If I wanted to adopt again, I'd go here. They do great work for animals in the NYC area. read more

An advocacy-minded rescue group that rescues animals from kill-lists and injured animals from the streets. A great place to adopt a friendly cat, bird or rodent! read more

This place is awesome, and the animals are in competent hands. ECC is one of the only (perhaps the only) shelters in the city that rescues and rehabilitates squirrels, pigeons, and all manner of bird life (currently, a rooster lives there). I volunteer here, so I may be a bit biased. But then again, I've seen enough of Empty Cages to be grateful for their existence- kind of like a drop of compassion in a sea of indifference. The street animals and house pets of this city deserve as much. read more

I adopted my two baby girls 10/28 and I must say that it was an amazing experience. The adoption process shows just how much Empty Cages Collective cares about their animals. Everything went smoothly and Natalia was a lot of help and answered any and all of my questions. The day of the adoption I spent time with both piggies until I felt it was time to seal the adoption. All in all I would highly recommend Empty Cages Collective for your adoptions! read more

We adopted both of our cats from Empty Cages, our first two years ago and a sweet little kitten two weeks ago. They are both wonderful and we are so glad to have them in our family! We are so grateful to Empty Cages and the good work they do! Thank for your saving our kitties so that they could join our home and become the best of friends, too. read more

Empty Cages Collective - Animal Shelters Near Me

I was referred to this adoption agency by a colleague and adopted two guinea pigs at two separate times. We met with Natalia who was such a wonderful person. During the adoption process, they made sure I was qualify to adopt. And I have proper home for additional piggies and my male piggies are neutered. I never felt rush during the adoption and Natalia explained everything to me. I found out new information even though I'm an experienced guinea pig mommy. I now have a family of 4 piggies in my home in Manhattan. So happy to found empty cage Collective. They have many different kinds of animals.. even a chicken at one time (yes vegan adoption center). read more

I'm only a tenant in a private house. My door is in the garden. Over the years I have been feeding cats and they kept multiplying. Someone suggested TNR ... I learned about ECC and someone came and actually trapped 13 of my cats. They were tested, vaccinated and two with medical problems were treated. Oh, and of course they were neutered!!! Noone asked me for a dime though I did make a donation. They spent more then I gave, I figured that much out. I spread the word to a couple I met in BJ's. we just started talking. She was overwhelmed with kittens. I took her number and spoke to someone at ECC. Within a week, ECC trapped and neutered her ferals. How could I give less then five stars?? If you ever think of making a donation to a shelter, make it here. They don't get the major funding that groups like the ASPCA and others get. Not at all. read more

This is exactly what a shelter should be. They really take the time to get to know the adopters. It is nice to find a place that cares this much about the welfare of animals, all animals. They have rescued countless animals, and not just dogs and cats. I am happy that this kind of place exists, and the people who run it are some of the most caring people in the world. I have volunteered at a few adoption events and it is nice to hear how serious they take the adoption on the animals. I have been to other shelters who never follow up on references. It is refreshing to see how much effort goes into each adoption here. read more

I adopted my two little babies (2 guinea pigs) from ECC. It is very hard to find shelters that take any and all animals in, especially guinea pigs! I was so happy to see how loving and well taken-care of all the animals are at the hands of the wonderfully kind foster homes of ECC. Thank you ECC for making my home a little more loving! read more

These guys gave me the best adoption experience I could've asked for. After so many negative experiences with various adoption groups and agencies, they were the only ones who actually responded in a timely manner, processed our application right away, didn't mandate that we buy a SECOND exercise pen, (another rabbit rescue wouldn't even make introductions without us having a setup identical to what they believe is THE single effective method to introduce a second rabbit), and literally hand delivered our little guy to our door the day before Thanksgiving! I think the biggest flaw with most animal rescue groups is poor customer service, which at times, I believe is rooted in underlying feelings of contempt for ordinary folks, but ECC treated us with the warmth and respect that we never expected. They let us make the bunny intro our way, and guess what: a week later, we had a happy couple! We are always referring friends to ECC when they're looking for pets, and when we eventually get a larger apt, we will be coming back to them for guinea pigs! read more

Empty Cages is an incredible organization. I currently am a volunteer and feel so happy to be apart of this little operation. I've volunteered for large (and 'corporate') animal organizations in the past, and in my opinion, they didn't have as much heart. I feel inspired every time I'm able to donate my time and I can't say enough wonderful things about Natalia, who single-handedly runs this place. She is so dedicated. I am so happy stumbled across their website. Thanks Natalia for all that you do! read more

I adopted my two sweet babies from Empty Cages Collective and they made it so easy. I was able to meet them ahead of time and decide if they were a good fit. We were in constant communication and made the process to simple, even coordinating for the cats to be dropped off at my home. Absolutely loved this adoption process. read more

i had a wonderful experience with ECC. my partner and i have been interested in adopting a dog for some months. while walking in wburg we saw a little puppy with a 'adopt me' vest on and it was love at first sight. we got to talking with the gentleman walking him, ended up having a very great interaction with PJ. he was very knowledgeable and let us know the next steps if we were interested. what really stayed with me was that i could tell PJ really cared about what happened to the puppy. he directed us to fill out paperwork and gave us his personal cell phone if we needed anything. later that night we were welcoming a new family member. moreover, he offered to loan us crate while we all adjusted & checked in with us the days following to make sure we & puppy were doing ok. i highly recommend working with this wonderful agency - and if you can't adopt, DONATE. read more

I left a voicemail message about a sick rabbit I found in the golf course near my house in Dyker Heights Brooklyn. PJ from Empty Cages called me back right away & he took a cab from Williamsburgh (which on the other side of brooklyn) to meet with me where the rabbit had been staying in the golf course. He was able to catch the rabbit so hopefully the vets will be able to nurse him back to health. This originization truly cares about animals & will go above & beyond to help!! Thanks so much PJ!!! read more

This shelter is what every shelter should be. I adopted the sweetest pair of cats that are attached at the hip and I'm told were there for months before I came along. They have rigorous adoption protocols to make sure their animals go to LOVING homes! It looks like they spend hours every day caring for the cats dogs (who enthusiastically; meaning loudly, greet you at the door) and bunnies! Natalia is super intense but her priority is the animals and she makes sure each and every one of them goes to a home that not just loves them but that they love every bit as much! If you're looking to adopt a healthy and loved rescue this is your spot!! read more

I have been a rescue volunteer for many years for a few non profit rescues in New York and have adopted dogs from death row at the nycacc as well..when an injured seagull showed up at my job i was at a loss as to who to contact and what to do. i have never rescued a bird but i was determined to do all i could to help him.i sent out a plea on craigslist and primarily a bird rescue contacted me,however when they said the bird would be euthanized if his wing cannot be fixed..i just felt it was not my place nor right to send this animal to die.he was healthy in every other way.then i received an email from empty cages collective.when i was told they will attempt to rehabilitate him and if not he will go to a sanctuary i knew they were the ones to save him.i was given great advice on how to care for the gull and what to feed him by an empty cages collective volunteer.he always answered my calls and was there anytime i had questions.finally last night a volunteer arrived from ECC and took the gull to a vets office and after he is evaluated he will be going to a sanctuary in vermont.i have found ecc to be awesome advocates for all types of animals.they also rescue many animals from death row at our city shelter..in a world where we see so much hate and cruelty it is truly humbling to see that compassionate ,genuine human beings exist.i became very attached to the gull,as he did me.he would follow me across the lot and always come when called.the thought of him dying out there or being euthanized terrified me.when he left with the ecc volunteer i felt relieved knowing he would be loved and cared for.if anybody is looking to adopt a kitty please contact them as you would truly be saving a life.and if you are in a position to donate to a charity.please make it the empty cages collective.they will put the money to good use.god bless all the volunteers at empty cages collective and thank you for coming through for the seagull.every living being deserves a chance and you guys gave him that chance. read more