Astoria Cat Rescue is forming a coalition to stop animal abuse from being perpetrated by NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority.)  We are hiring a lawyer to submit a Civil Class Action Lawsuit against NYCHA’s animal abuse policies which have been practiced for years in all five boroughs. Please sign our petition located just to the right of this text, and add your name to our class action lawsuit.  There are no strings attached. We may not win but public exposure could force them to make some changes.  Astoria Cat Rescue, Inc. is a 501(3)c in 2014  EIN No. 47-216-3466. ACR is dedicated to rescuing, feeding, performing TNR, re-homing the abandoned and spaying/neutering hundreds of homeless cats all over Queens. We also handle animal care community outreach as well as provide volunteer experiences for school aged children.  

       In 2019 ACR took over the colony management of approximately 40 feral cats living on the Queensbridge Housing grounds and within the crawlspaces of their buildings.  By 2021 we had managed to TNR and rehome some 20 cats from this colony.  By 2023 NYCHA started closing up the crawlspace exit holes in several buildings saying they had surveyed the areas and found no cats.  Knowing there were still cats inside, other parties got involved and forced open the holes.  The news media got involved and only then was NYCHA forced to open the crawlspaces and contract ACR to TNR (trap neuter return) the remaining colony and then close the holes once we removed the cats.    

       ACR trapped, neutered and put in adoption and foster care 18 cats. Three buildings were able to be vacated and holes closed.  However, the last crawlspace exit hole was home unfortunately to a pregnant cat who gave birth inside.  ACR pleaded with NYCHA to wait until the kittens would be brought out by their mother naturally so that we could group trap them.

       This has turned into a horrific battle. NYCHA hired a Pest Control exterminator to starve the mother and two kittens and one adult cat they had entombed in the crawlspace.  The bricked up holes were opened by others and we managed to trap the one adult while NYCHA got the mother cat and one kitten and gave them to Brooklyn Animal Welfare Coalition.  One kitten remained in the hole and they were starving it.  We are able to find ways to periodically get food to the kitten, and on February 16th we rescued this little baby whom we called Lazurus, see pictures below. Their policies of entombing cats are pervasive throughout all 5 boroughs.  Many rescuers have suffered anxiety trying to save these animals.  We need a class action suit against NYCHA to force compliance with the animal cruelty law.

       Please help by signing our petition, there are no strings attached.  In order for your signature to be valid you must sign it yourself through this petition located on the top right of this page.  We cannot sign it for you.  ACR wants to thank you very much for your support.

Lazarus. Last kitten rescued from the hole. 

 

 

Pregnant cat going into hole ... 

 

 

 

 

 

Adjacent hole another crawlspace
 

 

 

Boarded up by NYCHA

 

 

One way NYCHA trap where mother cat lived.. could exit to eat but not re-enter
 Mother cat was hurting herself trying to get back into her kittens.. we removed the trap and NYCHA fired us