The only ‘no-kill’ animal shelter in the Bronx has hopes of relocating to a donated property, and is trying to raise money to renovate it to house the animals.
“Right now we have someone that’s looking to donate the money for a property,” said shelter operator Pedro Rosario.
After paying the $4,800 rent for September at its 2515 Newbold Avenue location, New Beginning Animal Rescue will have run out of money and cannot pay the rent for October, according to Rosario. The link to NBAR’s website is: www.nbani
“We are looking for help with a go fund me page,” Rosario said about renovations needed at the donated site. The link to the gofundme page is: www.gofun
“We’re still open, but there’s only so much we can do,” Rosario said. “We have this month left. We don’t have any more funding to pay any other month’s rent while the other place is in the final stages of closing.”
Rosario hopes the current landlord will let the shelter, which still has about 40 dogs, stay open for another month to give him time to prepare the new site, where he no longer would have to pay rent, just be responsible for taxes, utilities and operational bills.
The only alternative to NBAR is the NYC Animal Care and Control site at 464 E. Fordham Road.
The city has plans to open another shelter in the Bronx, but it’s going to be a kill shelter, according to Rosario.
New Beginning Animal Rescue is a non-profit organization, formerly known as NYC’s Top Dog, opened in 2010.
With a $350,000 goal at its gofundme page, NBAR has only managed to raise $4,623 with contributions from 64 people over the last 44 months.
Rosario joined Animal Care and Control as a service representative for the pet receiving center in the Bronx in January 1996.
Prior to that, he served as a helper at the Rosario Farm in the Dominican Republic, with over 20 years of experience with animals, overseeing all care at the shelter, including kennels, medical care and special needs, according to NBAR’s website.
Eventually, Pedro was promoted by Elizabeth Keller to shelter manager for the Manhattan Care Center.
He was in charge of payroll, ordering supplies, scheduling staff, the medical department and New Hope department, which advocates for animals until they find placement with rescue groups or forever homes.
“Our organization is dedicated to taking in unwanted, abandoned, abused, or stray pets and to finding suitable homes for each of them, housing about 60 dogs and 40 cats at a time with most being ready for adoption to their ‘furever’ home,” Rosario stated.
Rosario began NBAR in 2010 because he felt he could make a difference saving the lives of unwanted pets by providing a safe atmosphere where no animal would be euthanized due to lack of space.
He used his 401(k) retirement funds to keep the only home these animals have in business and is constantly looking for new ways to raise funds in order to remain open.
He, his staff, and volunteers help to train, play with, handle medical issues, and assist with solving behavior and social problems of all pets. All these animals are well cared for until a permanent ‘furever’ home can be found for them, according to the website.
