NEW YORK - Homeless dogs and cats found homes last week thanks to New York City’s Animal Care and Control program. Their “Partnership for Life Program” adoption van was stationed just outside of Commerce Bank at the corner of 14 Street and 5th Avenue for the “adoptathon”.

In just two hours, three dogs and 6 cats found new homes. The adoption van travels throughout all of the five boroughs finding homes for animals.

The new Executive Director of the program Ed Boks is setting up several new programs to help AC&C establish a more compassionate way of dealing with lost and homeless animals. The “Partnership for Life” program is just one of these. Others include “The Big Fix,” which provides free spay and neuter service to animals of people who can’t afford it, and “TLC Program” which uses pets to teach at risk kids kindness and compassion.

Former church pastor Ed Boks was inspired to work on improving the conditions for sheltering animals, after having seen the situation in animal shelters first hand.

His job at a shelter had been to carry out euthanasia.

“I would go home at night and wake up in a cold sweat,” he said in an interview with Satya magazine. “That was back when they were giving cardiac injection. It was very difficult to do it right and could be very slow and agonizing.”

During his 20 plus years of working in animal welfare and control, Boks has initiated revolutionary changes, first in Arizona and now in New York.

The new “No Kill” program he started last year is poised to end animal euthanasia in New York in five years. The program has already had amazing results. In 2003, the AC&C killed about 70 percent of its animals, which amounted to about 35,000 animal deaths, or about 200 per day. After starting in 2004, the “No Kill” program resulted in a 19 percent increase in adoptions for dogs and 27 percent for cats. Now, dog and cat euthanasia is down 25 percent and 26 percent respectively.

You can help the positive trend continue by adopting from an animal shelter, instead of through another source. AC&C volunteer Hannah White said, “I suggest a mutt. They’re lovable, and have no hang-ups.”

Despite popular myth, Pit Bulls also make great pets. AC&C volunteer Sue Yocum said they are the “best dogs for therapy,” and that they’re trainable and loyal.

So keep an eye out for the adoption van. For information about adoption, volunteer opportunities, or to donate money visit www.nycacc.orc.