PupStarz Rescue Inc.

What PupStarz Rescue Inc. does

PupStarz Rescue Inc. is a New York City-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, no-kill animal welfare organization founded in 2015 that operates a foster-based rescue model with no physical shelter facility. All rescued dogs and cats are placed in volunteer foster homes across New York City, surrounding boroughs, and New Jersey before being adopted out to individuals and families in the tri-state area. Since founding, the organization reports rescuing and rehoming between 4,800 and 5,800+ animals, with annual transport and veterinary spend exceeding $207,000. Service offerings span adoption matching (with screening, home checks, and meet-and-greets), a foster-care program, a volunteer program, training resources for fosters and adopters, recurring in-person adoption events at partner retail venues, and tax-deductible monetary donations.

The organization has no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on third-party SaaS tools, primarily ShelterLuv for adoption/foster applications, donation processing, and match-making, Squarespace for the public website, and Instagram and Facebook for outreach. There is no mobile app, no API surface, and no disclosed AI or machine-learning capabilities. Distribution is anchored by recurring adoption-event partnerships with multiple Petco locations (Union Square, Turtle Bay, Bensonhurst), boutique pet venues (Boris and Horton, The Pet Market, Pooch's Parlor), and a fitness venue (CrossFit South Brooklyn).

The revenue model combines one-time adoption fees ($225 for adult cats, $275 for kittens, $375 for senior dogs, $525 for adult dogs, $575 for puppies) with individual donations processed via ShelterLuv and Venmo. Leadership consists of three co-founders (Melissa Riso as President, Robyn O'Brien, and Constance Millinor as Trainer) supported by an Operations Director and a small team of volunteer-functional coordinators. The organization operates with five paid employees and a broader volunteer base, and is independently governed with no parent company, subsidiaries, or institutional funding rounds disclosed.

Name

PupStarz Rescue Inc.

Legal name

PupStarz Rescue, Inc.

Website

https://pupstarzrescue.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PupStarz Rescue is a New York City-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, foster-based animal welfare organization that rescues dogs and cats from public shelters at risk of euthanasia and rehomes them with adopters in the tri-state area through foster placement, venue-based events, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Rescue and Adoption Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA), Foster & Volunteer Network Programs (BPAGAIAF), Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD)

Keywords

• Animal rescue services
• Foster-based adoption
• Pet adoption placement
• Animal welfare nonprofit
• Rescue volunteer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Adoption Fees: Fees collected from adopters for dogs and cats. Fees vary by age: puppies $575, dogs 1-9 years $525, seniors $375, kittens $275, adult cats $225. These fees cover transportation costs and help underwrite veterinary expenses.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the rescue mission. The organization accepts donations via checkout.shelterluv.com and Venmo @pupstarzrescue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PupStarz Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, foster-based animal rescue organization that pulls dogs and cats at high risk of euthanasia from public shelters and places them in foster homes until adoption. It delivers adoption matching, foster care, veterinary preparation (spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipping), volunteer coordination, training resources, and in-person adoption events in the tri-state area.

Product overview

PupStarz Rescue is a non-profit animal welfare organization operating as a foster-based rescue model with no physical shelter location. The organization functions as a service portfolio centered around animal rescue and placement: Adoption Services provides matching and placement for rescued dogs and cats through a screening and meet-and-greet process; the Foster Care Program offers temporary homes with PupStarz covering medical expenses; the Volunteer Program enables participation through transport, photography, and event hosting; Training Resources provide educational materials for pack leadership and positive reinforcement techniques; Adoption Events facilitate in-person meet-and-greets at partner retail locations; and Donations support operational costs including veterinary care and transport.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dog Adoption Service
• Cat Adoption Service
• Foster Care Program
• Adoption Events

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,800 animals rescued and rehomed since 2015
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Petco Union SquarecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegular adoption events hosted at Petco Union Square location (44 Union Square East, New York, NY). This is one of the primary recurring event venues for the rescue.
• Boris and HortoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdoption event venue partner at 195 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009. Hosts regular adoption events for the rescue.
• The Pet MarketcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdoption event venue at 1227 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10021. Regular host of rescue adoption events.
• Pooch's ParlorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecial event venue partner at 128 India Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222. Hosted Low Rider Weekend dachshund adoption event.
• CrossFit South BrooklynminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent venue partner at 608 Degraw St, Brooklyn, NY 11217. Hosted adoption event introducing dogs to fitness community members.
• Petco Turtle BaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdoption event venue at 991 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10022. Regular adoption event host.
• Petco BensohurstminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdoption event venue at 2601 86th S, Brooklyn, NY 11223. Extends rescue's reach into Brooklyn community.
• ShelterLuvcoreTechnology or IntegrationPlatform used for adoption and foster applications, donation processing, and match-making functionality. All adoption applications processed through ShelterLuv.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ASPCA: National 501(c)(3) animal welfare organization headquartered in NYC. Operates a much broader portfolio (advocacy, pet health, mobile spay/neuter) but shares the same no-kill, adoption-focused mission in PupStarz's core market.
• Best Friends Animal Society: National no-kill animal welfare nonprofit running adoption programs and shelter partnerships nationwide. Overlaps with PupStarz's mission and adoption-event-driven GTM at much larger scale.
• Humane Society of the United States: Largest U.S. animal protection nonprofit. Comparable mission around shelter reform and adoption promotion, but operates at national scale rather than the tri-state community focus of PupStarz.

Others

• Petco Love: Petco's nonprofit foundation that funds adoption and welfare organizations and partners with rescues for adoption events. Directly adjacent as PupStarz's primary recurring venue partner and a likely ecosystem ally or funding source.

Direct peers

• Bideawee: Long-standing New York-area pet welfare organization focused on adoption, foster care, and pet retention. Comparable operating geography and adoption-centric service offering.
• Second Chance Rescue NYC: NYC foster-based rescue focused on dogs pulled from high-kill shelters. Operates an essentially identical foster-and-adopt model in the same tri-state geography.
• Animal Haven: NYC-based nonprofit animal rescue and adoption organization serving the tri-state area. Comparable mission, customer base, and community-led GTM model.
• Muddy Paws Rescue: NYC-based foster-based dog rescue operating a similar volunteer-driven model with adoption events and ShelterLuv-powered applications. Highly comparable in scale, geographic focus, and operating approach to PupStarz.
• North Shore Animal League America: Long Island-headquartered no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization serving the greater NY metro. Comparable mission of rescuing high-risk animals and rehoming across the tri-state area.
• Rescue Dog NYC: NYC-based foster-based dog rescue running adoption events and ShelterLuv applications. Directly comparable in size, scope, and volunteer-driven approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/pupstarzrescue
• Facebookfacebook.com/pupstarzrescue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pupstarz-rescue-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PupStarz Rescue Inc.