Animal Farm Foundation × VFAR × NYCCRA
Three organizations. One mission. Animal Farm Foundation partners with VFAR (Voters for Animal Rights) and the NYC Cat Rescuer Alliance to challenge breed discrimination, keep pets in homes, and demand NYC fund the animal care its communities deserve. Powered by Straytegies, the tech-enabled campaign platform.
All Dogs Are Individuals
Animal Farm Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 on 400 acres in Dutchess County, New York. What began as a horse rescue transformed when founder Jane Berkey discovered that dogs labeled “pit bulls” — and their owners — faced systemic discrimination with no basis in science.
The Science Is Clear
Through their subsidiary, the National Canine Research Council, AFF has shown that the majority of dogs people label “pit bulls” aren’t actually any specific breed at all. Visual breed identification is unreliable, and a dog’s appearance tells you nothing about their behavior. The motivation behind “pit bull” stereotypes has historically been used to keep marginalized people out of communities.
Why This Matters for NYC
Breed-specific legislation and housing insurance discrimination force families to choose between their homes and their dogs. In a city where affordable housing is already scarce, breed restrictions push vulnerable New Yorkers to surrender pets they love. AFF’s advocacy work directly supports the VFAR and NYC Cat Rescuer Alliance coalition’s fight for adequate animal care funding in the NYC budget.
Programs That Change Lives
From senior dog rescue to shelter consulting, AFF meets the evolving needs of dogs and their communities.
Old Friends Program
Senior shelter dogs from across the country get a chance to live out their golden years in a loving home — on AFF's 400-acre farm or with foster families.
Family Pantry Program
Recognizing pets as family, AFF provides food and supplies to help pets stay with their families during tough times — preventing unnecessary surrenders.
Shelter Consulting
AFF staff consult with shelters nationwide on evidence-based enrichment, training, marketing, and adoption policies to help dogs get home faster.
Advocacy Library
Scientific research, legal statements, and whitepapers that support efforts to end breed-specific legislation and housing insurance discrimination.
#LoveWithoutLabels
A social media movement challenging the stigma around rescue dogs and the people who love them. Because a label should never determine a dog’s worth — or a family’s right to keep their pet.
Campaign launched March 18th with celebrity photoshoots and nationwide social media push
Years of AFF advocacy for dogs labeled “pit bulls” since founding in 1985
Acres in Dutchess County, NY where rescued dogs, horses, and farm animals call home
What the Campaign Stands For
Visual breed identification is scientifically unreliable — a dog's looks don't predict behavior
Breed-specific legislation tears families apart and disproportionately impacts marginalized communities
Every dog deserves to be evaluated as an individual, not judged by a label
Rescue dogs are not broken — they're resilient, loving, and ready for a second chance
Why We Joined Forces
Animal Farm Foundation brings four decades of science and advocacy. VFAR and NYC Cat Rescuer Alliance bring the grassroots organizing. Straytegies provides the tech platform to turn it all into political pressure.
End Breed Discrimination
Breed-specific legislation punishes dogs for how they look, not how they behave. Together we advocate for evidence-based policies that treat every dog as an individual.
Keep Pets in Homes
AFF's Family Pantry program and VFAR & NYCCRA's push for NYC pet food pantry funding share the same belief: no family should lose their pet because of financial hardship.
Science Over Stigma
Through the National Canine Research Council, AFF provides the science. Through VFAR and NYCCRA's advocacy — powered by Straytegies' campaign tools — that science becomes talking points that move legislators.
Amplify Community Voices
The #LoveWithoutLabels campaign and the VFAR/NYCCRA coalition's social media push — built on Straytegies' platform — empower everyday advocates to share stories that change minds and policy.
Spread the Word
Use these hashtags in your posts. The more voices, the louder the message.
Join the Movement
Generate social media posts, write letters to your council member, and use #LoveWithoutLabels to fight breed discrimination and demand NYC fund animal care.