Humane Society awarded Major Grant!
CATS - 124 Marina Drive, Montour Falls, NYDOGS - Van Zandt Hollow Rd - Watkins Glen, NY 14891
Spay/Neuter Clinic: 2386 County Route 10 - Alpine, NY
HSSC Phone: (607) 594-2255
Shelter Phone: (607) 535-9960
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Georgie Taylor – President
Humane Society of Schuyler County
2386 County Rt 10
Alpine, NY 14805
Phone: 607-594-3639 (h)
607-342-1054 (c)
Email: gctaylor@empacc.net
Humane Society of Schuyler County Awarded $76,000 Grant
The Humane Society of Schuyler County’s shelter consolidation project received strong support with a $76,000 grant from The John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation. The Society recently launched a $350,000 capital campaign to renovate the former Kurtz Enterprises buildings just off State Route 14 in Montour Falls. The cost of the overall project is approximately $600,000.
The organization currently provides spay/neuter services and limited cat sheltering at the facility it owns on County Rt.10 in Alpine. In 2009 The Humane Society also assumed management and operation of The Schuyler County Animal Shelter at the request of the Schuyler County Legislature. The shelter, located several miles west of Watkins Glen is very much as it was originally built in the 1950’s to house stray and abandoned dogs.
“Our ability to fully and efficiently address the needs of the animals and the residents of Schuyler County is significantly restricted by the size, condition and remote locations of these two disparate facilities” says Georgie Taylor, Society President. “The current capacity of only 16 small runs does not meet the needs of Schuyler County and has necessitated that we board dogs in a private facility rather than euthanizing healthy, adoptable dogs. We are limited in our ability to assist county residents who have financial or medical issues requiring them to surrender their beloved pets.”
The existing facility does not provide for the isolation of sick or incoming dogs from the healthy adoptable population and creates a significant management issue with regard to the spread of disease. It also creates a very stressful environment for the dogs which can result in behavioral problems and make the dogs more difficult to place through no fault of their own. One other small room serves as physical plant, food prep, exam room, office space, adoption room where smaller dogs may be housed in crates.
The funds from The John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation will be used to purchase the kenneling system for the new shelter. “We are truly honored to have been invited to submit a proposal and to have been selected as a recipient of this prestigious grant”, says Taylor. Housing will consist of 24 kennels of appropriate size and will be divided into sections to house adoptable, in-coming dogs and dogs in isolation, minimizing the risk of disease and decreasing stress to the animals thus, improving their adoptability.
When renovated the new facility will provide low cost spay/neuter services, sheltering and adoption services for both dogs and cats under one roof and serve as a single, centrally located resource for the entire community. “We anticipate that given the highly visible location, we will see a significant increase in the number of adoptions, a decreased time in shelter and an increase in our volunteer base”, says Taylor.
The target completion date is December of this year. “To date we have raised a little over half of our goal of $350,000. We are thrilled with the community support thus far, but additional donations are still needed to make this project a reality”, comments Max Neal, Honorary Chair of the Capital Campaign.
The Humane Society of Schuyler County is a 501 c3 not-for-profit corporation dedicated to advancing animal welfare in Schuyler County since 1957. For more information or to make a tax deductible donation contact the organization at PO Box 427 Montour Falls, New York or call 607-594-2255 or visit the website at www.schuylerhumane.org.
The John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation is a private foundation established for the purpose of improving the welfare of animals of all kinds with a focus on dogs and cats, the promotion of veterinary programs and the protection of wildlife.
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