Programs and Services

Adoption Services

Our staff is ready to help you and your family find the right pet - an animal who will spend the rest of his or her life with you.  We are trained to ask key questions that will help you select an appropriate dog or cat.  Do you live in a house or an apartment? How many hours are you away from home? Are there young children in the family? We will also assist you with your new pet(s) after you take them home.  The Shelter will provide training, counseling, classes and general instructions for feeding, health care and grooming.

We ask our potential adopters to fill out a short form that helps us get to know them.  We care about our animals, and we follow up with a phone call to make sure all is well.

There is no adoption fee for cats, and the fee for a dog is $100.00 plus $5.00 for the required New York State dog license. This fee covers the spay/neuter, vaccinations and other items.

Our Shelter is open for adoptions Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  We have extended hours until 6:00 p.m. on Thursdays.  Please see below for Food Bank hours of operation.

Public Food Bank

Our Food Bank is open every Wednesday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.  This program is designed to assist those in need of pet food due to financial circumstances.  We will assist in trying to find food for any companion animal.  Donations may be made to the food bank anytime during normal business hours.  Please note that all other standard Shelter programs are closed and unavailable to the public on Wednesdays with the exception of emergency Cruelty Investigation calls (see below).

Fund a Feline

Joining this club provides the opportunity for you to sponsor the adoption of one or more cats, which will enable our Shelter to waive the usual adoption fee, thus encouraging much needed adoptions. Click here for a description of this club or to print enrollment forms.

Marvin's Fund

Marvin’s Fund is a restricted fund dedicated to Alfie (a.k.a. "Marvin"), an amazing dog that persevered through insurmountable odds with the help of CGHS/SPCA and our supporters. This fund is for the sole purpose of rehabilitating animals that come to us in dire need of medical services that exceed the limits of our medical budget. The Contribute a Canine Program is now Marvin’s Fund. Over the past couple of years many of our supporters have donated to the Contribute a Canine Program to assist with the adoptions of select dogs. Many people who had contributed to this program asked specifically for their donation to help dogs with special needs. Thus, we have decided to broaden the fund to include all animals with special needs in honor of Marvin.  Please click here for a more detailed description of this program.

Surrender Services (by appointment only)

Since 1955, the CGHS/SPCA has offered surrender services. Our doors are open for dogs, cats, birds and any other homeless animals.  In the back of our Shelter, there is a paddock available for farm animals.  Surrenders are by appointment only. Call the Shelter at (518) 828-6044.  The surrender fee is $30.00 for a cat and $50.00 for a dog.

Cruelty Investigation

The Columbia-Greene Humane Society is also chartered as an SPCA, which gives our investigators the authority to make arrests for any illegal mistreatment of animals. Our investigators are peace officers and are trained in animal cruelty.  Our Shelter is open for cruelty complaints 24 hours a day.

Low-Cost Cat Spay and Neuter

CGHS/SPCA offers low-cost cat spay and neuter to the public at our Shelter most Thursdays. The cost is $65.00 per cat, which includes the spay or neuter, rabies vaccine and distemper vaccine. We also offer a Feline Leukemia test for $20 or a combination test for Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS for a fee of $25.00, as well as flea and tick prevention for a $3.00 fee.

For additional information about this program or to schedule an appointment for your cat, please call (518) 828-6044 or e-mail us at cghsuser001@aol.com. All animals adopted from CGHS/SPCA are already spayed or neutered and vaccinated.

Municipal Holding for Stray Dogs

When a Dog Control Officer or resident brings a stray dog to our Shelter, the staff tries to reach the owner of the dog if it is licensed or, for an unlicensed dog, checks the Shelter's Lost Dog Inventory to determine whether the owner reported the dog is lost.

If the owner does not claim the dog within ten days, the dog is then owned by the Shelter and will be put up for adoption. Local towns contract with our Shelter to provide this municipal holding function.

Humane Education

Representatives from the Shelter are available to offer programs at schools, daycare centers and adult facilities.  Our curriculum is administered by a trained volunteer and assisted by staff employees.

Lost and Found

We maintain a file for lost animals and another for found animals to assist in reuniting an animal with its owner. If you or someone you know loses or finds an animal, contact the Shelter to file a report at 518-828-6044 or e-mail us at cghsuser001aol.com. The appropriate Dog Control Officer should also be contacted for a lost or found dog (see Dog Control Officers page).

Emergency Services

We provide services to animals that may be injured or in peril.

Dog Obedience

We are happy to offer the privilege of working with two of the most accomplished trainers in New York State. Charlene Marchand's dedication to Shelter animals is apparent in her generosity to the CGHS/SPCA.  Training classes will not only make life better for you and your dog, but they are also entertaining and fun. Sign up early. These classes fill quickly. (Remember - you can teach an old dog new tricks!)

If you are interested in training classes, call Charlene Marchand at 518-766-3804.

Pets Eternal Society (PEtS)

PEtS is a planned giving organization for our supporters who are leaving a legacy to CGHS/SPCA via their estate to help ensure our Shelter can continue to provide a safe, loving place for animals in need. For information, call the Shelter and ask for a copy of our Planned Giving brochure.

Equine Cruelty at Center Brook Farm

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