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, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Fund a Feline and Contribute a Canine Club

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

Surrender Services

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.

Dogs Available for Adoption  |  Cats Available for Adoption  |  Adopted Animals

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