Holding info for lost canines

Pictured with CGHS/SPCA Animal Care Technician Xavier Scott is Yoda, a 4-year-old male Bulldog/Beagle mix. Yoda was found as a stray by dog control in March, and was never claimed by his previous owners. He has a long streak of bald skin down his back, which we think occurred from a previous burn. Yoda gets along with both dogs and cats, and we feel he'll be good with older kids. Despite our best efforts, he just can't reach his full potential in our shelter environment and just wants to find a forever home!

Is it possible that spring has finally sprung? Hallelujah! These gorgeous sunny, warm days, precursors to the summer to follow, precipitate my annual listing of Dog Control Officers and holding facilities. If your canine kids or a visiting canine cousin execute a yard escape and decide to tour our beautiful Columbia or Greene counties, all dog owners need to not only know who to call, but the holding protocols for your lost or stray dog’s destination.

Your first call should be to your Dog Control Officer (DCO). Be persistent. If the response is not timely, put in a call to your town supervisor. If an animal is in peril, i.e. hit by car, etc., call the Sheriff’s office or our Humane Society emergency line 518-828-6044.

Many town residents assume that all dogs at large are brought to our  shelter. This is not the case. We have provided a reference at the end of this column for your review. Become involved and proactive. Investigate the site and set-up of the holding facility. Ask the hard questions about the management and care given to a lost or stray dog. What is the protocol during the holding period (minimum of six days) and what will be the disposition of the dog after the legal hold, if the dog is not claimed. The health and well-being of the dog is of paramount importance. If the dog needs additional help, will it receive it?

You are free to compare the quality of care procedures, in place at the Columbia-Greene shelter, with the facility in contract with your municipality. In addition to our shelter, know that Mohawk-Hudson River Humane Society, Dutchess County Humane Society, and Ulster County Humane Society are compliant. These facilities are all well-established humane societies and SPCA’s that have strict medical protocol for municipal dog holding. The standards in place at our Columbia-Greene facility adhere to the highest and most comprehensive standards. Many dog-owning taxpayers are unaware that some towns hold dogs in garages or outdoor kennels, with no health evaluations and no veterinary attention unless the dog is deemed in peril. Know that your well-cared-for dog could be jeopardized by adjacent kenneling to a sick, parasite infested, or mange infested individual, with no kennel cough protection. Knowledge is power. Be proactive.

Here’s the list for reference:

Municipalities housing with CGHS/SPCA from Columbia County:

Ancram: Wes Powell (518) 339-4008, (518) 794-0225
Canaan: Bob Alexander (518) 929-7794
Claverack: Reg Conklin (518) 851-9985, (518) 755-3152
Copake: Wes Powell (518) 339-4008, (518) 794-0225
Ghent: Wendy Shufelt (518) 392-5435, (518) 821-0707, (518) 392-4644
Greenport: Jennifer Pinkowski (518) 567-7668
Hillsdale: Wes Powell (518) 339-4008, (518) 794-0225
Hudson (City): Wes Powell (518) 339-4008, (518) 794-0225
Kinderhook: Diane Ryan (518) 275-9983
New Lebanon: Wes Powell (518) 339-4008, (518) 794-0225
Stockport: Stockport Police Department (518) 828-9389
Stuyvesant: Wes Powell (518) 339-4008, (518) 794-0225
Taghkanic: Wes Powell (518) 339-4008, (518) 794-0225

Municipalities housing with CGHS/SPCA from Greene County:

Ashland: Bruce Feml (518) 589-6155
Athens (Town): Sherry Vieta (518) 322-9783, (518) 678-0168
Athens (Village): Nora Adelman (518) 945-2866
Catskill: Aaron Clause (518) 291-0705
Coxsackie (Town): Mark Misurack (518) 390-9259
Coxsackie (Village): Mark Misurack (518) 390-9259
Greenville: Melissa Rosa (518) 634-7384
Hunter: Bruce Feml (518) 589-6155
Jewett: Bruce Feml (518) 589-6155
Lexington: Bruce Feml (518) 589-6155
New Baltimore: Joe Tanner (518) 756-9355, (518) 857-7515
Prattsville: Jeremy Marsh (518) 299-3375
Windham: Bruce Feml (518) 589-6155

Municipalities housing with CGHS/SPCA from Dutchess County:

Rhinebeck: Roger Newkirk (845) 876-2465

Municipalities housing outside of CGHS/SPCA in Columbia/Greene counties:

Austerlitz: Wes Powell (518) 339-4008, (518) 794-0225
Chatham: Wes Powell (518) 339-4008, (518) 794-0225
Clermont: Desirae Weber (321) 863-3875, (518) 537-2483
Gallatin: Jim Reilly (845) 756-4136
Germantown: Anthony Cidras (518) 567-7224
Livingston: Martin Palumbo (518) 929-7891
Cairo: Cairo Police Department (518) 622-2324, Shelter (518) 622-2324
Durham: Mert Tripp 518-966-8552
Hlcott: Greg DiBenedetto 845-254-4009

Feel free to call us with any questions at 518-828-6044, or visit our website at www.cghs.org. Stop down and see us at 125 Humane Society Road, off Route 66 (about a mile south of the intersection with Route 9H) in Hudson. Our hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed on Wednesday and Sunday. The Food Bank is open to any from the public in need of pet food or for those wishing to donate food anytime during business hours. All of our cats and kittens are “Furrever Free” with all expenses paid. Spay/neuter clinics for cats are $65 male or female, including a rabies vaccination and a 5-in-1 feline distemper combination vaccination. Nail clipping services are available every Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Shelter, no appointment necessary, for a donation of $5 for cats and $10 for dogs.

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Charlene Marchand is the Chairperson of the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA Board of Directors. She may be contacted by e-mail at cghsaaron@gmail.com.