On February 10, a man attempted to surrender his two dogs to the Animal Protective Foundation (APF), as he could no longer care for them. APF personnel escorted the man and his dogs to the Schenectady Police Department, stating that they did not have room for the dogs and they needed to see a veterinarian. The dogs ended up at Hernas Veterinary Clinic and are doing well, but their fate remains unknown.
The APF has a sheltering agreement with the City of Schenectady, as well as several other municipalities. However, APF's first priority is to take in unwanted pets and strays brought in by residents. If the shelter is full, it cannot take in additional animals.
With over 150,000 residents in Schenectady County, and over 66,000 in the city of Schenectady, it would seem obvious that there is a valid need for a municipal animal shelter. The APF has been discussing this issue with Schenectady Mayor McCarthy. Reporters from News 10 ABC attempted to speak with the mayor, but have not yet heard back from him. State law requires munipalities to establish and maintain a dog shelter. If there is no municipal shelter, cities and towns must contract with organizations such as the APF.
Along with housing stray animals, a municipal shelter could also provide low cost services such as spaying/neutering, heartworm, flea and tick control, rabies and other vaccinations, and dog training. Like many other animal shelters, it could engage in fundraisers and operate with the assistance of volunteers, to ease the burden of taxpayers. In the long run, both the residents and the stray animals would benefit from such a shelter.
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