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Adoptions
Link
to Petfinder
How to Adopt
Meet Your Match™
Adoption Application
Adoption Fees
Love Stories
Central to the DCSPCA mission is the securing of caring, responsible,
permanent homes for the adoptable animals in our care. We therefore look
forward to meeting new adopters and matching them with new pets. Anyone
looking to adopt a pet from our shelter should read, print and bring in
a completed adoption application. The application helps our adoption counselors
assist adopters in the selection of a new pet, and allows us to determine
whether an adoption is in the animal's best interest.
Our adoption fee includes: the first series of vaccinations, leukemia
testing or heartworm testing (as applicable), fecal exam for parasites
and any medication and a seven day health guarantee. All adopters will
also be given a complimentary one year membership and be placed on our
mailing list.
Prospective adopters should...
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Have identification showing your present address
- Have the knowledge and consent of your landlord
- Be able and willing to spend the time and money necessary to provide
training, medical treatment and proper care for a pet
For more information on the adoptable animals in our care, please call
the shelter at 845-452-SPCA, visit us in person, or go to http://www.petfinder.com to
find your best friend at the DCSPCA!
Something to Bark About! The DCSPCA has implemented the Meet Your Match™ Canine-ality
Adoption Program at our shelter. This is a program acquired by the ASPCA
for national distribution through its National Outreach Department.
The Meet Your Match™ program is designed to facilitate a bond
between canine and adopter. The program matches the “canine-ality” of
the dogs in the shelter with the type of dog that you are looking for!
The canine-ality assessment tests that are administered to the dog include: friendliness,
playfulness, energy level, and motivation or drive. Each dog is scored
and then categorized as with easy, average, or high maintenance. These
categories are color- coded purple, orange, and green, respectively. These
color – coded descriptions are used as the dog’s cage card.
When you as the adopter fill out the survey, you will be focusing on
how you envision your new dog fitting into your home and family. This
survey is also scored, and adopters receive either purple, orange, or
green Guest Passes, and are directed to the dogs with the cage cards
that match the color of the Guest Passes. It is not only fun, but it
helps adopters go home with the type of dog they always dreamed of having!
Our staff and our adoption counselors have been trained in the Meet
Your Match™ program, and are able to facilitate adoptions that
help to make great matches between our wonderful shelter dogs and the
caring people who want to give them a second chance at a good life.
Come to the shelter and meet with the adoption staff, fill out our new
adoption survey, and find your very best friend at the Dutchess County
SPCA!
CAT ADOPTIONS
Adult
cats: $120.00
Kittens: $140.00
*Fees include the adoption of a spayed/neutered pet, Feline Leukemia
testing, Feline AIDS (FIV) testing, Rabies vaccination, Feline Distemper
vaccination, Microchip, and a free pet exam with participating veterinarians..
DOG ADOPTIONS
Adult
dogs: $180.00
Puppies: $225.00 (6 months of age and
younger)
*Fees include the adoption of a spayed/neutered pet, Bordatella
vaccination, Rabies vaccination, 4DX testing, DHLPP vaccination, Microchip,
Licensing, and a free pet exam with participating veterinarians. Additional
fees may apply for purebred dogs/puppies.
PUBLIC FELINE SPAY/NEUTER (in our low-cost Spay-Neuter Clinic)
Public
feline spay/neuter: $60.00
*Call the shelter at 452-7722 ext. 14 to make an appointment.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
Rabies vaccination, Feline Leukemia/AIDS testing, Feline Distemper
vaccination, and microchipping available!
and microchipping available!
We are often asked why we charge a fee for our animals when animals
are available for “free” in newspaper ads or in front of
the local supermarket. While we are grateful that you’ve chosen
to adopt a shelter animal, the reality is that we too must pay for
staffing, electricity, heat and food. Donations only cover a portion
of these costs. But, if you compare what you get with an adoption from
the DCSPCA to a “free” animal, you’ll see that we
offer the best value by far. Chews Adoption!
e a fee for our animals when animals are
available for “free” in newspaper ads or in front of the loce
by far. Chews Adoption!Th
We want to publish your personal stories. Please email
us your success stories and photos! Send your story via email with photo
attachments and your story can reach others in our community to encourage
them to open their home to one of our animals.
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A
little over two years ago, we received a phone call with the sad
news that my husband’s first cousin Eileen had passed away.
She lived with the love of her life, Henry, a terrier mix whom she
adopted from a shelter.
Henry
was found by Eileen’s side, and thankfully taken to the DCSPCA.
Eileen had named two people in her will to take care of Henry and
both had reneged on their promise. My husband and I love dogs and
have a lot of property in Morris County, NJ. We have six Labrador
Retrievers, two of which are certified Therapy Dogs. The last thing
we needed was another dog!
I can’t
fully explain what made me say to my husband, “Let’s
go and take a look at him, and see if we think he’d fit in
with our crew.” You already know how this story ends. We went
to the DCSPCA, and Henry immediately jumped into our arms and began
kissing our faces. We took him home, and my Labs and Henry absolutely
love each other. Now Henry is our love story.
~
Marilyn J. Nash |
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Hi,
it’s me Mabel. The medical staff will smile when they hear
that name for sure, but I wanted the rest of the folks to know how
I got here to tell my story. I was a tiny very sick foster kitten;
my 3 sisters had died and the prognosis for me was pretty much the
same. My foster Mom kept trying along with the staff and doctors
who visited the shelter. Daily, I got medicines and shots and IV
fluids placed under my neck so I would not get dehydrated. You see,
I could not nurse and keep the formula down. I slept on a heating
pad wrapped in tiny wool blankets.
One
night as I was getting weaker my Mom was rocking and singing to
me and told me that it would be all right to go to the Rainbow Bridge
with my sisters, but she would miss me. Then she whispered, "Mabel,
if you can only get better, Dad and I will adopt you.” The
next day when Mom looked into my cage expecting the worst, I was
looking out at her and sitting up, and of course they adopted me.
They call me "M&M" for Mabel Miracle.
~ Mabel
(Miracle) Cote
Daughter of DCSPCA Volunteers Nancy Jo and Joe Cote |
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Luckily, I quickly found a new home and now I’m so busy
having fun and being loved that I have mostly forgotten about
that scary time. My new family is huge: 2 Airedales, 4 cats, and
2 humans. We all get along, although I had to immediately let
the 2 Airedales know that even though they were bigger, I was
going to be in charge. I love to play with the cats. Three of
them were just tiny kittens when they moved in and now we’re
the best of friends. They like to sneak up and attack me from
behind, and when I’m waiting for a treat they like to swat
at my swinging tail.
We
have a big yard that the Airedales and I love to race around.
I have my humans well trained to only leave me outside when it
is sunny and warm. When it is rainy and cold, I lie next to them
on the couch in front of a warm fire. They are finally starting
to scratch my belly just the way I like it. My humans feed me
well, play with me, give me my daily medicine, and love me. I
think every dog deserves a home like the one I have.
~
Baxter Perkins, Hyde Park
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Our love story with Abigail began back in early 1984 when we went
to the DCSPCA to find a cat to replace the one that we had recently
lost. When we went into the cat area most of the cats ignored us
except for one, "Abigail!" This one young black cat was
climbing up the cage door and making such a commotion that you had
to notice her. Notice her we did. She wanted out real bad and we
wanted a cat real bad so it was a perfect match from the start.
After we got her home, she became very sick. We took her to the
vet, who said she had an upper respiratory infection. We enticed
her to keep eating, feeding the cat food that had the most obnoxious
odor—the one she nibbled at the most. Soon, she was up and
well.
She was independent and tolerated her sister cat, with a few "who's
top cat"
discussions once in a while. One of the things that made Abby so
special was her love of traveling. She would go with us camping
up in the Adirondacks. During the journey, she would get up and
look out the front windshield so she could see where she was. On
the trip home, she would warn us that it was getting dark and we
had better get home!
When her older sister passed on, we got her a younger brother.
She would tolerate him and they would sometimes bat at each other
through the crack of an almost closed door. Chauncey knew his place
and always looked to his older sister for guidance, which she patiently
gave.
As Abby got on in years, she would take her spot on our bed every
night, up on a pillow. She was a part of our life for 17 years before
we had to make that decision that pet people wish someone else would
make for them. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share
a little bit about our Abby with you.
~
Susan & Jerry Gilnack, Red Hook
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It was the fall of 1998 and we had recently lost our 10-year-old
dog, Fred, to cancer. We have always supported the DCSPCA and decided
to visit to see if we could find another dog to share our love.
A shelter employee said "she had the dog for us.” She
brought Lacy out from the back to take for a walk. Lacy was skinny
and timid. We filled out the paperwork and took Lacy home to meet
the king of our home: Barney, our cat. They hit it off great–we
caught them nuzzling each other.
Seven
months later we went back to the DCSPCA thinking we'd get a cat.
An
employee pointed out Roxy–a puppy rescued on an abuse case.
She was sitting in a cage and looked up at us with these big pleading
eyes, tail wagging, and we said "OK.” Roxy became instantly
attached to Lacy and will not go anywhere without her. As for the
King, he loves them both. All three sleep together on our bed because
they are truly spoiled.
We
have been truly blessed to have adopted Lacy and Roxy. They have
given us so much pleasure and we want to take this opportunity to
thank everyone at the shelter for bringing these two great dogs
into our lives.
~
George and Lynn Carola, Hyde Park |
PS -- The DCSPCA makes sure
that every animal is spayed or neutered prior to leaving the shelter
- just one way we can help end pet overpopulation.
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