The DCSPCA Adoption and Education Center: A large modern one-story building with a sidewalk.

About Dutchess County SPCA

Founded in 1871, Dutchess County SPCA is one of the oldest SPCAs in the country. This animal shelter is no-kill shelter now and always. Dutchess County SPCA is not a governmental agency, nor is it affiliated with the ASPCA. It is an independent charity, funded almost entirely by private donations.

A person smiling with a cat in their lap.

Mission

The Dutchess County SPCA is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit, no-kill shelter.

We shelter animals in need and secure permanent homes for adoptable pets.
We provide practical and educational resources to the public to advance the highest standards of animal care and help keep pets in their homes.
We strive for a community in which all animals are treated with compassion and respect.

Who we are.

DCSPCA is a no-kill shelter. We never euthanize due to space. We are mindful of our population of animals and our capacity so that all of the animals here will receive proper care, space, and attention. We are a private charity, and we operate differently than a municipal shelter. Municipal shelters are required to take in every animal that comes to them, and many of these shelters are horribly overcrowded and are forced to euthanize due to space constraints. We as a private non-profit do not have this requirement. We are nevertheless dedicated to helping as many animals as we can with the resources we have.

We do take dogs, cats, and small mammals surrendered by owners.
We help relieve municipal and other shelters by taking in stray dogs when we have the capacity.
We are contracted to take in stray dogs from the town in which we are located, Hyde Park.
We take in non-feral stray cats from all over Dutchess County.
We take in abused or neglected pets through the Sheriff's Office Humane Law division.

While we strive to help as many pets as possible, we cannot take in dogs that are aggressive or pose a danger to the public. In these cases, it’s the owner's responsibility to ensure the dog is managed appropriately or placed in a facility suited to handle such cases.

Dutchess County SPCA is, like all SPCAs, named for the region in which it is located. It’s important to note that while we are called the Dutchess County SPCA, our name doesn’t require us to take in all animals from the county. Our goal is to provide support and find solutions, whether that means scheduling a surrender for when we have space, offering community programs to help keep pets in their homes, or assisting overcrowded shelters when we can.

If you are directed by any person or facility to take your pet to a SCPA because they are legally obliged to take the animal in, you are being misinformed.

If you find a stray dog, please call the animal control officer of the town in which the dog was found. Here’s a list.

If you see abuse or neglect of any animal, please call the Sheriff's Office at 845-486-3800.

If you're ever in a difficult situation with your pet, please reach out to us directly. If we can’t help through our community assistance programs, we’ll do our best to find a solution, provided we have the space and that your pet doesn’t pose a risk to others.

A child with a happy expression with a long-haired black-and-white cat who is looking at the child curiously.

Core Values

Holistic: We see the whole animal and are fair, compassionate and empathetic. We bring this same vision to members of the community and look at an individual and each situation with compassion and understanding.

Community Service: Helping animals means helping people. We believe the solutions to local challenges begin with our outreach to the community. We lead by example and with compassion for animals and their caretakers.

Welcoming and Inclusive: We strive to be non-judgmental. Everyone has a vision and a skill to offer. Diversity, both visible and invisible, makes our organization stronger. We encourage each other to embrace the diversity and the strengths each person brings into our organization.

Compassion: We approach each other, our community animals, and neighbors with love, kindness, understanding, and patience. We acknowledge that other perspectives and situations are different from our own and we strive to genuinely recognize the needs of other people or animals.

Integrity: We consistently act in a moral and ethical manner, even when we are alone. We recognize that our words and deeds are the building blocks for strong relationships with our teammates and the community.