PROGRAMS
Frequently, pet surrenders can be avoided if pet parents can get the help they need. Dutchess County SPCA offers a variety of programs for the community, to help keep pets in their homes. We also have many workshops and events to help educate the community.
SAFETY NET
BOARDING
In the event of catastrophe such as hospitalization or temporary loss of your home, DCSPCA can board your pet free of charge for up to 30 days.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL
REPAYMENT
If your pet is ill or injured and you are unable to afford veterinary care, if the condition is something we can treat at our medical facility, we will customize an interest-free repayment program for you.
BEHAVIORAL ISSUES
Our canine and feline experts are always ready to help and advise with behavioral issues such as not using the litter box, resource guarding, hiding, or excessive barking. We also can advise on where to find additional help.
If you are thinking of giving up your pet to the shelter, first look at the programs offered here by Dutchess County SPCA, to see if there is a resource that might address your reason for surrendering. We want to do all we can to help keep pets and families together.
Call Carol at x403 to see if there is something we can do for you.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
The Sue A. Redl Program for Animal Victims of Domestic Violence
Thanks to a generous gift from the Redl Family Foundation, DCSPCA can support victims and their children who are escaping domestic violence with the help of Grace Smith House. We provide free housing and veterinary care to the companion animals of these survivors while the families are in residence at Grace Smith House.
The Boyd Pets Adoption Project
The Boyd Pets Adoption Project provides Hudson Valley Hospice patients and their families with a free service, through DCSPCA, to ensure that their beloved pets are cared for, and adopted upon the death of the patient. The program is made possible through funds established by the Susanne P. Boyd and Darrel Boyd Foundation for Animal Welfare.
TRAP NEUTER VACCINATE RELEASE
(TNVR)
There are tens of thousands of community (feral) cats in Dutchess County. These cats are the descendants of unneutered house cats, and because they were born outside and never had human interaction, they cannot live in homes. But they are also not wild animals that can fend for themselves. They live by scavaging and are prey to other animals, disease, and automobiles. The life expectancy of a community cat is two years.
DCSPCA works to control the population by trapping, neutering, vaccinating, and then returning these cats to their territories. Kittens that can be socialized are kept and adopted out. We work with community members to help ensure they are given food and a warm place to sleep. In managed colonies, they can live out their short lives in relative security, and will not be able to reproduce.
Our program is run in partnership with the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health.
If you need assistance with community cats in your area, call x412 to contact our trapping teams, borrow a trap, or attend one of our TNVR educational events.
Tours & Events
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Visit us with your class or scout troop for exclusive tours, to read to the animals, or to arrange special scout projects. We also regularly hold events for adults such as Cat Yoga and Paint Your Pet (paint n' sip).
Call Jean at x412 to schedule a group event, and keep an eye on our website and social media for announcements of our events.
Animal Care Education
We offer special workshops for classrooms, libraries and other community centers on the proper care of pets, for both children and adults.
For more information call x412