Support Safer Havens for Pets
Dogs and cats deserve safe, clean care while awaiting their forever homes. That’s why New York legislators voted unanimously to support a new law raising the standards at animal shelters and rescues across the state.
But the Companion Animal Care Standards Act, which will take effect at the end of 2025, means many shelters need to invest in upgrades before then — including at the Tri-Lakes Humane Society in Saranac Lake, which serves 11 towns and villages across the region.
Victoria Tanner, the shelter’s director, said the new law requires them to build a 40-foot-long addition to their structure in order to provide more space for the rescue animals in their care — up to three dozen cats and dogs at any one time. They’ll also need to upgrade ventilation systems, provide a buffer between cats and dogs, and make improvements to other infrastructure in order to comply.
Tanner said the law is a “great thing for animals.” But getting up to code is pricey: A $500,000 state grant will cover much of the work, “but it goes fast,” she said.
One way to help support those changes is by attending the annual Bark in the Park event--one of the Humane Society’s biggest annual fundraisers.
