Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
Chronicle Managing Editor Cathy DeDe writes: Veterinarian Kyra Haring of For Pet’s Sake Veterinary Center in Glens Falls is urging elected officials to create a bi-county municipal animal shelter to serve Warren and Washington Counties.
She says she and a group of supporters plan to address both Boards of Supervisors at their monthly meetings, this Friday, April 17, both at 10 a.m. — in Warren County at the Municipal Center on Route 9 in Queensbury and in Washington County at the Municipal Center on Broadway in Fort Edward.
Dr. Haring tells The Chronicle that area towns and the two counties currently have agreements with various animal-serving facilities, including the SPCA of Upstate New York, but she says they don’t cover the breadth of the need.
In an online petition linked to her veterinary practice, Dr. Haring asserts, “I’ve witnessed and been deeply angered by the community’s inability to properly protect our animals…especially as local law enforcement frequently express their frustration at being unable to do their jobs effectively due to the lack of a proper shelter for abused animals.
“Our community is plagued by ongoing abuse cases involving large animals, dogs, and cats,” Dr. Haring said she has observed.
“On numerous occasions, I have donated my time and resources,” to treat injured or neglected animals that fall through the cracks here, she says. “Yet restitution remains elusive. It is time for our counties to take responsibility and allocate necessary funds towards the establishment of a shared animal shelter.
“This facility would be instrumental in ensuring the safety and welfare of abused animals and would provide our law enforcement with the necessary resources to act against cruelty efficiently.”
“This is not a rescue problem,” Dr. Haring says in a Facebook posting. “This is a public safety infrastructure gap.”
SPCA Executive Director Cathy Cloutier, reached by The Chronicle, said, “People say a county shelter is a great idea, but is it a great idea without having background information on the use of the shelter, and who is going to use it, what are your restrictions, how big does it have to be, what’s your hours?”
She said the SPCA serves the City of Glens Falls and that it has a contract with Warren County, at a base cost of $8,000 monthly, in order to remain open and available for County needs.
She says a dedicated County Facility, such as in Saratoga County, would have broader, more complicated responsibilities that can be difficult to fulfill.
Copyright © 2026 Lone Oak Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights Reserve
