When Governor Cuomo announced the Companion Animal Capital Fund awards on Tuesday, February 27th, four of the Federation’s members received $1,720,867.
Libby Post, Executive Director of the New York State Animal Protection Federation, said, “We are absolutely thrilled by the number of grant applications that have been awarded. There was a strong response to this program from New York’s shelters and humane societies, and the applications far outweighed the availability of funding,” said the Fed’s Executive Director Libby Post in the Governor’s press release. “This underscores the critical need for the New York State Companion Animal Capital Fund to be once again included in the New York State Budget.”
The Federation is working with the Fund’s legislative champions, Assemblywoman Deborah Glick and State Senator Phil Boyle to have another $5 million put in the FY19 state budget.
The four shelters are Animal Protection Foundation in Schenectady County, Lollypop Farm in Monroe County, the SPCA of Westchester in Westchester County and Susquehana Animal Shelter in Otsego County.
Animal Protective Foundation: $220,867 to support the construction of a new feline care center to create group housing environments, to improve medical facilities, and to support the renovation of the current shelter, including a new heating/cooling system for improved ventilation.
Lollypop Farm/Humane Society of Rochester and Monroe County: $500,000 for the renovation of the current shelter. The project will add sound-absorbing panels to the dog-holding area and a new heating/cooling system for proper ventilation.
SPCA of Westchester: $500,000 for the construction of a new animal shelter to replace the current structure. The project will consolidate several buildings into a single, modern facility to modernize care.
Susquehanna Animal Shelter: $500,000 for the construction of a new animal shelter to replace the current structure. The project includes building a new facility on adjacent land to decrease the flooding risk and to allow for the addition of an adoption counseling area.
29 shelters from across the state applied for $13 million in projects. 14 shelters were awarded just under $5 million. The Companion Animal Capital Fund is the first state-funded program in the nation to support critical improvement projects at New York shelters. It allows these organizations to make significant updates to their facilities to enhance animal care and health, and help ensure adoptions for dogs and cats.
“New York’s animal shelters perform critical services in communities across this great state,” Governor Cuomo said. “This funding will better equip these facilities and help improve quality care, as these shelters continue to strive to find dogs and cats under their care a permanent, loving home.”
“The test of whether a society is civilized and just is how it cares for its most vulnerable,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “This funding will help animal shelters across the state care for dogs and cats while they embark on new beginnings.”
Funded in the 2017-18 New York State Budget, the Companion Animal Capital Fund provides matching grants to offset the costs associated with capital projects such as renovating dog kennels, improving medical facilities, or building more efficient shelters to reduce the cost of operation. Funds can also be used to construct, renovate, rehab, or acquire buildings or equipment needed to house, treat, and care for sheltered dogs and cats.