518.725.5956 (shelter)    518.736.2100 (report abuse/found animals: 24 hours)

All You Want To Know About Regional SPCA

Who is Fulton County Regional SPCA?

Fulton County Regional Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (or Regional SPCA, for short) had its humble beginnings as Regional Animal Shelter, which was founded  in 2002.

 

Regional started as a grassroots group of dedicated animal advocates whose primary goal was to design, construct, and staff a new state-of-the-art animal shelter to serve our region. Our current location at 117 West Fulton St in Gloversville opened in May of 2012. We are 100% volunteer-run, and we receive no funding from government or national organizations (i.e. ASPCA, HSUS, etc.).

 

In 2018, the decision was made to reincorporate as an SPCA to better serve the neediest animals in our community. Reincorporation was finished in 2019 and we began full operations as Regional SPCA in January of 2020. 

Our Mission

Our mission is to engage the hearts, hands, and minds of the community to help animals. We provide immediate shelter and care for any homeless or abused animals and either reunite these animals with their owners or find them new, loving homes. We will actively promote animal and owner education, training, and public awareness to improve the lives of the animals in our community and beyond.

Why become an SPCA?

The decision to become an SPCA was made after a lot of soul searching by our Board of Directors. Resources (both manpower and monetary) for investigating and prosecuting animal cruelty and neglect cases are limited in our community. We know that by becoming an SPCA, complete with Humane Peace Officers, we will be able to assist our local law enforcement with investigating and prosecuting animal abuse, bringing knowledge, hands, and funding to the table. 


While we are affiliated with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), we are a private, independent nonprofit organization that receives no funds from the ASPCA.

Our Purpose

The purpose of the Regional SPCA is to take care of any and all dogs which find themselves coming through its doors. Many dogs that enter Regional are just visiting – they are quickly reunited with their families after going on a grand adventure outside of the house. But for those whose owners never come, or for those who were not taken care of,  the shelter is a place of love and healing until their forever homes are found. The shelter is so small we are often unable to take surrenders and we have no safe space for cats, although we help when we can when there an available foster. 


We focus on the animals in need within our community and do not import dogs or puppies from out of state for adoption.

Are you a no-kill shelter?

We do not advocate for the use of the “no-kill” terminology, as being a “no-kill” shelter means that the shelter has the luxury of turning away animals that need sanctuary.  Because of our severely limited size, we are not able to take every animal that comes to our attention in need of help. We work very closely with other shelters and rescues to try to assist all animals in need, and we try to provide resources for animals so that they are more likely to stay in their homes.  That being said, we do not euthanize for space if an animal is adoptable or able to be rehabilitated and in our care. 

Future Plans

Ultimately, we will still be constructing, funding, operating, and maintaining a new animal shelter with an on-site spay-neuter clinic in our community to best serve the animals in the region. There is still a dire need for help in the stray and unwanted animal population.  It is our goal to provide immediate shelter and care for any and all homeless or abused animals and shelter them until such time as they are redeemed to their owners, adopted into new families. We intend to provide services 24 hours a day, 7 days a-week, and respond to the public and municipalities that we serve.


Also, by actively seeking grants and funding, we hope to help reduce the stray animal population to zero by participating in any spay/neuter programs available and to actively promote education, training, and public awareness. The new shelter will have space for education classes and the facilities for on-site low cost spay/neuter, rabies, and microchip clinics.

Our #TeamPaw

We are a  group of 75 strong-willed volunteers, including our Board of Directors, who are determined to make a difference in the lives of the animals in our care and in our community.  We depend on the support of our generous donors like you to care for our animals, pay our bills, further our Mission, and raise funds for our new full-service local facility that will serve the Fulton-Montgomery-Hamilton County region of New York.

 

All donations are greatly appreciated and tax deductible. Please consider giving generously to our cause, whether it be for the direct care of our animals or the completion of our new facility.

You need to meet

Because they’re awesome (we’re only a little biased).

Meet all of our adoptable animals here.