The Adirondack Humane Society

The Adirondack Humane Society is located at 134 Idaho Avenue in Plattsburgh.

The Adirondack Humane Society (AHS) does a lot of good. If their clients could articulate more than a “Woof!” and “Meow!”, they would vouch for it. According to their mission statement, “The Adirondack Humane Society exists to improve the well-being of animals and the people with whom they live.”

The shelter differs from a run-of-the-mill pound in that it is offers more humane and hygienic conditions for the animals. “Euthanasia is a word people often associate with pounds, and we are a 'no kill' shelter,” assures shelter manager Megan Morrissey-Kelley.

The AHS was originally called The League for Control and Protection of Animals when it started out back in 1983 as an animal rescue league. In 1996, its Executive Director, the first paid employee, was hired. Throughout the following year, a full-time volunteer Office Manager and a part-time paid Program Coordinator joined the staff and the organization’s name was changed to “reflect its commitment to a more humane future for every member of our community.”

Their plan to do so is implemented in a number of ways: For one, the AHS has operated an animal shelter since August 1998. The AHS shelter aims to keep its animals free of disease and “confinement stress”, both of which frequently plague animals in pounds. The shelter also provides services for the animals and their future human companions, such as medical care, spraying/neutering, cruelty investigation, grooming, animal care education, temperament evaluation and a lost-and-found service. Since the shelter’s inception, it has found new homes for 1,733 animals, most of which were dogs and cats.

While the animals at AHS are in no way mistreated or neglected, the staff envisions bigger and better things for them. The main long-term goal of the AHS is to build a larger, more efficient animal shelter on 20 acres of land donated by the Robert Miller Construction Company. In addition to all of their services, it intends to add more, including separate facilities for dogs and cats, holding areas for sick animals and an indoor running area for dogs.

The Robert Miller Construction Company is just one of the many generous benefactors. The AHS is community-based and receives no federal or state funding. The organization depends on the altruism of its members, contributors and volunteers. The AHS is always looking for volunteers, so any dog walking, cage cleaning, supply donating or financial gift giving you could would be greatly appreciated. To inquire about volunteering, call (518)561-7876 or e-mail volunteers@adkhs.org.

Another way the AHS stays afloat is through fundraisers. May 2, 2004 marked PETWALK, AHS’s biggest fundraiser. The annual PETWALK celebrated its tenth birthday on this year in Plattsburgh’s Melissa Penfield Park. According to Morrissey-Kelley, in addition to raising money - 2003 alone brought in a whopping $12,000 - the main purpose of PETWALK is “to promote animals as a part of the family in the spirit of ‘Be Kind To Animals’ week.”

In addition to PETWALK, another of the AHS’s fundraisers is its thrift store, Paws For Cause in Plattsburgh. Seven years ago, restaurateur Arnie Pavone donated the storefront next to Arnie’s Restaurant on Margaret Street. That space is now used as a volunteer-run thrift store, the proceeds of which go toward the animal shelter.

While many people give to the AHS, it is not one-sided. The AHS does its best to give back to the community. For example, the AHS has a community outreach program, part of which includes animal-companion visits to the Evergreen Valley Nursing Home. The AHS feels that their humane treatment of the animals is a gift to the community. It believes, by helping animals, it helps people because animals provide love and companionship to them. Due to the love and devotion they often show their owners, the AHS sometimes considers animals to be “people’s only emotional lifeline when their lives are in a crisis," as its mission statement outlines.

At the end of the day, the AHS’s main goal in operating the animal shelter and educating people is to be “the voices for animals and speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Do you want to provide homes for Holly and Blaze? Let us know!