Working alongside law enforcement, staff at the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley fought rain and then darkness last Tuesday in their largest-ever abuse call, removing 52 desperate dogs, cats, and more—most of them caged outdoors—even as they walked on top of the skeletons of those who didn’t survive to get to them.
Two days later, staff veterinarian Aprille Hadsell was still triaging the rescues, counting them off on her fingers:
Nine dogs.
Sixteen cats.
Four birds—parakeets and cockatiels.
Two ferrets.
One rabbit—he’s now called Peter.
“And the rest of them…chickens,” Dr. Hadsell said.
ASSV Director Maggie Jackman Pryor said they’d been working with the Lawyersville residents, who’d reached out for help with food, but were called out to the rescue after it came into State Police as an animal abuse case.
Schoharie County Sheriff’s deputies also responded with their trailer to help with transportation.
From the initial call, Ms. Jackman Pryor said, she thought they’d be dealing with a dozen cats or dogs, never realizing the full extent of the situation.
Though they’d been being fed, most of the dogs were heavily infested with fleas and so, had skin infections.
They also had badly ingrown nails.
Not all—like the 14-year-old dog staff had to carry out of the house—some of the dogs, along with the ferrets and birds lived inside and likely had never been outdoors—were expected to survive.
The owners, Ms. Jackman Pryor said, didn’t think they were doing anything wrong; the dogs, like Ivory, a Lab-beagle mix she saw looking out the window the first time she visited, all had names.
“I felt so bad leaving her there…”
Some of the dogs are friendly; others will need training, Dr. Hadsell said.
All will need to be housed at ASSV until the State Police complete their investigation.
“This many animals…it overwhelms a facility our size,” Ms. Jackman Pryor said. “Fortunately, our community is always very generous.”
Within hours of the rescue, the Shelter lobby was filled with food and supplies and supporters stopping by with their checkbooks.
“These animals are in a safe place and they’re getting good care,” Ms. Jackman Pryor said. “That’s always our goal.”
Dr. Hadsell said the staff walked away from the rescue—a learning experience putting skills they learned working with the Susquehanna SPCA in Cooperstown to the test—with a sense of pride.
“But all the emotions you can imagine…it was an exhausting, roller-coaster day,” she said. “I don’t think we’ve processed it yet.”
Ms. Jackman Pryor said she hopes the rescue encourages people to reach out to law enforcement—the first step—if they have concerns about animals, whether it’s neglect or abuse.
Donations to the ASSV can be made through Venmo or PayPal.
Checks can be made out to the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley and mailed to: 304 Howes Cave Road, Howes Cave, NY 12092.