Archive: Around Town

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced an additional $5 million is available to continue the support of critical improvement projects at New York's animal shelters. This is the second round of funding for the New York State Companion Animal Capital Fund, which will allow eligible organizations to make significant updates to their facilities to enhance animal care and health. A total of $10 million has been dedicated to the program since 2017.

"We are proud to provide animal shelters with additional funding to ensure pets across New York receive the care they need," Governor Cuomo said. "This funding will build on the $5 million awarded last year to shelters across the state, giving them the resources and tools they need to continue their important work of finding these pets a loving home in the Empire State."

"Animal shelters across the state provide critical resources and services to ensure that pets are healthy and safe," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "This additional funding as part of the NYS Companion Animal Capital Fund continues to build on our commitment to help improve shelters and enhance animal care. The program also works to ensure that organizations can provide animals with the opportunity to be paired with a loving family and good home."

Administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the Companion Animal Capital Fund is available to non-profit and municipal animal shelters, humane societies, and societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals. The goal of the program is to help these organizations continue to provide sheltering services to local communities and promote better care for the animals.

According to the New York State Animal Protection Federation, more than 150,000 animals are brought to these facilities each year and many are adopted by New York families. The Companion Animal Capital Fund will provide competitive matching grants to offset the costs associated with capital projects at these shelters, such as renovating dog kennels or building more efficient shelters to reduce the cost of operation. Funds can be used to construct, renovate, rehab, or acquire buildings or equipment needed to house, treat, and care for sheltered dogs and cats.

The Companion Animal Capital Fund is the first state-funded program in the nation to support critical improvement projects at New York shelters. Earlier this year, the Governor announced that more than one dozen animal shelters and humane societies in eight regions across the state were awarded nearly $5 million in funding through the first round of the New York State Companion Animal Capital Fund.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "The first round of this program last year showed a great need for funding to allow shelters to make facility upgrades. We are happy to be able to extend our reach and provide additional funding to animal care organizations so that they can better provide for these pets and ensure they are being afforded the best opportunity to be placed with a family in a forever home."

Eligible organizations that serve a single municipality with a population of less than two million people may apply for grants of $50,000 to $200,000. The awarded funding may not exceed 50 percent of the proposed project cost and applicants are required to match 50 percent of the grant total.

Eligible organizations serving two or more municipalities, or one municipality with a population of more than two million individuals, may apply for grants of $100,000 to $500,000. For these grants, the awarded funding may not exceed 75 percent of the proposed project cost and applicants are required to match 25 percent of the grant.

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