The Columbia-Greene Humane Society is trying to turn its Claverack campus into the most capable veterinary care facility in the twin counties, and the timing is not an accident. The nonprofit is caring for more than 150 cats pulled from three separate animal cruelty cases in Greene County and will care for them until they can be adopted. Its leadership says regional animal-care needs are growing rapidly.
The organization has launched a capital campaign to raise $3.2 million for the expansion, according to The Daily Gazette. Ron Perez, president and CEO of the Columbia-Greene Humane Society, said the expansion is meant to help the organization keep pace with rapidly growing regional animal-care needs. The society is currently seeking site plan approval from the Claverack town planning board before construction can move forward.
What the New Facility Would Add
Plans for the new building call for a top-of-the-line X-ray machine that would let animals avoid trips to offsite imaging facilities, along with a larger operating room capable of handling a wider range of health issues, per the same account. The design also includes an expanded dental-care wing and isolated recovery rooms specifically for abused animals.
Perez said those isolation areas are much quieter and separated from the general population, which eases concerns about transmissible diseases spreading through the shelter. The rehabilitation-focused isolation space will even include cameras so technicians and veterinarians can monitor an animal overnight, he said. Perez added that isolation rooms matter most for animals recovering from abusive situations, where quiet and privacy can be part of the healing process.
A State Grant Already in Hand
The project already has one significant funding source lined up: a $500,000 grant from New York State's Department of Agriculture and Markets Companion Animal Capital Fund Grant program, according to News10. That funding is earmarked to help build a full-service veterinary hospital offering affordable animal care to pet owners across Columbia County, Greene County and neighboring areas. Beyond that grant, the broader campaign — including affordable animal healthcare programs — is planned to be funded through a mix of additional grants and private donations, Perez said.
Perez hopes to break ground on the project next month, with an expected opening before the 2027 holiday season. The humane society already runs the Harold Grubin, M.D., Clinic and Health Center, which provides low-cost veterinary services to the public, including $45 health and wellness exams for cats and dogs that cover a full exam, ear cleaning and nail trimming, according to the organization's own Low-Cost Clinic listing.
Why Cruelty Cases and Costs Keep Climbing
Perez said animal cruelty has risen disproportionately over the past two years, and he connects that rise directly to household finances. He said some cruelty cases stem from an inability to afford medical care or from hoarding tied to mental health struggles, and that people often surrender animals simply because they cannot afford veterinary treatment. Animals arriving at the shelter frequently have not received even basic veterinary care, he said, because their owners could not afford it.
Perez also pointed to a shifting veterinary industry as part of the problem, noting that many veterinary hospitals are now owned by corporations pursuing profitability, even as costs for things like gas, groceries and housing keep climbing alongside vet bills. He said the affordability crisis cuts directly into the society's core mission of getting animals adopted into stable homes. The organization says it will continue caring for the roughly 150 recovered Greene County cats until they can be adopted.
A Nationwide Squeeze on Shelters
Columbia-Greene's experience fits a pattern showing up in shelter data nationwide. Shelter Animals Count reported 3.7 million cat and dog intakes nationally in the first half of 2026 alone, a 2% increase over the same period in 2025, with 213,000 more animals entering shelters and rescues than left through adoption, transfer or reunification, according to a report from the ASPCA. The organization projects roughly 7.4 million cats and dogs will enter shelters and rescues across the country during 2026.
Rising veterinary costs are a major driver of that trend. Veterinary care costs have climbed about 40% since 2020, nearly double the rate of overall inflation, per Cardinal News. A 2025 Gallup and PetSmart Charities study found that 71% of pet owners who skipped or declined veterinary care for their animals said the decision came down to money. In New York City, shelters have become overwhelmed by pets surrendered by owners who could no longer afford to keep them, the New York Times reported, with one Queens shelter built for 72 dogs found housing 169 on a single Sunday despite the city spending $75 million to open it the previous summer.
Other Shelters Are Racing to Keep Up
Columbia-Greene is far from alone in trying to build its way out of the squeeze. The Humane Society of Sonoma County is renovating its community clinic to roughly double annual surgery volume and has raised more than $826,000 for the project, according to the Press Democrat. In Virginia, the Lynchburg Humane Society is building a 12,000-square-foot affordable clinic next to its existing shelter, combining traditional veterinary services with high-volume spay and neuter surgery under one roof, with construction scheduled to wrap up next month.
