Herkimer County Humane Society

06/03/2026

Sharing for our friends at H.A.L.O. Helping Animals Live Organization
Support their great work for the kitties!😻

Our next event will be just a few short weeks away so save the date and we hope to see you there!

06/03/2026

We honestly don’t even know where to begin. ❤️

First, we needed financial support to help us get through an incredibly difficult situation.
Well….we still and always do!🤗

Then we needed kibble… because hungry bellies don’t wait.

Then came the desperate plea for towels, blankets
and enough bleach to sanitize what feels like the entire world (seriously-the amount of laundry and cleaning happening here could qualify as an Olympic sport 😅).

And now? We’ve somehow entered our “chicken & rice era.” 🍗🍚🐶

Through every stage of this, this community has shown up for us in ways we never could have imagined.

The donations, deliveries, supplies, financial support, kind words, prayers, encouragement, shares, messages
and check-ins have meant more than we could ever properly express.

And seeing HCHS alumni like Cindy & Clyde and their adopters come back through our doors with donations?
That one gets us right in the heart. There’s something incredibly special about seeing dogs once in our care now thriving in loving homes-and their families showing up to help the next ones who need us.
And there’s more…we see you too!😍

When rescue gets hard, exhausting, heartbreaking and honestly overwhelming at times… you remind us we are not doing this alone.

To every single person who has supported us in any way…thank you.
For loving this shelter, loving these animals, and helping carry us through.

From the bottom of our tired, grateful hearts, thank you.

And to the chicken & rice crew specifically… you understood the assignment. ❤️🐾

And for everyone asking — yes, things are improving here day by day. ❤️
It has been exhausting, emotional and at times overwhelming-but we are finally starting to feel like we’re moving in the right direction.
We still have work to do, but we’re hopeful.

We’ll share a full update soon, we just wanted to catch our breath for a minute and say thank you first. 🐾

06/01/2026

🧺 TOWEL PLEA FOR THE SHELTER 🧺

Yep it’s us again asking for help.🤗

As many of you know, we have been in full cleaning/disinfecting mode around the clock. The piles of empty bleach bottles from nonstop scrubbing, sanitizing, washing and doing everything humanly possible to keep our dogs safe and healthy shows how we have been working our a**es off.

Because of the constant cleaning, laundry, baths, accidents and bedding changes, we are going through towels at an unbelievable rate.

We need your old bath towels.🙏

Donations can be dropped off at the shelter, and as always your kindness is helping us get through an incredibly difficult time.

Every towel helps. Every share helps. Every bit of support reminds us we’re not doing this alone. 🐾

Thank you for standing beside our staff and pups.❤️‍🩹

06/01/2026

We hate to even ask, but with everything going on, we could really use some boiled chicken and plain white rice for some upset tummies. 💛

No pressure whatsoever-your kindness, shares, donations and support have already meant the world to us.
But if anyone happens to be making some or is able to drop some off, we would be so incredibly grateful.

Thank you for continuing to stand by us and our dogs through all of this.

Marley is grateful, please send her your very BEST thoughts she can beat this.🙏

***Drop off any day between 9-4z
THANK YOU!
There is a paved parking pad directly in front of our building, anyone wishing to can leave it there and give us a call, we will grab it! 315-866-3255

05/31/2026

We are truly overwhelmed — in the best way. ❤️

To everyone who donated, shared our plea, sent supplies, reached out or simply kept our shelter in your thoughts… thank you.

We been absolutely FLOODED with hand delivered donations and delivery confirmations from Chewy, Walmart and beyond, and we are honestly blown away by the kindness being shown to our shelter during such a difficult and stressful time.

Every bag of food, bottle of cleaner, box of gloves, towels and supply being delivered means more than we can put into words.
Your generosity is helping us care for our dogs, protect our shelter and navigate a situation no facility ever hopes to face.

In moments that feel heavy, this community reminds us we are not carrying it alone.

Please know your support-whether through donations, kind words, shares
or encouragement, is felt deeply by our staff, volunteers and every wagging tail depending on us.

From the bottom of our hearts: thank you for showing up for our shelter when we needed it most. We see you, we appreciate you and we are endlessly grateful. ❤️🐾

P.S. We had to share a glimpse of the chaos in the best possible way.
Our inbox right now is proof that compassion is alive and well. 🥹

05/31/2026

We debated whether to share this, but transparency matters, especially as false information continues to be spread by this Dog Control Officer.

Our reason for sharing this is simply to clarify the facts and debunk misinformation during an already incredibly difficult time.

The statement below was made publicly by the Dog Control Officer who brought the ill dog, Quinn, into our shelter-the same illness we are currently fighting to contain.
At one of the most heartbreaking and exhausting moments for our staff, volunteers, fosters and community, seeing shelter workers and supporters described as lacking “real hearts for animals” is deeply hurtful.

📣For clarity: our shelter did not “shut down” care for animals. We temporarily closed intake to Dog Control during a serious and highly contagious illness outbreak in order to protect every animal already in our care, the public, foster homes and incoming strays.

This decision was not made lightly, and certainly not without heartbreak.
It was made through the sound advice of our veterinarians to keep risk minimal and prevent further spread of infection.
We also reported every step and move to NYS Agriculture & Markets, who advised that we have to do what is necessary to keep everyone safe.

💔 This decision was made to prevent even more suffering and loss.

Our staff has been working around the clock, disinfecting, transporting sick animals for emergency care, comforting frightened dogs and making impossible decisions no shelter ever wants to face.
Some have barely gone home. Some have barely slept.

We respect the difficult position Dog Control Officers can be in. We know animal welfare takes teamwork. But words matter, especially in moments like this. Compassion should extend to everyone working to help animals, including the people fighting day and night inside the shelter.

We will continue focusing our energy where it belongs: protecting animals, getting through this crisis and reopening safely as soon as possible.

Thank you to the community members who continue to support us, foster, donate, send supplies and show kindness while we navigate one of the hardest chapters we’ve faced.

Lastly, we want to thank the remaining local Dog Control Officers who have offered patience, understanding and support during this crisis.
The overwhelming support and cooperation we have received has reminded us what true teamwork in animal welfare looks like and we are deeply grateful to those who chose compassion, collaboration & professionalism during an already heartbreaking time.

05/31/2026

❤️‍🩹Shelter Health Update❤️‍🩹

We want to provide an update as we continue navigating this incredibly difficult situation our shelter has been stricken with.

Unfortunately, Marley and Nova, who entered our care the same day symptoms appeared in Quinn, have now tested positive for parvo.

Both have been admitted to the Emergency Veterinary Medical Center in Syracuse and are receiving around-the-clock care.

This is heartbreaking, but we want our community to understand something clearly: we are not giving up on them.
Every decision we are making right now-including temporarily closing our shelter-is being made out of love, responsibility and an overwhelming commitment to protecting every animal in our care.

Closing our doors was not a decision we made lightly. It was the responsible decision.
We are deep cleaning, disinfecting and following veterinary guidance to prevent further spread and protect the dogs who depend on us.

Because parvo is highly contagious, especially among unvaccinated strays, we sincerely hope that all individuals responsible for transporting animals-including municipal dog control personnel-are taking the same level of precaution by thoroughly disinfecting vehicles, crates and equipment, to help prevent further exposure to vulnerable animals.
***This is something we all must take seriously to protect dogs in our community.

🙏 Please continue to keep Marley and Nova in your thoughts. We are fighting for them, just as we fight for every animal that comes through our doors.

We also want to take a moment to recognize our incredible staff, who have shown nothing short of unwavering dedication through all of this. From cleaning and disinfecting to loving and caring for every animal during an incredibly emotional time, they have been phenomenal.

And a very special mention to our shelter manager, whose day began at 7:00 this morning and who is still in Syracuse by Marley and Nova’s side. Long days, heartbreak, exhaustion…and yet the commitment never wavers. This is what caring deeply looks like, and we are so incredibly grateful.❣️

Thank you to those who continue to support us, stand by us and understand that every choice we are making right now comes from a place of compassion and care.

*** EDIT TO ADD: We truly don’t have expectations and know times are hard for everyone. Your kind words, shares and support mean more than you know. But so many have asked how they can help, so for convenience, we did add a donate button for anyone who wishes to contribute and help us get through this.
Please spend your money wherever and however you choose — we are simply grateful for the support in any form. ❤️

05/30/2026

💔 We hate having to ask… but we truly need a little help right now. 💔

Sweet Quinn-a beautiful stray from the town of Fairfield-unexpectedly brought an illness into the shelter that we are doing everything in our power to navigate.
None of this was her fault, and our hearts are still hurting over losing her. Since then, we’ve been working around the clock taking every precaution possible to keep our dogs safe, healthy, and cared for.

With all of that comes an even greater need for supplies.

Right now, our shelter is desperately in need of:

🧴 Bleach — to help us keep kennels thoroughly cleaned and sanitized for the animals in our care.

🐾 Purina One Dog Food
• Lamb & Rice
• Chicken & Rice

Every single dog here was once someone’s dog. Many were abandoned, neglected, forgotten, or left to fend for themselves. Now they depend on us… and honestly, we depend on you.

A bottle of bleach helps us keep their environment clean and safe. A bag of food means full bellies and comfort for dogs who have already been through enough.

If you’re able to donate, share this post, or simply help spread the word, we would be so incredibly grateful right now.

We are doing our very best to navigate a heartbreaking and difficult situation while continuing to show up for these animals every single day. Thank you for standing beside us through it. ❤️

*** Please spend your hard-earned money however and wherever you choose. We know times are hard and are grateful for support in any form. Because many people ask for convenience, we’ve attached our Chewy and Amazon wish list links for anyone who would prefer to order directly.

https://www.chewy.com/g/herkimer-county-humane-society_b99665737

https://a.co/0gxJmddB

05/30/2026

HOME! Thank you to the finder for being kind and patient.❤️

🚨🚨🚨LITTLE FALLS🚨🚨🚨
This sweet lady thankfully wandered into the right backyard on Shellsbush Rd. earlier today.

As much as the family likes her, they’d also like her to go home.🏡

Message us if you know her!

05/29/2026

Cute pic of our irresistible Scarlett for attention.🥰

For the safety and protection of the dogs in our care, our shelter will be temporarily closed to the public until further notice as we navigate an illness.

Anyone who knows us knows there is absolutely nothing we take more seriously than the health and well-being of our dogs. When situations like this arise, you don’t ignore them, you step up, act quickly and do everything possible to protect the animals depending on you. That is exactly what we are doing.

This temporary closure allows us to focus fully on enhanced cleaning, monitoring, protocols and ensuring every dog in our care stays as safe and healthy as possible.

We know this is disappointing, especially for our supporters, volunteers and those hoping to visit or meet a dog or kitty-we appreciate your patience and understanding while we work through this responsibly.

We love our residents like they are our own and every decision we make is with their best interest at heart. We will keep everyone updated and share when it is safe to reopen.

Thank you for standing by us
and most importantly, for standing by the kitties and pups who call us home.❤️