http://www.ulstercountycanines.com/

Ulster County Canines, 3539 Route 32, Saugerties, NY (2026)

10/21/2026

An update on Critter:

After a day spent with New Paltz Animal Hospital, he is feeling like a new man!

A decision has also been made to transfer him to the ucspca, where he can enjoy the protections from his abuser provided by their Humane Law Department.

While I had grown fond of the little fella, this is the outcome I asked for, and the outcome Critter himself needed.

Many thanks to NPAH for the efforts on his behalf, and equal thanks to our local spca for being his hero. Any further inquiries about his situation or pledges for his support should be directed to ucspca.org

Thank you all.

10/20/2026

It was 9 years ago today that we first switched on the lights here as Ulster County Canines.

I had a celebratory post drafted; something congratulating us on our tenacity and thanking all of you for supporting a small organization striving to make an outsized difference. Doesn't matter, its all stuff I've said before, its all stuff that's been said before.

The past 8 years have been exhausting in ways that even I lack the language to articulate. This has been, hands down, the most daunting professional task either Jamie or I have ever attempted- and we both led eclectic lives BCC.

But its also been, hands down, the most necessary professional task either of us have ever attempted. Take today, for instance...meant for a metaphorical cake, maybe some ch*****ne but instead Lloyd Police called at 730am.

Lloyd PD doesnt make frequent appearances on my phone, but their longterm dog control officer is out on medical leave; and their interim is on vacation. So I, ever the sucker, agreed to be their back up.to the back up. "We have a dog at the station, dropped.off by someone passing through. He's a little matted".

My brother in christ, if not for the barking, one would be hard pressed to know there's a dog attached to the urine soaked dreadlocks folded in on themselves forming a damp pungent mass of fur and f***s.

So Lloyd contracts with a nearby vet office to board their strays. Foolishly, perhaps, I set off in that direction believing little Critter would get the care he needed.
But no. There was no vet on schedule to authorize testing or treatment and there was some confusion about the validity of their town contract. They couldn't even shave him down.

"All good", I whisper to Critter. "Ill reach out to my former colleagues at the spca. Given my background with that very org, if i tell them this is a legitimate neglect case, they will accept the little fella, treat him and pursue charges if an owner materializes."
But, also no.

And here's where we get a bit into the thicket of jurisdiction and procedure, so bear with me:

In my decade and half running that department; we operated as Police as it pertains to a very specific set of criminal statutes. The state certified us to operate with full arrest powers to enforce a set of laws known as Agrimarkets, article 26. In practice, this meant that we fielded complaints, investigated allegations, collected evidence and filed charges when appropriate.
The District Attorney's Office prosecuted those arrests as they would an arrest made by any law enforcement officer. I found the DA to be wildly supportive, collaborative and effective over the 15 years i held the badge.

Dog control officers lack the same level of authority. We are more akin to code enforcement rather than police. We issue citations for violations, not arrests for criminal acts. We enforce laws collected under agrimarkets article 7. I resigned my position at the spca in 2020 for reasons i may one day get in to, but for today it is sufficient to explain that i am currently only a Dog Control Officer, and it is only as a dco that i found myself in Lloyd this morning collecting little Critter.

As DCO I do occasionally cross paths with neglect cases and when that happens I refer them to the officers occupying my old job at the spca. I have, in fact, been chastised by their director for not doing so on the occasion ive instead referred cases to local Police, who are of course also able to file criminal charges. Oddly, though, over the past year as I've occasionally checked on the status of referred cases im told the DA's office hasn't greenlit an arrest.

This comment always confuses me. Even in my day, id run my search warrant applications by the DA, make sure my wording protected against Defense attacks or later appeals...but routine arrests that required no search warrant? Crimes in progress? Neglect case that arrived via dog control? Plain view arrests? Excited declaration? No. Charges were filed and the ADA with juridiction prosecuted. Stronger cases were less likely to be pled out, that was the DA's prerogative, as it was my prerogative to file charges at the outset, but I was never asked to seek permission, hat in hand, when an arrest was necessary in my judgement.

Relevant to Critter, as dco i have no grounds to retain a dog against an owner reclaim provided the owner has vaccinated the dog, licensed the dog and payed his citation/fines.
However, criminal charges shift Critter's status from that of a returnable stray to that of evidence in a crime, and evidence must be retained pending case adjudication.
But this Ready Fire Aim approach to filing charges leaves Critter vulnerable to reclaim while the DA dithers and the spca quietly abdicates their statutory authority. How many others have also slipped through the cracks due to this added step?

So Critter came to UCC, because he needs an advocate and among those in positions to stand for him, only ucc opened its doors.
My friends at New Paltz Animal Hospital are treating him...as they always have year after year, setting aside their time whenever I show up with my latest desperate, ragged refugee.

I dont know what he needs yet. In my experience he will need a full exam, a sedated shave, and bloodwork. Its is only once his body is exposed that we can accurately gage his body condition, and treat any skin infections that frequently occur due to urine scalding when matting is this severe. Of course, the full extent of his needs will only be clear once lab results are in and his haircut is complete. Ill get answers tomorrow.

Donate for Critter:
Venmo (6184)
Paypal.me/UlsterCountyCanines

Or via check to Ucc, po box 98, saugerties ny 12477

Thank you

10/18/2026

Unfortunately I don't have any adoptions to highlight, so I will instead feature our adoptables!

Applications are available at ulstercountycanines.com
Appointments to meet the pack are available daily!

video featuring Lyle and new friend Betty (with a cameo by UCC Queen of the castle, Rella)

10/10/2026

Today, we feature Royalty and Luna!
Royal is a 7 year old female, good with just about everything. She has been here since december, and undeservedly so. She cam from a family, and is ready to return to another!

And Luna, making her debut on the adoptable list. Luna arrived a few weeks ago, soaked through with urine, nearly emaciated, and on edge with all things.

She has seen the doc taken her meds, eaten her meals and perked right up; greeting each morning with an intense game of tennis ball!

Applications for adoption are available on our website, ulstercountycanines.com

and reminder, one of our most dedicated donors, consistently supporting ucc since 2019, has pledged $1500 in matching funds if we can raise another $1500 by our 9nth anniversary on 10/18/26!

contributions can be made vis venmo
(6184)

PayPal.me/UlsterCountyCanines

or via check to UCC, PO Box 98, Saugerties NY 12477

10/07/2026

Lyle and Magdelena (back through no fault of her own).
We have spent 15 months representing Lyle as his talent agency. He continues to be physically stunning (and imposing), and continues to be an incredibly generous co-star for the dogs he is paired with.

Magdelena, briefly adopted and now returned, is a loveable goofball, while imitating a mischevious little gremlin quite well. She reminds me of my own queen bee, Rella, readily accepting her due in belly rubs and sandwhiches.

Both are available for adoption, applications at Ulstercountycanines.com.

Lyle, a 3 yr old xl bully mix, found wandering the wilds of green county, thin, and covered in ticks. He can be a bit protective of the people he adopts; but beyond that I have few negatives to report. Clean, housebroken, steady and impenetrable.

Mags is the opposite, wildly expressive; a cartoon in motion and in love with life...so give her a life worth loving.

They DO NOT need to be adopted together. They are recent friends; Lyle has sadly grown accustomed to watching his playmates leave for adoption while he remains, sentry in the kennels.

Our 9 year anniversary as a Rescue org is upcoming. A long time supporter has generously offered a matching donation of 1500 if we can raise those funds over the next 11 days.
As always, to support our work:
venmo: (6184)
PayPal.me/UlsterCountyCanines
Or via check to UCC, po box 98 Saugerties NY 12477

Thank you!

10/06/2026

We called it Ulster County Canines. Invariably and predictably, the Canines were, from the get go, the stars of the show.

Sure, Ive climbed upon my soapbox, tumbler of wh***ey in hand, and whinged about broader issues facing Rescue.

I've pulled back the curtains a bit on the people and experiences that made me; twining them all within the DNA of UCC to one degree or another.

And generally, when asking specific donor support, I've mostly tied it to an animal in crisis. Our crumbling driveway, patched roof, or battered flooring understandably do not inspire salvation from our donor base.

Infrastructure repair is an endless task in amy home; let alone one converted decades ago to house dozens of dogs. This place has been battered senseless at times, but generally i do major projects over winter; funded in part by holiday giving.

But this once, i have to break my own rule.

Way back in July; before the midnight sun returned and the leaves began their annual final blaze of glory; while working on traps for stubborn stray Howard Tuft, my car overheated. No biggie; im sure a radiator hose popped or something- for 5 years trusty Explorer had been dauntless through a thousand rescue responses. I knew she was aging, but I assumed a minor issue.

Towed to one mechanic, he said water pump. Bigger job than he can handle. OK. Taken to dealership, they explained further? Yep, water pump tied to the timing system in this model vehicle- HUGE job, many hours labor. Google informs me that this is common for the make/model. Well, s**t. Dealership quotes me $8k.

The vehicle, in pristine running conditions isnt worth that...but its paid off and otherwise reliable. And necessary as the primary method of field response for all UCC needs; AND for dog control needs for Saugerties, woodstock amd Ulster; as none provide their own vehicle.

I am quietly advised to ask Greco Motors in Saugerties for a second opinion- under mew ownership and looking to establish clients, they estimated the job for $3500, eventually completed for $4300.

In the intervening 6 weeks, we also found a retired fire chiefs Expedition at am affordable price, ultimately fielding both cars for UCC's mission.

But a nearly $8k expense just to regain fundamental mobility has blown a gaping hole in our finances- at a time when we are prepping for winter, stocking fuel oil, filling propane, testing and replacing space heaters; generators, and winterizing windows and doors prior to any freeze; to say nothing of navigating the routine expenses of running a Rescue.

So this once im asking for help not for a specific dog. Of those recently featured, choppy has been neutered (and adopted). Apollo is neutered and recovering from the skin condition he arrived with. Joy and luna have been to New Paltz Animal Hospital, both are putting weight on, both will soon be adoptable. You came through for all of them- this time we just need a little help with the mundane stuff following a massive amd unexpected, uh, veterinary bill for our vehicles so we can go into fall prepared and ready for changing weather conditions.

Venmo (6184)

PayPal.me/UlsterCountyCanines

Or check to ucc, po box 98 Saugerties ny 12477

And I wish to thank those that have sent support following recent posts, totaling $1750. Lets get it to $4k.

Thank you all.
Adam

10/04/2026

Amid all the peripheral activity that orbits UCC, we also took a few moments to celebrate some adoptions!

Congratulations to Gumdrop!
Congratulations to Selene!
And Congratulations to Reah!

Go grow up, all of you. We love you!

10/03/2026

Its a complicated business, animal rescue.
There's the work, the daily grind of it all. Animals are not tidy. They do not wash their own dishes, launder their own linens or, in most cases, bathe themselves. In a facility housing dozens, its akin to living with 20+ teenagers; although teenagers at least use the toilet with some degree of accuracy most dogs cant match.
There's the logisitcs- the administration behind coordinating staff, volunteers, payroll, supply chains, medical needs, dietary needs and behavioral concerns among the animal population.
Theres the fundraising- even a small organization like UCC cinsumes $15k each month just to cover the basic bills, to keep the lights on and the bank at bay...while direct revenue often generates only fractions of the needed dollars.
Theres the emotional toll; the obvious whiplash between hope and triumph vs disgust and hesrtbreak...and the less-discussed toll of living in survival mode for so long; the stress of figuring how all that work gets done in a day, day after day; month after month and year upon year. There is near unrelenting concern that this is the month we dont make the mortgage or this is the week we have to drop the car payment in favor a veterinary emergency that our pleas for help did not cover; the over the shoulder glance every time we see a central hudson van, as if they were a cop in the rearview- is this the day they shut off the power because we chose food and medicine over lining their monopolized pockets one too many times.

like a stone tumbled too long in the streambed, we are worn out.

But the phone rings and you answer it anyway.
The skeletal little puppy we named Joy. We answered that call.
Her emaciated mother, soaked in urine; we pulled her from confinement; cleaned her, fed her and carted both off to see our friends at New Paltz Animal Hospital.

And the 100 others just this past year alone; a new year heralded by the arrival of Chops, a terrified Great Dane that took weeks to earn trust, months to fatten up and make happy.
UCC is a privately founded organization. Our obligation is to our mission, but our mission success is subject almost entirely on the determination of two people that have born the burdens of resuscitating this organization almost monthly for 9 long years.
Our mission has always been to reach those dogs other orgs ignored. Joy, luna and choppy simply bookend nearly a year of such work.

So it is demoralizing when state inspectors arrive to 'respond to a complaint alleging neglect; an emaciated Great Dane'.

Look. I was that inspector for 15 years. I know most complaints are unfounded. I know most are well-meaning but uneducated people misinterpreting what they saw for a crisis or neglect. I know a dog here at ucc is often a work in progress, and a passerby sees a snapshot or a video I've posted of a moment in time. I also know certain photographic angles highlight ribs and a 100lb dog galloping in the sunlight might show some heaving ribs as he rests a moment. I get all that.

But I also know some complaints are vindictive, filed by ex lovers, annoyed neighbors, family youve fallen out with, or bitter employees you may have fired for cause. I dont know who filed this one. Investigators cant say- unless charges are filed.
None were. I opened the doors and led my visitors through- and permitted their investigation without impediment.

But to be clear:
Permission was GRANTED. The state did not arrive with a warrant, simply a concern about a dane that someone felt appeared thin in a recent video.

While I appreciate the complainant's concern for my animals- I've a few questions.
Where were you when he was abandoned at a motel?
Where were you when he was too scared of strangers to allow handling?
Where were you for the weeks he might lash out from a defensive crouch, 100lbs and 6 ft high on hind legs, when agitated enough?
Where were you when he required a $600 neuter, and convelesence after?
I know where I was. I was right where that dog needed me to be. And I stayed right there until he was adopted.

Attached video is of Luna; now clean, fed, dry and treated- and most importantly- HAPPY. I know she's thin. I found her that way 5 days ago. But your support paid for her treatment, and my attention brought out her smile.

Help me save the next one.
Help me stock the food pantry
Or simply help me celebrate UCC's 9th birthday on 10/18. Every dollar is vital, every day.

Venmo (6184)
PayPal.me/UlsterCountyCanines

Or check to ucc, po box 98 saugerties ny 12477

09/30/2026

Apollo and Reah enjoying the return of dry(ish) weather!

Apollo is 5-6 years old, neutered, vaccinated and well behaved, if opinionated, in the way that Huskies tend to be (iykyk).

Reah is 1.5 years old, love play time, ball time, swim time and eventually, relaxing time.

Applications to adopt both are available at ulstercountycanines.com

09/28/2026

Well, we got her. Meet Luna

Its been 20 years since I worked my first animal cruelty case.
While not explicitly separated by criminal statute, I quickly noted a difference between intentional abuse- such as beatings, inflicted lacerations or organized fighting rings.....and sort of passive or circumstantial neglect; such as hoarding, lack of medical treatment or malnutrition.
As a Humane Law Officer, arresting and prosecuting for the former went without saying. When I encountered the latter I often felt that the cudgel of criminal charges wasn't the correct treatment for a mental disorder; or that poverty, with pets caught in the crossfire, isnt inherently a criminal act.
If the owner worked with me to correct the situation, or agreed to surrender the animals in question, then our paramount goal had been achieved- and society could forgo its pound of flesh.

I was not supposed to still wrestle with this question 6 years on from passing my badge onto others while I embarked on what was still meant to be a pursuit of the Cause, albeit a purposeful walk down a different branch of that tree.

3 days ago, we took in a pup named Joy; tiny, borderline emaciated; covered in urine. She was the last of a litter; brought to us by a concerned citizen. Joy's mother, unseen, was left behind with a tentative plan for rescue. But her phone went unanswered for days.

So this past afternoon, I knocked on the door and was granted access to Luna. Tiny, bordeline emaciated and covered in urine. The smell of her enclosure preceded her, and clung to her for the entire drive home.
Both dogs surrendered. They are safe, but other animals appear remain in the residence. Do i report to the authorities, a collection officers with dwindling commitment to the work; an epidemic of turned backs and blind eyes spanning counties from here to Manhattan?
Or do we alleviate the problem through offered assistance, and further negotiated surrender? Our exhaustion is palpable. Our time is strangled, our bank account as near starving as Joy and Luna. They are safe. For tonight, that must satisfy.

But we now face unknown medical costs for two dogs. It could be simple starvation, in which case we run some tests to confirm organ function and begin a weight-laden diet.
But it could be a nutrition absorption disorder.
Or intestinal obstructions. It could be, though unlikely, megaesophagus. Both must see the vet, both fave diagnostics and accompanying treatments as necessary.

So we again ask for your help to offset costs.
Venmo . (6184)
Paypal.me/UlsterCountyCanines

Or check to po box 98, saugerties ny 12477

Thank you,
Adam

Ulster County Canines

10/21/2026

10/20/2026

10/18/2026

10/10/2026

10/07/2026

10/06/2026

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09/28/2026

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