Typically, the Central New York SPCA sees a higher rate of adoptions being returned after the holidays.

What You Need To Know

  • Following the holiday season, many people return their adopted dogs or cats to the Central New York SPCA

  • However, this year, officials said they are seeing fewer returns. It's believed people are spending more time at home which is allowing them to spend more time giving their pets attention

  • The shelter is experiencing a delay in getting animals into their new homes due to a shortage in sedation medications for the animals

But this year, it's evident more people who adopted a dog or cat are keeping those animals. Spectrum News spoke to the shelter's humane educator Dee Schaefer. She said the pandemic is actually giving people more time to spend with their animals.

She can’t speak for other shelters, but at the SPCA adoption returns are about half the number they were a year ago.

One issue the shelter is facing is the lack of sedation medications to spay or neuter animals before they can leave the shelter. Schaefer said those medications are being used for humans in hospitals, so it's taking longer to get animals into their new homes.

"A lot of these medications that we would normally use to spay and neuter our animals are being re-routed for humans, being intubated with COVID issues, so that's been a big hold up for us," said CNY SPCA Humane Educator Dee Schaefer.

Schaefer said it is a state law that dogs and cats must be spayed or neutered before going to their new homes.

The shelter is always looking for monetary donations to help with overall expenses. If you'd like to make a donation you can contact the shelter at 315-454-4479.