Herkimer County Humane Society

05/09/2026

Scarlett sits quietly in her kennel, wagging at every person who walks by… hoping maybe this time, someone will stop for her. 💔

A few weeks ago, a packed car carrying 6 dogs pulled into our parking lot.
They were here to surrender 2-Scarlett and Teddy.
Teddy found his home almost immediately.

But Scarlett is still here.

She needed time to decompress, and honestly, who could blame her? After what appears to have been years of having litter after litter, this sweet girl is finally getting a chance at a life that’s actually hers.

Now this 4-year-old petite lab/pug mix is ready for her forever. 🏡
At only 35 pounds, Scarlett is affectionate, gentle, and so ready to be someone’s baby instead of constantly being the mama.

Scarlett would love a calm home where she can heal, settle in and finally feel safe. She’s not a huge fan of cats, but with the right family and commitment, coexistence may still be possible.

Please don’t let her keep watching families walk past her kennel.
She notices every single one. 😢

Meet Scarlett at noon today and tomorrow.

05/09/2026

Meet the new kid on the block… Casper 💙

Just one look into those stunning icy blue eyes and you’re done for. This handsome boy is around 1 year old and already stealing hearts everywhere he goes.

Casper is another owner surrender, but he’s not letting that stop him from being the happiest, goofiest guy around.
He’s good with everyone he meets and is ready for a fresh start with a family who will love him forever.

Friendly ✔️
Young ✔️
Handsome beyond belief ✔️
Those eyes… unbelievable ✔️

If you’ve been looking for a fun, lovable best friend, Casper may be your guy. Come meet him and see those beautiful eyes in person — pictures don’t even do him justice.

Open at noon Saturday and Sunday!

05/08/2026

📣📣📣Another person who chose abandonment.🆘🆘🆘

This person looked at a full parking lot, a staffed building and still chose this.

A leash tied to a fence is not a surrender plan. If you can drive here, you can walk through the doors and speak to us. Hard conversations are part of being an adult. Abandoning an animal is not.

We literally JUST posted this week that we took in FOUR owner surrenders. We are openly and actively accepting surrenders as space allows.
2 more adult dogs today AND a mother with her EIGHT puppies!!! JUST ASK!
There was absolutely no reason for this.

Abandoning an animal is not “giving it a better life.” It is cruel, traumatic, and unacceptable.

And before anyone starts defending this behavior — don’t. This is not up for debate, at least not on our page.

For those asking, “What are people supposed to do if they truly can’t keep their animal❓
❗️ANSWER❗️
YOU KEEP YOUR PET UNTIL A SAFE UNTIL A PROPER TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP CAN BE ARRANGED!
You do not abandon them, dump them or leave them terrified and confused anywhere!

This keeps happening, and it needs to stop.
We are exhausted having to make posts like this.

We are seeking what appears to be:
• a Chevrolet Express or GMC Savana
• extended-length model
• likely 2003–2018 range
• black passenger/cargo van

Besides the fact someone knows this sweet, pitiful boy. 💔

05/08/2026

“Whack-a-Mole: Cat Edition” 🐱📦
Rules are simple:

1. One cat hides in the box
2. The others supervise very intensely
3. Nobody actually whacks anybody because someone gets distracted halfway through 😹

Our kitties love repurposing recyclables.♻️

05/07/2026

Meet Vegas 💔

Vegas is only 2 years old. He was adopted from a rescue as a puppy and should have been set for life. Unfortunately, after his adopter moved, her new landlord would not allow Vegas to continue residing in his rental due to concerns about Vegas being too unruly in the home.😢😢😢

To their credit, the rescue Vegas came from did try to help keep him in his home by providing support, including a crate and tools to help set both Vegas and his adopter up for success. Sadly, despite those efforts, the adopter ultimately chose to surrender him.

When she reached back out to the rescue to return him, they did not have an available foster opening, so Vegas showed up unexpectedly at our door-his owner was in a hurry. 🥺

We know rescues everywhere are overwhelmed right now, and we truly appreciate the hard work, dedication and sacrifices rescue groups and fosters make every single day. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Situations like this are also a reminder of how important it is for adopters to remain COMMITTED to the lifelong responsibility of pet ownership and to put in the work needed to help their dogs succeed!
At the same time, it highlights the growing need for foster based rescues to leave room for return situations, just as shelters must reserve kennel space for animal control emergencies and mandated holds.

Through no fault of his own, Vegas has now lost the only home he knew. But we are happy to have him safe with us and we are committed to helping him find the stable, loving forever home he deserves. 🐾

Please share Vegas so we can help write his happy ending.

🐶😽 You know the drill, meet and greet required with any dog(s) in the home and we can show you his interaction with kitties if visiting.

05/06/2026

🐶🐾🐾❤️Meet Capone ❤️🐾🐾🐶

Capone is approximately 2 years old, mixed breed, 55 lbs, and honestly… looks like he may have been AI generated 😂😂. His goofy good looks and sweet expression almost don’t seem real — but we promise, this handsome guy is 100% authentic.

Not every fresh start becomes a forever solution, but every attempt teaches us something valuable.

Capone is with us and ready to find the home that truly fits him best. He is incredibly sweet, loving, and eager to be close to his people. He is housebroken, enjoys companionship, and has quickly become a staff favorite with his gentle personality and lovable face.

Capone would require a meet and greet with any resident dogs to make sure everyone is a good match. He’s looking for a family willing to give him the patience, love, and commitment every dog deserves.

Sometimes the road to “forever” takes a few extra turns — and we believe Capone’s best chapter is still ahead of him.

Come meet Capone and see for yourself why everyone falls in love with him. 🐾

05/06/2026

🚨 Sneak Peek 🚨

We have a VERY special boy to introduce tonight… and trust us, you’re going to want to know all about him. ❤️🐾

Stay tuned later this evening for his story, photos and all the details. We can’t wait to share this amazing guy with you! 👀✨

05/05/2026

Today was a tough reminder of why our work matters.

We took in ⭐️4⭐️ surrenders today, 3 of them before 10 AM.

Behind every surrender is a story… sometimes unexpected hardship, sometimes lack of resources, sometimes difficult choices. And while it’s never easy to see, we’re here to make sure these animals have a safe place to land.

This is what community support looks like-showing up for animals when they have nowhere else to go.

If you’ve ever thought about how you can help, this is it:
🐾 Spay/neuter your pets.
🐾 Reach out for help before it becomes overwhelming.
🐾 Support your local shelter however you can.

We’ll keep doing our part, for every animal, every time. ❤️

05/05/2026

We’re honored and thankful to Coldwell Banker Faith Properties for choosing us as their Give Back Charity this quarter!

Partnerships like this remind us how strong and compassionate our community truly is. Your generosity helps us continue caring for animals in need.

Thank you for standing with us.

05/05/2026

🚨🚨🚨FOSPICE HOME NEEDED🚨🚨🚨
Sharing for beautiful Marley and our friends at Fulton County Regional SPCA - NY.

Please contact them if you can give sweet Marley the best days of her life.💔

The truth is... we're struggling a little right now.

It feels like the bad news just keeps coming. For every happy adoption, there are three more stories that break us. We're tired. We're burnt out. And this one really hurts.

Marley deserved a different ending. 💔

We got her biopsy results back this week, and they confirmed what we were hoping not to hear - Marley has squamous cell carcinoma. Because of where the tumor is located in her mouth, surgery isn't an option. It wouldn't remove it completely, and it would take away so much of her quality of life in the process.

So now we shift.

Marley's time with us is no longer about fixing - it's about comfort. About dignity. About love. Her prognosis is months... maybe up to a year.

And we are begging - truly begging - for someone to give her a home for that time.

Not a kennel. Not a concrete floor. Not the noise and stress of shelter life.

A home.

Marley is still Marley. She's bright, she's engaged, she enjoys her days. She deserves to spend the time she has left feeling loved... feeling like she belongs to someone.

We are looking for a foster hospice home where she can just be a dog.

She will need:
• A dog-free home
• A calm, low-stress environment
• Someone who can keep an eye on her eating, comfort, and changes
• Someone willing to give medications (we will guide you every step)
• Someone who can stay in close contact with our team and help with vet transport

We will support you through everything. You will not do this alone.

As her condition progresses, there will be hard days. And when those days come, we will be right there to help guide you.

But right now? Right now she still has life to live.

Please… if you have ever thought about helping - about making a REAL difference in an animal's life - this is the moment. Be her ending. Give Marley the kind of goodbye that every single dog deserves.

👉 If you can help, please reach out to us at [email protected] or fill out a foster application at fcrspca.org/foster.

👉 MEDIA REQUESTS: email [email protected]

05/03/2026

Job Posting: Kennel Assistant
📍 Herkimer County Humane Society
Are you passionate about animal welfare and looking to make a real difference every day? The Herkimer County Humane Society is seeking a reliable, hardworking Kennel Assistant to join our team.
🐾 Position Overview
This is a hands-on role at the heart of our shelter operations. You’ll play a vital part in ensuring our animals are clean, comfortable, and cared for while they wait for their forever homes.
🧹 Responsibilities
Daily cleaning and sanitizing of kennels, cages, and common areas
Feeding and providing fresh water to dogs and cats
Assisting with basic animal care and monitoring health and behavior
Handling dogs and cats safely and confidently
Maintaining a clean, organized, and efficient workspace
✅ Requirements
Must be reliable and show up ready to work
Strong time management skills and ability to stay on task
Comfortable working with dogs and cats of all sizes and temperaments
Willingness to perform physically demanding cleaning tasks
A genuine love for animals and commitment to their well-being
💙 What You’ll Get
This job isn’t glamorous—it’s a lot of cleaning, hard work, and long days. But the reward? The love, trust, and affection you’ll receive from these animals is truly second to none. You’ll be part of something bigger—giving animals the care, dignity, and second chances they deserve.
If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and be part of a team that never gives up on animals, we’d love to hear from you.
Apply in person at 514 State Rte 5s Mohawk, NY

*** Part-time help needed—hours and days vary thought the 7 day workweek.
Our animals depend on us every day of the year, including weekends and holidays.
Must be 18. Thank you!