Phoenix Humane Society Receives $74,780 ASPCA Grant to Expand Kennels and Isolation Housing in Cattaraugus County
Funding supports Article 26C compliance, improved animal wellness, and expanded shelter capacity for vulnerable local dogs
CATTARAUGUS COUNTY - Phoenix Humane Society of Greater Cattaraugus, Inc. (Phoenix HSOGC) has been awarded a $74,780 grant from the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) to support the organization’s Kennel Upgrade and Isolation Housing Expansion Project, ensuring full Article 26C Companion Animal Care Standards Act compliance and increased capacity for sheltering dogs from Cattaraugus County municipalities. The funding will directly support equipment needs for 4-bank upgraded standard kennels, and new 3-bank isolation kennels and improved animal wellness infrastructure required under New York State shelter care standards. The grant will help Phoenix HSOGC fund essential lifesaving services such as the ability to provide municipal sheltering, cruelty case housing, and pet-owner assistance services, while expanding safe isolation housing for vulnerable animals entering the shelter system through local Dog Control Officers, which are crucial resources to Phoenix HSOGC’s Operations.
“Being selected for this funding means we can take an enormous step forward in protecting local animals the right way, with proper housing and humane isolation space for dogs that arrive sick, injured, or seized in cruelty investigations,” said Javan Tanner, President and Executive Director of Phoenix HSOGC. “This support allows us to raise the standard of care in our region, expand lifesaving capacity, and give overlooked local dogs a safer path to reunification or adoption.”
“The Phoenix Humane Society of Greater Cattaraugus is a critical organization for Western New York, providing care to animals throughout Cattaraugus County and its surrounding rural communities” said Matt Stern, Vice President of grants and administration at the ASPCA. “The ASPCA is proud to provide the organization with grant funding to improve its shelter facility infrastructure and support its efforts to come into compliance with New York State’s new shelter standards so they can continue their lifesaving work for the community.”
Phoenix HSOGC will use this grant funding exclusively to strengthen humane kennel housing and isolation capacity required under New York State Article 26C shelter standards. Funds will support the acquisition and installation of 4-bank standard kennels and 3-bank isolation kennels, allowing the shelter to increase safe holding space for dogs entering through local Dog Control Officers and municipal sheltering agreements. These kennels will directly improve daily care, disease-control response, and humane housing for 150-180 local dogs per year, including strays and dogs held for owner reunification.
Luke, a yellow Labrador mix, entered Phoenix HSOGC through Dog Control intake after surviving months loose in Ashford, NY as a young puppy before being humanely captured in a live trap in April 2025. He arrived severely underweight, terrified, and covered in cuts and wounds, having been abandoned and discarded like trash, left to fend for himself as if he were nothing more than something to be thrown away. He required immediate isolation kennel housing and medical oversight. What followed has been months of patient rehabilitation, rebuilding trust through daily handling, enrichment, and leash conditioning. As of January 2026, Luke is now a one-year-old male, able to walk on a leash, play fetch, shake paw, and confidently engage with toys, including squeakers that once frightened him. His continued progress underscores the importance of proper isolation access and adequate local kennel capacity - the very needs this ASPCA grant now helps Phoenix fulfill for the community’s most vulnerable dogs.
For more information about Phoenix Humane Society of Greater Cattaraugus, Inc. please visit http://www.phoenixhsogc.ngo or their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/phoenixhsogc.
Since 2001, the ASPCA has provided more than $200 million in grant funding to over 4,000 organizations and programs nationwide dedicated to helping vulnerable and victimized animals. Grants are just one example of how the ASPCA is helping animals and communities in need, with funds supporting a variety of programs ranging from increasing pet adoptions to helping communities build strong programs to rescue, shelter, transport, and support animals during natural disasters, improving access to veterinary care, and advancing research that either directly or systemically benefits animals. For more information about the ASPCA’s grant-making and current initiatives, visit www.aspcapro.org/grants.
Phoenix Humane Society of Greater Cattaraugus, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and improving the lives of animals in Cattaraugus County and surrounding rural communities. Founded in December 2023 due to a response to a growing crisis of local neglect, cruelty, and abandonment, Phoenix HSOGC focuses exclusively on animals already in the community and those most often overlooked or underserved.
Phoenix HSOGC serves a dual role as both an animal-welfare organization and a municipal sheltering partner, operating as a holding shelter for local municipalities, providing safe and humane kennel housing for lost or stray dogs while owners are located. The organization also works alongside Dog Control Officers across contracted and non-contracted areas to kennel abandoned, unclaimed, and investigation-intake dogs, many of whom require isolation support upon arrival.
In addition to community kennel care, Phoenix HSOGC also serves as a hub for rescue transfers, utilizing kennel housing as a stabilization point before animals are moved to trusted rescue partners when appropriate, increasing adoption placement opportunities and access to specialized support. “Our work extends beyond shelter care. We operate a monthly Mobile Pet Food Pantry to support families in need and help keep pets in their homes. We also offer low-cost vaccination clinics and community outreach efforts that promote responsible pet ownership and increase access to essential services.”
Phoenix HSOGC does not import animals from out-of-state. The organization operates with a fully volunteer Board of Directors, where no member receives compensation, ensuring all funding goes directly toward kennel care and lifesaving animal support. With the support of the ASPCA and the community, Phoenix HSOGC continues working to raise the standard of humane kennel care for dogs in Greater Cattaraugus County.