About Us

Founded in 1957, the Potsdam Humane Society (PHS)* has been providing love and humane care for unwanted, abandoned and sick animals in Potsdam and surrounding areas for more than 67 years. With the support of the Potsdam community and 12 surrounding townships, PHS delivers services and protection to hundreds of cats, dogs and other animals each year. The compassionate, humane care you help us provide also makes our community better, as the kindness we extend to animals will inevitably influence our lives in immeasurable ways.

PHS aspires to find homes for all animals that find their way to our doorstep, and to ensure that none of them will ever lose their lives due to lack of space or the resources to care for them. We welcome your support and assistance in achieving these goals, and in continuing a 67-year tradition of humane and compassionate care for the animals with which we share our lives here in our own hometown area.

In 2010-2011, the building where we care for our animals was expanded and existing areas improved to be able to house more animals and provide the ability to separate healthy animals from others.  The improvements expanded and  improved facility cost  $1,000,000. Half of this project was paid for by private donations, $90,000 came from a grant from the USDA and the balance of the expenses will be financed over 30 years. Although our capital campaign is over, public support is needed now more than ever to help pay our new mortgage and the increased operating expenses that we have as a result of a larger space and increased volume of animals. Please consider a monthly donation (click here for more info)  to help us care for the hundreds of animals that find their way to our Shelter every year while waiting for their forever home.

In 2023 PHS applied for and received a NYS Companion Animal Capital Projects grant. These funds will allow PHS to make interior improvements to increase animal comfort and enrichment to meet new Department of Agriculture and Markets standards of animal care passed in Senate bill 6870B. We look forward to sharing these improvements with you as the project progresses.

The Towns PHS contracts with are:

Brasher, Clifton, Colton, Fine, Hopkinton, Lawrence, Madrid, Parishville, Pierrepont, Potsdam/Norwood, Stockholm/Winthrop, and Waverly. 

* PHS is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization under New York State law. The IRS has designated it as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and donations to PHS are tax-deductible.

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