SQSPCA Becomes First in NYS To Pass Companion Animal Care Standards Act Inspection

COOPERSTOWN—The Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is the first animal shelter in New York State to successfully pass an inspection under the New York State Companion Animal Care Standards Act for Shelters and Rescues, also known as Article 26-C. The bill was passed on December 15, 2022, and came into effect three years later, on December 15, 2025. The law is based on the peer-reviewed best practices established by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ 2010 Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters.

On Tuesday, January 27, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets conducted the SQSPCA’s first CACSA inspection. The comprehensive review included a walkthrough of the shelter facility to ensure compliance with new statewide standards, with close attention paid to staff and volunteer training, cage and kennel space requirements, daily enrichment and exercise logs, medical records, intake procedures, and care protocols.

“As a member of the New York State Animal Protection Federation, we have been talking about the new standards for over a decade. The three-year effective date of the legislation gave everyone plenty of time to make sure we were prepared,” said SQSPCA Executive Director Stacie Haynes. “With this year being their first visit, we had the ability to opt for an educational visit versus an inspection. We opted for the inspection because we knew we were ready.”