Soft Paws: Exploring animal adoption

In Columns, Columns - Greenville, The Greenville Pioneer
February 26, 2025
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By Guest Columnist Aaron Clause

For Capital Region Independent Media

Pearl is a 6-year-old Catahoula Leopard Dog mix who was found as a stray and never reclaimed. Don’t let her age fool you, she’s a puppy at heart! She’s very playful and will never turn down a chance to run around in the sun. She’s an absolute love bug with people, all she wants to do is give hugs and kisses. Pearl has herding dog tendencies, so we believe teenage kids are best for her. Contributed photo

Let’s dive a little deeper into the world of animal adoption this week!

The economics of adoption prove it to be a wise financial decision when you find your home in need of a new pet. Bringing a pet home is exciting, but cost matters. Many assume buying from a breeder alternative ensures a better pet, but adoption is both a compassionate and financially smart choice.

Please understand that this article is in no way meant to instill skepticism toward reputable breeders. Rather, it is here to show some of the occasionally unseen benefits behind the decision to adopt.

ADOPTION VS. BUYING: THE REAL COST

Purebred dogs from reputable breeders can cost from $1,500 and up. Local shelter adoption fees typically range from $50–$500, and cover far more than just the pet.

What’s included in adoption fees? Adopting from the Columbia-Greene Humane Society (CGHS/SPCA) includes all of the following. The typical veterinary prices for these included services are in parentheses:

  • Spay/neuter surgery ($500–$1,600)
  • Microchipping ($75–$150)
  • Initial vaccinations ($150–$375)
  • Deworming and flea treatment ($50–$200)
  • Health checkup ($50–$135)
  • And more – could include collars, leashes, small animal habitats, initial grooming, etc.

Buying from a breeder means paying all these costs separately, adding $500 to $1,500 or more in the first year alone.

LONG-TERM SAVINGS & BENEFITS

Many shelters offer discounted training, post-adoption support, and medical partnerships. CGHS/SPCA always discloses health or behavioral issues to the best of our ability.

By adopting, you don’t just save money while giving a homeless pet a second chance. The money saved can go toward quality food, enrichment, and future vet care.

If you’re adding a pet to your family, adoption is not just kind—it’s financially advantageous.

Millions of animals enter shelters annually, while many “backyard breeders” keep pushing animals into the marketplace with little thought about who is buying their animals and what might happen to those puppies and kittens a few months down the road.

Choosing adoption is not just about money, it’s about ethics. Approximately 6 million animals enter U.S. shelters annually, and approximately 900,000 are euthanized, whether due to lack of space, aggression, untreatable illness, or inability to place because of individual issues.

Meanwhile, some commercial breeding facilities prioritize profit over animal welfare, keeping dogs in overcrowded, inhumane conditions.

WHY LOCAL SHELTERS MATTER

Shelters prioritize rescue, rehabilitation, and responsible rehoming. They provide medical care, behavior support, and second chances. With many being non-profits, many do not recover the costs of what they provide even with adoption fees in place.

So, how can you help if you can’t adopt or if you’ve chosen to purchase a well-bred purebred? If adoption’s not an option, there are still ways to support shelter pets:

  • Donate to sponsorship programs – Help others afford adoption.
  • Support spay/neuter initiatives – Reduce overpopulation at the source.
  • Give to a local pet food bank – Alleviate hunger among pets in families facing financial struggles.
  • Volunteer/visit – Shelters need help socializing animals, organizing events, and more.
  • Advocate – Educate others on why adoption matters, and promote your local shelter’s programs, services, and events.

There’s no doubt that by choosing adoption—or supporting shelters in other ways—you’re helping save lives and promoting ethical pet ownership.

This February, Columbia-Greene Humane Society is making adoption even easier: All adoption fees for all animals have been covered by generous donors, meaning approved adopters can take home a pet at no cost. Sponsorship covers everything that’s included in the standard adoption fee, ensuring pets start their new lives healthy, and that owners have an extra few bucks for the housewarming!

Feel free to call us with any questions at 518-828-6044 or visit our website at www.cghs.org. Our food bank is open to any from the public in need of pet food or for those wishing to donate food from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Aaron Clause is an administrative assistant at the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA Board of Directors. He may be contacted at cghsaaron@gmail.com.

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Greene first in region with cutting-edge technology

In News, News - Greenville, The Greenville Pioneer
July 14, 2022
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Rotaries team up to save lives

By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

Area Rotaries and county EMS officials teamed up to purchase five cutting-edge IV warmers, making Greene County the first in the region to own the equipment. Pictured, left to right, are Aiden O’Connor, paramedic and Cairo Rotary Club member; Sam Pigeon, president, Coxsackie-Athens Rotary Club; Beau Loendorf, president, Cairo Rotary Club; Cecile Plattner, president, Greenville Rotary Club; Steve Near, chief of operations, Greene County Paramedics; Mark Evans, president, Greene County Paramedics; and Greene County Legislator Ed Bloomer, R-Athens. Melanie Lekocevic/Capital Region Independent Media

CAIRO — Three area Rotaries teamed up to help bring cutting-edge medical technology to every area of Greene County.

The Rotaries — Cairo, Greenville and Coxsackie-Athens — raised nearly $10,000 to purchase five IV warmers, with Greene County Paramedics chipping in another $8,000 or so. The initiative makes Greene County the first in seven counties in the region to own IV warmers, the newest technology to treat patients being transported by paramedics to a hospital.

When patients are given IV (intravenous) fluids, the liquid is significantly cooler than body temperature, so warming it up would be beneficial, Steve Near, chief of operations for Greene County Paramedics, said.

“You don’t want to administer cold fluids because it will make you colder and it doesn’t help anything that your body is trying to do,” Near said. “Your body has a lot of clotting factors that warm fluids will help fight against. This will keep the fluid up to about 100 degrees, close to your body’s temperature, and help everything go smoothly.”

The warming units take about 10 seconds to heat up the IV fluid, Near said.

“It is essentially instantaneous,” he added. “It can be used for any IV fluid — it can go from near frozen and it will warm it up to 100 degrees.”

The IV warmers will be particularly valuable in skiing accidents, hypothermia and major traumas, especially in colder weather, but can be beneficial for just about any situation, he said.

“If it’s 90 degrees outside, that is still 8 degrees less than your body temperature, so you can use it for anybody at any time,” Near said. “We probably won’t use it every single time, but there will be a patient population that we will use it for.”

“We are the first agency in the region to have this,” he added. “It will help with clotting factors, it will help keep patients warm, it will be good for people who fall down and nobody checks on them all night and we find them the next morning. There really is no drawback — it can help anybody, at any age.”

The five units will be kept with the five paramedic ambulances in the county — one each in Greenville, Coxsackie, Cairo, Hunter and Prattsville.

“We bought five units — there will be one unit on each truck and those five trucks are spread around the county,” said Mark Evans, president of Greene County Paramedics.

The idea to purchase the IV warmers first came from Aiden O’Connor, a former legislator from Durham and current paramedic and Rotarian in Cairo.

“Aiden realizes and understands that technological improvements are out there and we at Greene County EMS have always tried to stay at the cutting edge of everything — when there are new protocols that have come out and new medications are approved, we get them as soon as we can,” Evans said. “Our guiding principle is to stay on the cutting edge because we don’t have a hospital in the county so our transportation times are longer and consequently, we need to have the best EMS that we can. We think we have a great system, between the ambulances and the paramedics.”

Since Greene County is the first in the region to have IV warmers, the department will likely be part of a study to evaluate their effectiveness, Evans said.

“These are additional potential lifesaving devices, and we are very pleased that the Rotaries were able to partner with us and provide a portion of the funding,” Evans said.

O’Connor said the idea was first broached by the Cairo Rotary Club about two years ago.

“We were able to collectively raise about $4,000,” O’Connor said. “Because the devices are about $3,500 a unit and we needed five units, we asked for help from our fellow Rotary Clubs. We reached out to the Greenville Rotary Club, who was as enthusiastic as we were and was able to raise $2,500. We reached out to our friends at the Coxsackie-Athens Rotary Club and they were able to raise $2,500.”

Altogether, the three Rotaries raised about $9,000, and Greene County Paramedics added the bulk of the remaining funds to buy the five devices.

O’Connor said he learned through various training programs he participated in that IV warmers can improve patient outcomes.

“We are probably one of the first in the state of New York to carry these in a rural, pre-hospital environment,” O’Connor said. “Our hope is that this will show that these absolutely make a positive impact on patient outcome and we want to measure that success… It is very exciting.”

Beau Loendorf, president of the Cairo Rotary Club, said the club wanted to fundraise for a health initiative and the decision to purchase IV warmers specifically was suggested by medical professionals.

“We took it upon ourselves to lead the charge, and then we partnered with Coxsackie and Greenville, who were generous to give us donations,” Loendorf said.

Cairo Rotary Club’s biggest fundraiser was a pancake breakfast in February, but they also raised money through other events like a Halloween party in October, Rotary Eats and online donations from the community.

Cecile Plattner, president of Greenville Rotary Club, said O’Connor and Loendorf made a presentation to their club about the project, and the Greenville club jumped on board.

“The Rotary motto is ‘Service Above Self,’ and we try to do whatever we can to meet our community’s needs,” Plattner said.

Evans is a member of the Coxsackie-Athens Rotary Club and reached out to his fellow club members to see if they wanted to get involved in the fundraising initiative, said Sam Pigeon, president of the Coxsackie-Athens Rotary Club.

“We decided this is amazing and lifesaving, and we wanted to make a donation,” Pigeon said. “We knew this was going to be lifesaving for people and we wanted to make sure they had what they need to save lives.”

Greene County Legislator Ed Bloomer, R-Athens, is the liaison to the Greene EMS board and a member of the Coxsackie-Athens Rotary, and said a county that does not have its own hospital must have a strong emergency response service.

“Greene EMS has a wonderful reputation,” Bloomer said. “Greene County is a county that does not have a hospital so we have to have a really good ambulance system and we do. We stay on the cutting edge as much as possible. This is literally going to be a lifesaver.”

Chasin’ Racin’: Richie Evans remembered

In Dirt Central, Sports, Sports - Greenville, The Greenville Pioneer
August 3, 2022
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By Mark Kane

For Capital Region Independent Media

Matt Sheppard continues to dominate at Utica Rome, picking up the STSS Richie Evans Tribute after starting 22nd on the grid. Chasin’ Racin’ photo

The past few weeks there has been plenty of racing action to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

We have seen Stewart Friesen put on a show at Utica Rome running down Billy Decker and the following night do the same at Fonda, coming from last spot to take the lead and the win over Rocky Warner — two drivers who are neither lacking in talent or in the equipment they are running.                   

One week later and it was another great weekend of racing that started early on Thursday night at the “Richie Evans Remembered” memorial at the “Home of Heroes” Utica Rome Speedway and Richie Evans was sure that — a hero to his fans, in fact, the whole racing community. He was dirt’s Jumpin’ Jack Johnson and Barefoot Bob McCreadie of the asphalt Modified racing world.

Over his storied career Evans picked up 30 championships in four states and 480-plus wins in 14 states and was nominated nine times for the most popular driver award. One week after securing his ninth NASCAR championship, Mr. Evans, while practicing at the Martinsville, Virginia, Speedway, made hard contact with the wall and was tragically killed. It hit the racing community on both the asphalt and dirt side of the racing family as Richie Evans was a true champion both on and off the speedway and was adored by his many fans as well as the entire racing community. The Orange B.R. DeWitt #61 has been dearly missed.

UTICA ROME SPEEDWAY

It was the Short Track Super Series in town for the Richie Evans Remembered Memorial, 61-lap $6,100 to win. A fine field of 38 STSS competitors made their way to the pits with Max McLaughlin, Jimmy Phelps, Justin Wright and Ronnie Johnson picked up the $61 heat race bonus. The two consi’s were won by Billy Decker and Matt Sheppard.

At the drop of the green it was Matt Williamson grabbing the early lead with second row starter Tim Fuller quickly moving to the new second-place position. He quickly worked his way around front row starter Brett Haas and then worked on the leader Williamson, moving into the lead position on lap 9 down the front chute as Fuller, Williamson, Stewart Friesen, Haas and Rocky Warner held down the top 5.

With Fuller the new leader, Williamson had to deal with Friesen for second, with Friesen making the pass on the bottom in turn 4. Still on the charge, Friesen, using the top side, was all over the rear deck of the Fuller 19. Sheppard was on the move from the 22nd starting spot and picking his way through traffic.

Andy Bachetti and Billy Decker battle during the STSS Richie Evans Tribute at Utica Rome Speedway. Chasin’ Racin’ photo

With Fuller out front, Friesen closed, going nerf bar to nerf bar, with Friesen getting a good bite out of turn 2 leading down the back stretch. Now with Friesen out front, Sheppard was inside the top 10 and still coming. A lap 26 caution found the 84Y of Alex Yankowski slowed. After the restart, Matt Sheppard made a great move, working his way under Brett Haas, Williamson and Jessica Friesen. 

Jessica was having a great drive in the top 5, making it to fourth. As the laps clicked away, the top 5 were Friesen, Fuller, Rocky Warner, who had been holding steady in the top 5 since early in the going, Sheppard and early race leader Williamson had fallen to fifth, as Marc Johnson had worked his way into the top 10.

After working on Warner, Sheppard made the move to second just before lap 30 and set his sights on Fuller. The caution came out for the 4 of Andy Bachetti, with 41 down and 20 to go to tighten up the field, putting the 44 of Friesen and the 9S of Sheppard out front for the restart.

Two of the very best in dirt racing were now going head to head for $6,100 to win their share of the Short Track Super Series purse. As the green came out the fans were on their feet as Sheppard got a great run down into turn one on the high side, becoming the new leader.

As good as the wheel to action had been during the feature in the top 5, there was some great racing going on just outside the top 5, with drivers swapping positions in tight racing action. Once Sheppard was out front he cruised to victory, picking up win No. 7 at Utica Rome Speedway and win No. 6 on the Short Track Super Series.

Also on the card was the STSS 602 Sportsman that found Matt Janczuk picking up win No. 62 at Utica Rome and his very first STSS event win, with Payton Talbot, Tyler Corcoran, Jim Nagle and Mike Richmond rounding out the top 5. Thirty-seven STSS 602’s made their way to Utica Rome Speedway.

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco River Valley Builders North Region Round No. 7 Feature Finish (61 laps): MATT SHEPPARD, Stewart Friesen, Rocky Warner, Mat Williamson, Jimmy Phelps, Tim Fuller, Anthony Perrego, Marc Johnson, Ronnie Johnson, Max McLaughlin, Jessica Friesen, Erick Rudolph, Michael Trautschold, Bobby Hackel IV, Dan Creeden, Darren Smith, Mike Mahaney, Billy Decker, Brett Haas, Andy Bachetti, Dave Marcuccilli, Shaun Walker, Justin Wright, Kyle Coffey, Alex Yankowski, Pat Ward and David Schilling.

ALBANY SARATOGA SPEEDWAY

After a great night at Utica Rome, it was off to Albany Saratoga Speedway for a full night of weekly racing and the ESS 360 Winged Sprints.

When you talk about a track having a competitive Modified field you don’t have to look far when you live in the Capital District. On this Friday night, the “Great Race Place” again lived up to its name as Demetrios Drellos picked up the exciting Modified feature for the ninth different winner so far in 2022.

The 24 NAPA Modifieds were brought to the line by Kris Vernold and Matt Depew, with Vernold grabbing the early lead as third-place starter Rich Ronca quickly moved to second and was battling Vernold for the lead, becoming the new leader on lap 4.

With Ronca out front Vernold, Jessey Mueller, Jack Lehner and Keith Flach held down the early top 5. It was Keith Flach, who was working the high side, getting by both Lehner and Mueller to sit third on lap 6 as Demetrios Drellos was now just outside the top 5. Lap 8 found Drellos get a great run out of turn 4 on the high side and down the front chute running nerf bar to nerf bar with Lehner, when the two made contact and continued on in what could have been a real mess.

Demetrios Drellos picked up his first NAPA Modified win of the year at Albany Saratoga Speedway. Chasin’ Racin’ photo

Lap 9 found Flach now in second as Ronca was checking out on the field out front. You could have thrown a blanket over the cars  in positions two through six  in some great racing action.

Now working his way into the battle was the 215 of Adam Pierson to make things even more interesting. Now it was Flach and Lehner battling for second with Drellos and Pierson having a battle of their own for fifth and swapping the position. Lap 18 found the 43 and 2 still in a battle for second.Flach jumped the berm and dropped back to fifth, as it was now Ronca still leading with Lehner, Drellos, Pierson and Flach holding down the top 5.

With Marc Johnson now working his way to the sixth spot and looking for racing room any place he could find it, high or low, would work his way to fifth. With all the great racing in the front there was some great racing going on deeper in the pack on a super smooth racing surface with two and three racing grooves.

Back to the front and the battle for the lead heated up with Lehner the new leader on lap 23 as Pierson would take over second, putting Ronca back to third. With Lehner in the lead and working lap traffic, he made contact with Brandon Daley as Daley moved up a groove. The contact would bring out the yellow and find Lehner still with the lead and a flat left front.

Back to green, Lehner would continue to lead as Drellos moved to third and went right to work on Ronca for second, using a slide job in turn 2 to get the spot. Pierson was right in the thick of the battle and would find his way to second and again Drellos would come right back for the spot as Kenny Tremont Jr. came out of nowhere, now battling for fifth. 

In the closing laps, Lehner and Drellos would battle for the lead, but Lehner was having trouble keeping the car low and Drellos was coming fast on the top as they raced wheel to wheel, with Drellos getting the spot and would continue on for the NAPA Modified win over Lehner, Pierson, Johnson and Ronca held on for fifth.   

In other action, Jordan Poirier picked up the ESS Sprint car feature after taking over the lead on lap 20 from Danny Varin, who had led from the drop of the green. The fight for the lead had both drivers pulling slide jobs in turn 4 and I have no clue how they both made it out of turn 4 as they were that close to the wall. Following the leaders in the top 5 finish was Davie Franek, Shawn Donath and Dylan Swiernik.

The 602 Sportsman found Jeff Wasburn picking up the win as Chucky Dumblewski grabbed the Pro Stock win, Dakota Green was the Limited Sportsman winner and Dan Madigan picked up his first win in 15 years in the Street Stocks.

FONDA SPEEDWAY

On Saturday night at Fonda Speedway it was the popular twin 20s for the SUNOCO Modifieds and it was two first-time winners.

Getting to the front of any race is tough, try to do it in 20 laps and you best hope you are starting up front, a spot not reserved for the point leaders, they had a tough road in just 20 laps.

Picking up wins was rookie Nick Heywood driving for former veteran driver and now car owner Wes Moody, who has been looking for a win at Fonda for 60 years and now has it, and David Schilling, who had a Wegner Spec motor under the hood and had a great run out front.

Rookie SUNOCO Modified driver Nick Heywood picked up his first career win at Fonda Speedway. Chasin’ Racin’ photo

The track again was in decent shape considering the lack of rain as the track crew tried to keep up with the changing surface, as did the teams. Following Heywood to the line was Rocky Warner, Darwin Greene, David Schilling and Brian Gleason.

In the second 20-lap feature the top six were inverted. After an early race caution, Schilling made a great move to go from third to be the new leader, a lead he would never give up. Following Schilling to the line was Rocky Warner, Danny Varin, Ronnie Johnson and Ryan Odaz rounding out the top 5.

David Schilling picked up his first-ever SUNOCO Modified win at Fonda Speedway. Chasin’ Racin’ photo

In other action Patton Talbot picked up the 602 Sportsman win followed by Chad Edwards, Troy Palmer, Tim Dwyer, and Chip Constantino rounding out the top 5 in another highly competitive feature.

In the Pro Stocks it was Josh Coonradt picking up the win with Chucky Dumblewski, Beau Ballard, Nick Stone and Caden Dumblewski rounding out the top 5. In the limited Sportsman it was Connor Prokop with the win as Ken and Kerrie Hollenback picked up the 4-cyl. wins.

On a sad note, John Lutes Sr., former veteran driver from the Capital District, passed away on July 24. Our condolences to John’s family and friends. He will be missed by many.

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