Susquehanna SPCA
celebrates opening of new facility
with ribbon cutting, open house

By KEVIN LIMITI• Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

OTSEGO — Hundreds gathered outside the Susquehanna SPCA's new facility in Cooperstown for a ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday, July 17, which they say would help better service the needs of animals who are homeless and in need of caring adoptees.

In spite of the humidity — one young woman apparently fainted during remarks from State Sen. Peter Oberacker, R-Maryland — the crowd was lively and enthusiastic, some bringing their own dogs to the ceremony.

Stacie Haynes, who as executive director has been at the forefront of this whole project, told the crowd this has been her "dream job" and joked she "hasn't been home since."

"I'm a dreamer and optimistic by nature," Haynes said, but never imagined she'd be "standing on a multi-million dollar campus."

Haynes thanked the "Shelter Us" capital campaign, which was largely responsible for raising the money necessary to build and open the facility, calling them an "all-star group."

The Shelter Us Capital Campaign was able to secure a grant from the New York State Animal Capital Fund from the Department of Agriculture and Markets in order to move the facility to state Route 28 near Cooperstown.