Twenty-five years. That’s one-hundred thirty-nine dog years! And that entire time, the Northern Chautauqua Canine Rescue (NCCR) has been here in Chautauqua County, saving dogs and adopting out the next furry member of your family.

To give you an idea of the impact NCCR has had over the years, to date they have helped more than 4,000 dogs and puppies find loving homes. They have also saved over 1,300 dogs from euthanasia in overcrowded shelters around the area. All of this with a group comprised mostly of loving volunteers who share their time with NCCR one or two nights or mornings per week to help walk, feed, clean, love and care for the dogs that spend any amount of time in their little shelter located at 7540 North Gale St. in Westfield.

Impressive, right? Then when you take into consideration that the shelter is run primarily on donations, fundraisers, and events held by those very same volunteers, it simply adds to how amazing this small, local shelter truly is. And now, they need your help. New York state recently released new regulations and mandates requiring that all dog shelters reach or exceed certain criteria by December. This is a big ask for such a small shelter, especially one that runs out of a building they moved into back in 2002 that was not originally designed as a shelter at all. Unfortunately, that building is slowly falling apart, so the only option for NCCR is to build a brand-new facility, one that will improve the outlook for the dogs who spend part of their lives there, as well as help their volunteers to care for the dogs in a safer, cleaner, more up-to-date shelter.

Jordon Nichols, Executive Director, shares that, “Northern Chautauqua Canine Rescue has been making a positive difference in the lives of homeless and needy dogs in the Western New York area for 25 years, and we look forward to building on and furthering this good work for the future of our organization. We are committed to continuing our mission of helping dogs get the care they need and placing them into the loving homes they deserve. We are dedicated to strengthening our partnership with the community and further developing the organization into a vital resource to continue saving lives, improving animal welfare in our area, and fostering stronger, healthier, and happier human-animal relationships.”

NCCR has a lot of fundraisers coming up in the near future where you can help them reach the $1.2 million they need to fund their new shelter. The first is Give Big CHQ on Thursday, June 12 where you can make an impact in one singular day. These funds will be used for anything from food and toys for the dogs to utilities and other important necessities. Donations of any size are welcome and the volunteers (and the canines they care for) all thank you in advance for your generosity.

The second event is NCCR’s always popular Annual Yard Sale. This year the sale will take place on July 25th through 27th both inside and outside at 7450 North Gale Street in Westfield. A former Executive Director of NCCR, adds, “This is our best fundraising event of the year and really helps our shelter to thrive. The generous donations of goods is heartwarming and always impressive.”

Jann Balsano, co-founder of NCCR, remembers when they first began their labor of love for all dogs and puppies in the surrounding areas. “The shelter, for those who don’t remember, started out in a barn up on Hardscrabble Road in Westfield. It wasn’t ideal, but our hearts were in the right place. A few years later, we were able to move into our current location and are ever so grateful for our time there. Now, we look toward the future, toward a brand-new facility that will give volunteers and dogs alike an amazing space, making everyone’s lives more enjoyable and happier.”

“For our 25th anniversary,” Board Member Trenton Lutes adds, “we’re looking to ramp up our fundraising. We really want to see local families, former and current adopters, as well as local businesses both big and small contribute to help us out. Two of our biggest asks are for matching donations during the Give Big CHQ and generous donations to help us reach our goal of the $1.2 million we will need to construct our new shelter. We’re already doing our part and NCCR has contributed $250,000 toward this goal. With your help, we can accomplish anything!”

To make a donation directly to NCCR, please contact them at 716-326-7297 (you may need to leave a message) or donate via their PayPal account, adoptions@caninerescue.org. You can also donate during Give Big CHQ on Thursday, June 12 by going to givebigchq.org and searching for Northern Chautauqua Canine Rescue.

If you’re interested in making a donation for NCCR’s Annual Yard Sale, you may do so starting on July 12. They do ask that no donations be made prior to this date and that you be mindful of the items you are donating. Broken, damaged and soiled items will end up costing the organization time and money to dispose of and will not aid them in their fundraising goals. Looking to adopt? Please visit NCCR’s website at caninerescue.org to view available dogs and complete an online application.