Town of Ripley Supervisor Laura K. Pless, pictured above, spearheaded the idea of three municipalities working together to provide a dog shelter.

The news that the Chautauqua County Legislature has voted to provide $67,050 for the construction of a dog shelter facility in Ripley, which will be used by the Towns of Ripley, Clymer and Mina, was gladly received by all three municipalities.

“We appreciate being able to work with a couple of other municipalities,” said Town of Mina Supervisor Rebecca Brumagin. “We greatly appreciate that the Town of Ripley took the lead in this.”

According to ABC News, December 11, 2025, “New York’s Article 26-C changes how animal shelters operate. Starting Dec. 15, it creates new official requirements for any group that rescues dogs and cats, requiring better veterinary care, specific housing standards, and daily exercise.” The law also provides specific guidelines regarding temperatures, noise levels, lighting, and ammonia levels, as well as how long an animal can be tethered or left outside.

In a discussion about the proposed shelter in Ripley, Deputy Supervisor Lee Swoap noted that the state has strict requirements for dog shelters, including heating and cooling systems. There also has to be a section for “dangerous” or “sick” dogs.

Ripley Supervisor Laura K. Pless, who initially put forth the idea to collaborate with other municipalities, said that it would be extremely difficult for a single town to fulfill the state requirements. “This will allow all three municipalities to meet the state mandate, as well as provide a safe and secure environment for loose dogs in our communities,” she said.

Pless said the municipalities are still working out the details regarding the manner in which the towns will share the cost. “We are very pleased and grateful that the county agreed to award us this grant,” she said. “This is an unfunded state mandate, so the financial assistance from the county is very much appreciated.”

Clymer Supervisor Brian Willink said that the town board was fully supportive of seeking the grant. “We have been fortunate that there has not been a huge need in our community to shelter animals,” he said. “The fact remains that we still have to comply with the laws in place, which is potentially a huge financial burden for a small-town budget.”

Willink said that the town board is looking forward to working with Mina and Ripley. “Now that we have been awarded the grant, we plan to meet as a group to share ideas and develop our next steps in the process, including determining cost sharing formulas,” he said.

Brumagin noted the Town of Mina previously had a primary agreement with the Chautauqua County Humane Society, which meant the CCHS would house stray dogs. However, the demands on the Humane Society became too great and Mina, as well as other towns, were switched to a secondary agreement. “They just did not have the space,” she said.

Jane Babinsky, Executive Director of the Chautauqua County Humane Society, said that a partnership with the sheriff’s office regarding cruelty cases, has put a great demand on the holding kennels in the facility. “We have many times had to shut down our space for primary contracts because of cruelty cases,” she said.

Babinsky went on to say that the planned shelter in Ripley is essential. “I think it is great that three municipalities have joined to do this,” she said. “It is something that is absolutely needed.

Babinsky also said it is necessary for the Chautauqua County Humane Society to improve their facility. “We are doing a capital campaign to enlarge our facility,” she said. “We will have nine stray holding kennels after our capital project and fund raisers are done and the work is completed.”

Babinsky said the capital project will cost approximately $7 million and, if all goes well, the project should be done by January 2029. Babinsky noted the CCHS does not receive any funds from the county, but relies on contributors, sponsors and volunteers for their operational costs.

The need for a place to shelter loose dogs is difficult to anticipate, Pless said. “The number of dogs we need to shelter varies,” she said. “Regardless, we currently do not have a facility to house any, so the need is there, both for our community and to meet the state mandate.”

Brumagin said there currently is not much of a problem with loose dogs in the Town of Mina, but that can change. “You can go from thinking ‘we’re doing really well with this’ to suddenly saying ‘Hey, there’s a problem’,” she said.

Brumagin said the three municipalities will begin working on a memorandum of agreement regarding such things as operational expenses and personnel. “The first objective is to get it built and have it meet our needs,” she said.

The total cost of the project is expected to be $82,050. Each municipality has agreed to fund $5,000, with the county paying for the balance. According to Pless, Ripley is also doing around $4,800 of in-kind work, including site preparation by its highway department and the value of the land.

The new kennel will be able to hold six dogs, which Pless said would be sufficient for the three municipalities. Pless noted the three towns plan to create a fee structure so that other municipalities can use the. shelter when there are vacant kennels.