DUNNSTOWN — The Clinton County SPCA is preparing for a major renovation of its dog care facilities that will refurbish its kennels, but temporarily pause intake operations and increase reliance on foster homes.

With kennel space temporarily unavailable during construction, the SPCA is asking community members to provide foster homes for its dogs until the planned renovations are complete.

According to an SPCA representative, while no specific dates have been set, construction is projected to begin in mid-May.

All of the roughly a dozen dogs currently in the shelter’s care will need foster placements before improvements can begin.

The renovations will add a new dog run and overhaul the kennels, representing the first improvements to the shelter’s dog facilities in more than 40 years. A similar renovation of the SPCA’s cat space was recently completed.

“This is a necessary and exciting step forward for the future care and comfort of our dogs,” the SPCA said in a statement shared online.

With the current kennels set to be removed, the shelter will have no safe space to house incoming dogs either, meaning it will also be unable to assist with loose or stray animals during the renovation.

The only services available for dog owners during that time will be microchip scanning and social media assistance, the SPCA said.

Finding temporary homes for that many dogs is no small feat, so the shelter is asking qualified community members to serve as short-term foster caregivers.

“Opening your home, even for a short time, can make a huge difference and help us continue serving our community,” the SPCA said.

Those interested in fostering are asked to complete an application to help match dogs with suitable homes. Submitting an application is not a commitment, and details on timing will be shared directly with qualified applicants. Dogs will be placed based on best fit rather than personal preference.

The foster application is available at docs.google.com/…/1lFEw5u0L5SRPbJwogV3AOwi…/edit.

“Thank you for your patience, support and for helping us make this long-awaited improvement possible,” the SPCA said. “If you’ve ever thought about fostering, this is your sign.”