CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — Cheektowaga Police on Wednesday published a Facebook post stating any of the dogs that Cheektowaga Animal Control had would be euthanized if not adopted.
It turns out what was posted is not true.
"We are not euthanizing the animals. We are not a kill shelter. The post kind of was misleading," Cheektowaga Police Captain Brian Coons said.
Coons says that post was put up by mistake by someone else in the department.
The police department revised the post Thursday afternoon, writing dogs that are not adopted will not be euthanized.
Coons says the employee will not be disciplined, but it is a learning lesson for them.
"I don't think it was the intention of the poster to cause alarm. I think it was more to get attention to the problem that we're having with the animals to get people to come down and adopt," Coons said.
Coons says it is true the Cheektowaga Animal Control is full.
According to the dog warden, they're getting about eight dogs a week.
He says most of them aren't strays, but instead they're dogs abandoned by their owners.
The dog warden says it's been happening for the last three years, saying people who got a dog during COVID are now dumping them on the street.
2 On Your Side was told even some police officers have stepped up to adopt a dog, but they can't do it alone and neither can all the other shelters in the region.
"It's not just a Cheektowaga problem, it's basically a Western New York problem. All our resources that we usually farm our animals out to, they're full as well and can't take anymore animals so we need the people to help adopt an animal," Coons said.
Since that post went up, Cheektowaga Animal Control has gotten about 20 adoption inquiries. If you are interested in adopting one of the dogs, you can call 716-686-3525.