Many New Yorkers adopted pets during the pandemic as a way to help with the isolation of lockdown. But now, one shelter is seeing an influx of animals and has had to make a choice to stop taking animals in from some communities.

Tails were wagging at the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, a sign of continued dedication at the largest and oldest animal protection agency in the Capital Region.

“This is just one part of what we do here,” Mohawk Hudson Humane Society CEO Ashley Jeffrey Bouck said.

But resources are stretched thin, and space at the Menands facility is limited.

“It’s down to math," she said. "If we only have 86 dog kennels, that is the only amount of dogs we can have.”

Nearly 1,200 dogs are expected to filter through the humane society this year, 29% more than last year. MHHS has turned to its foster volunteers to help with the overflow.

“Even increasing that by 77%, we just need more lifesaving kennels in this area,” Bouck said.

As a result, the organization will not renew animal shelter agreements with 16 communities across the area, including with the city of Cohoes.

“I’ve been doing this for almost 23 years and we’ve always had a contract with them,” said Jerry Oliver, Cohoes animal control officer.

MHHS took in 41 dogs from The Spindle City since November of last year, the most of any other village, town or city the organization is parting ways with.

“Financially, people can’t afford to feed their pets," Oliver said. "A lot of people, you know, get them not realizing what the costs are. Vet bills, to feed them, take care of them, and I think the economy has something to do with that.”

In municipalities across the state, issuing dog licenses are required to establish and maintain shelter space for dogs, as it is initially responsible for any dog that is seized.

“You don’t need to worry about stray dogs running around," Bouck said. "There are other options.”

But it’s a responsibility that without the humane society’s assistance will weigh more heavily now on city’s like Cohoes, which has spent $10,000-$20,000 a year since 2020 to board animals at the humane society.

“Making a municipal kennel in your city sounds good, but it is an expense and more people to work it,” Oliver said.

City leaders are in the process of contacting boarding facilities and veterinarians across the area to fill the void.

Meanwhile, MHHS will continue its partnership with the cities of Albany, Troy, Watervliet and Schenectady, along with the town of Colonie. It’s hoping to work on finding alternatives for the other communities.

“We’ve been bulking up our programs to keep pets in loving homes so that they don’t even make their way to the shelters," Bouck said. "We’re hoping for right now, this is the answer.”