The Beverly Animal Shelter is expected to reopen Sept. 1, nearly six months after closing its doors, according to reporting by the Finger Lakes Times.
The shelter’s reopening was announced Tuesday during a meeting of the Seneca County Board of Supervisors by Frank Schmitter. The news comes as municipalities across Seneca County have struggled to find options for stray and abandoned animals following the shelter’s closure earlier this year.
The shelter closed in the spring after owner Caitlin Reese terminated the lease with the shelter’s board of directors, citing concerns about the condition and welfare of some animals housed at the facility.
Reese inherited the shelter from longtime owner Dallyn Jenkins, who died in October 2024. Before her death, Jenkins asked Reese to prioritize the welfare of animals if she took over the shelter.
While the shelter is expected to resume operations, it will no longer provide animal control services as it had previously. Fayette Town Supervisor Jeff Trout told the Finger Lakes Times he was relieved to hear of the reopening because it will once again provide a location for stray and abandoned animals.
The reopening follows efforts by Reese and her father, Michael Reese, to bring the facility into compliance with updated state regulations governing animal shelters. The requirements, which took effect at the end of 2024, include stricter standards for veterinary care, vaccinations, record-keeping and shelter facilities.
A spay-neuter program operated independently of the former shelter board has continued at the facility under the direction of Reneé Paddock of Savannah.
The Beverly Animal Shelter operated as a nonprofit organization for more than 30 years under Jenkins’ leadership. Tensions between Reese and the shelter’s board emerged after the board attempted to purchase the facility but was unable to reach an agreement with the owner.
