135-Dog Animal Sanctuary Found in ‘Deplorable Conditions’ Needs Your Help

Fifteen months ago, Linda Papszycki’s uncle died and left her his animal sanctuary. The Leyden, New York, resident had to suddenly deal with 135 dogs and seven buildings. To add to the stress, Papszycki says the sanctuary wasn’t in the best state when she took over. In fact, she calls its conditions “deplorable.” 

“The whole property was like a junkyard. It was like a hoarding situation. Dogs. Dogs were not in the best health conditions. It was horrible, and then when I got into the insides of the buildings, it was even worse what they were living in,” Papszycki told WWNYTV 7. 

Spirit Animal Sanctuary was originally opened in 2004 by Alan Papszycki, a canine behavioral specialist and trainer. The sanctuary relocated to Booneville, New York in 2005. Spirit Animal Sanctuary specifically caters to dogs with behavior and medical problems — dogs who are deemed unadoptable by most shelters. It’s a last resort for many dogs, who would otherwise be euthanized. Alan apparently never turned away a dog. However, due to Alan’s declining health in recent years, the sanctuary’s quality deteriorated. 

When faced with the decision to sell the place, Papszycki was not about to give up on the animals who needed her. “I couldn’t fail these animals. I had to get them back in good shape and clean up this property so it actually looked like a sanctuary and not a junkyard,” she said.

But the process of maintaining the sanctuary has not been an easy one. She manages most of the sanctuary on her own, often working 18 hour days to make sure all the animals are taken care of — even if that means deprioritizing her own wellness. She has invested over $380,000 in this project, with $80,000 of that coming from her own pockets. (She originally had staff but says she could not afford to keep them on.)

Spirit Animal Sanctuary is actively seeking donations and volunteers. People can donate directly on Spirit Animal Sanctuary’s website or purchase an item off the sanctuary’s Amazon wishlist. The website also keeps a roster of the current dogs living at the sanctuary, with a little personality snippet about each of them. You can also sponsor a dog, if one of them catches your eye on the website. Contact the organization here with any questions about how to donate your time and/or money.

The fundraising efforts for Spirit Animal Sanctuary are extending throughout the community. A New York woman named Kat Libizova set up a GoFundMe for the sanctuary, sharing the story of how she had to rehome her dog, Ozzy. 

“I was not able to find any home or rescue that was willing to take him in because he was deemed "unadoptable" and his bite history, though minor, made him a liability to everyone I reached out to,” wrote Libizova on the GoFundMe. “I did not want to relinquish him to a shelter that I knew would mean certain euthanasia. I felt hopeless — until I came across Spirit Animal Sanctuary.”

Spirit Animal Sanctuary gave Ozzy a second chance. And it’s given over 100 dogs their second chances and safe place for them to live where all the staff and volunteers know the dogs’ names. Hopefully, the sanctuary can get the help it needs to keep its doors open.