Here is a brief timeline to help you understand how we came to where we are today:

 

• In 2010, Pets Alive Inc. (only in Middletown at the time) stepped in and became board members of CWHS and took over operations. They later filed a D.B.A. (Doing Business As) making it Pets Alive Westchester (PAW). The board members that took over CWHS are the same board members that governed Pets Alive Inc. in Middletown. 

 

• July 18, 2015 Pets Alive Inc. blindsided the staff, volunteers and community of Westchester by announcing the closure of Pets Alive Westchester and the future sale of the property. They sited this closure was due to building structural issues and financial problems. The community was devastated by the closure announcement and questioned the legality of this decision, because the property had been donated.

 

• The Town of Greenburgh stepped in after reviewing the deed, announcing that the property could only be used for another animal shelter or municipal party.

 

• Right after the closing announcement in July, dedicated staff and volunteers from PAW began incorporating their own organization called Paws Crossed Animal Rescue Inc. (PCAR) in hopes to fill the void in our community that PAW was leaving behind. PCAR incorporated on August 6th 2015.

 

• Between late July and mid-September, there were discussions and formal meetings between the Town of Greenburgh, the board of directors of PA and Paws Crossed. Knowing that they could not sell the property, and after much delay, the first decision was made that PA would give the land back to the town and the town would, wanting it to remain a true no-kill rescue, gift the land to the best choice.

 

• September 9th, 2015, PA presented a "Donation Agreement" to the Town of Greenburgh to gift the property back to them.

 

• On September 11,2015 PA and PCAR lawyers spoke, and PA lawyers said it would be the easiest and cleanest option to change the contract for a direct transfer from PAW to PCAR.

 

• On September 14th, 2015, at the 11th hour, PA canceled any negotiations with Town and PCAR directly. They decided to look at other organizations.

 

• September 15, 2015 PA officially closes the Westchester location and all animals are removed from the premises.

 

• An RFP (Request for Proposals) was put out by PA with a deadline of October 10th, 2015. The RFP guidelines made PCAR ineligible to submit a proposal. They required at least two years in operation, and 501(c)3 status (which we did not have at the time). The Town of Greenburgh requested that PCAR be eligible to apply and PA said they would accept our proposal.

 

• PCAR submitted a proposal to PA within the allotted time and received confirmation on October 11th, 2015.

 

• PCAR responded immediately with a request for a face-to-face meeting with both the PCAR and PA board members to discuss our proposal.

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• Decemeber 17th, 2015 Pets Alive announced the decision to hand the property over to the Town of Greenburgh. The Town of Greenburgh announced their decision to hand over the property to Paws Crossed immediately after it is gifted to them

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• March 23rd Paws Crossed signs the Donation Agreement for the property at 100 Warehouse Lane South in Elmsford.

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• June 2nd: Final closing on the property and Paws Crossed is handed the keys!

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• Renovations begin!

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• September 17th, 2016: GRAND OPENING!