Outgoing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been without his dog, Captain, ever since moving out of the governor's mansion last week, according to a new report by the Albany Times Union.
Monday is Cuomo's last day in office. On August 10, he announced his resignation with an arbitrary two weeks' notice amid the fallout from 11 women accusing him of sexual harassment, with their accounts corroborated in a 165-page report from New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Cuomo has been staying with one of his sisters ever since leaving the mansion in Albany, but staff at the residence were reportedly asked "if anyone would like to keep his dog," the Times Union reported.
Captain has "nipped a few people" at the Executive Mansion since being adopted in 2018, and according to two state police sources who spoke to the Times Union, "a mansion staffer recently took the dog home for a few days but decided he was too much."
Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi — who recently described his boss as being "railroaded" in the sexual harassment scandal — told the Times Union the arrangement is only "temporary" until Cuomo returns from a vacation he plans to take upon leaving office.
The two state police sources came forward to the paper on Saturday, and said the Siberian-Shepherd-malamute mix has continued roaming about the Executive Mansion.
After the Times Union story broke early Monday morning, the New York State Animal Protective Federation released a statement saying they are ready to find Captain a place in their network of shelters.
Statement from @NYSAPF on @timesunion story about @NYGovCuomo leaving his dog Captain at the mansion after moving out: pic.twitter.com/jvHwyJHLDL
— Zack Fink (@ZackFinkNews) August 23, 2021
On Tuesday, Kathy Hochul will take over for Cuomo and become the first female governor in New York history. She plans on running for a full term in 2022, while Cuomo's top aide said on Monday that he will not seek another campaign despite having nearly $20 million in campaign funds leftover.