Who will care for Captain? Movers arrive at the Governor's mansion for Cuomo's final day in office but his dog Captain is left behind as he asks staff if anyone wants the rescue pup
Outgoing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has abandoned his dog, Captain, at the state executive mansion while he stays at his sister's Westchester home - as movers arrive for his final day in office.
The move began three days prior as moving trucks were seen transporting the disgraced governor's belongings to the Westchester house of his sister Maria Cole, and her fashion designer husband, Kenneth Cole.
Cuomo is scheduled to step down Monday in the aftermath of a report by the state attorney general that found he sexually harassed 11 women.
Outgoing Gov. Andrew Cuomo has reportedly abandoned his dog, Captain, as the final belongings were moved out of the governor's mansion Monday
Wooden furniture items such as an antique record player (left) and chair were seen being moved out of the executive mansion in Albany during Cuomo's last day in office Monday
The items were seen being placed into a moving van Monday. Others of the outgoing governor's items had been seen being transported to his sister's home in Westchester
They are likely the last of the items in the mansion to be removed from the property, and were seen being transported by staff from the New York State Archives Records Center and The New York State Department of Education
Cuomo had recently begun asking staff at the mansion if anyone would like to keep Captain, a shepherd, Siberian and malamute mix, according to a report by the Albany Times Union.
Cuomo adopted the dog as a puppy in 2018, and he has been known to have nipped people during his time in the mansion.
One mansion staff member reportedly took Cuomo up on the offer and brought Captain home with them, but the he proved too much to handle, two state police sources told the Times Union.
Richard Azzopardi, senior advisor for Cuomo denied the reports, saying that Captain was always meant to stay with the staff member temporarily.
Captain was seen being walked by a staffer at the executive mansion Sunday. A state police source said the dog is unruly and that a staff member who offered to take ownership of him had to return him. The dog remains there, the source said
Captain is been known to have bitten people at the mansion. Cuomo's chief aide Richard Azzopardi denies the reports that his former boss wants to give him away
'Captain is part of the governor's family and for nameless ill-informed sources to imply they've been trying to give him away is untrue,' he told the Daily Mail in an emailed statement.
'Someone offered to watch him for a few days while the transition was ongoing but for that to be weaponized and morph from a game of telephone into the press is simply absurd. This is palace intrigue gone amok.'
That ran counter to reports from one of the state police sources.
'He tried giving the dog to the (a mansion employee). ... Apparently (the employee) took the dog home and it didn't work — the dog walks him, he don't walk the dog,' the source told the Times Union on Saturday.
The source also said captain had nipped at a number of state police officers and mansion staffers, and that when it happened, 'the governor would just laugh,' and that the dog remains at the mansion.
Meanwhile Cuomo gave an emotional farewell speech at around noon, Monday. He will be replaced at 12.01am on Tuesday morning by Kathy Hochul, his Lt. Governor
Meanwhile movers with New York State Archives Records Center and The New York State Department of Education logged and removed artifacts from the mansion Monday morning.
They were likely the final belongings to be taken out of the storied residence.
Later, at around noon Monday, Cuomo, 63, choked back tears as he gave his final address as governor and slammed the sexual harassment report authored by state attorney general Letitia James.
He claimed he was the victim of a political attack, saying: 'Allegations must still be scrutinized and verified whether made by a woman or man that is our basic justice system
'I understand there are moments of intense political pressure and media frenzy that causes a rush to judgement that is not right, fair or sustainable.
'Facts still matter. A firecracker can start a stampede but at some point everyone looks around and says "why are we running?"
'The Attorney General's report was designed to be a political firecracker on an explosive topic.
'And it worked. There was a political and media stampede. The truth will out in time,' he said.
A UHaul arrived at the property first thing Friday morning from the back of the Governor's Mansion. The truck dropped off the items at his sister's house in Purchase, Westchester County
The home is said to be worth close to $3 million dollars and is located in Purchase, New York
His sister's house, in the town of Purchase, is owned by Maria Cole and her fashion designer husband, Kenneth Cole
Cole's house is only a short distance from the home Cuomo had once lived at with his ex-longtime girlfriend Sandra Lee. The pair broke up in 2019 and it was at that point Cuomo moved into the Governor's Mansion, a 165-year-old residence.
A U-Haul arrived at the property first thing Friday morning from the back of the house. The driver then pulled the truck around the side of the house so that it was barely visible from the street.
Cuomo was nowhere in sight as two more pickup trucks pulled up and at least six workers were seen unloading dollies and carts from the trucks before heading inside.
The outgoing governor was the last of his family to move out of the mansion. His daughters Michaela Kennedy-Cuomo (left), 23, and Cara Kennedy-Cuomo (right), 26, were spotted loading boxes of things and leaving the mansion in a black SUV earlier in the month
The trucks left Albany at around 11:30am, arriving in Purchase at 2:15pm.
Although it is not yet clear where Cuomo will be living now that he has moved out of the mansion, it is clear that his sister will be storing at least some of his things, for now.
Those delivering the boxes to Cole's home told the New York Post they had no idea who they were working for with one saying they were simply told to 'drive to the Tappan Zee' bridge before being given an address shortly before arriving.
The Cole's home, said to be worth close to $3 million, is equipped with all manner of amenities including a pool and a backyard with a barn and guest house.
The governor appears to be the last of the Cuomos to pack up and move out. Earlier this month two of Cuomo's three daughters - Michaela, 23, and Cara, 26 - were spotted moving their things out of the Executive Mansion.
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