Author: Bethany Kloc

SPCA, CONTINUING TO SERVE 

June 16, 2020 — This comes to us from SPCA Serving Erie County Animal Cruelty Investigator / Animal Rescue Officer Tyler Robertson:

On Saturday, June 13, 2020, Officer Ivory, Officer Jaworski, Officer Maleskis, and I rescued eight domestic ducks from Cazenovia Park. Officer Ivory and Officer Maleskis used kayaks to steer the ducks to shore where Officer Jaworski and I were able to net the ducks and get them into carriers to be transported back to the barn at the SPCA.

Credit for the video and pictures go to SPCA volunteer Cheryl L. who happened to be walking by and who provided assistance as well!

This was one of two duck rescues over the weekend; read more about the rescue of 8 ducklings practicing a little too much social distancing here.


Unlikely Neighbors? Not Really. What You Need to Know About Raccoons in Your Neighborhood.

May 20, 2020
By Bethany Kloc, SPCA Serving Erie County Communications Manager

With the nice weather finally upon Western New York, have you noticed more raccoons than usual out during the day in your neighborhood? There’s a very logical reason for that.

“In general, just seeing a raccoon during the day is normal — especially now that mothers have their litters of babies. They’re off getting food for them ALL day long,” says SPCA Serving Erie County Wildlife Department Director Barb Haney. “And even though I think we can all appreciate how cute they are, I’d like to impress upon people that under no circumstances should anyone ever touch a raccoon – even baby raccoons. In New York State, once a rabies vector species like a raccoon has had contact with people, for the protection of those people, it must be tested for rabies. This means the raccoon is euthanized to gauge its brain’s infection status. So contact with a raccoon doesn’t only have deadly consequences for the animal, but could lead to the transmission of rabies from the animal to the person who initiated contact.”

With more raccoon sightings in neighborhoods, the SPCA has received more calls than usual about them. On a recent day, SPCA Officer Tyler Robertson said that, after receiving calls for help, members of his department transferred five separate litters of 14 raccoons, and all needed to be euthanized to be tested for rabies.

“Individuals are finding baby raccoons that they erroneously feel need intervention, and they think they’re doing the right thing by handling them to ensure they’re safe. After that, they reach out to the SPCA for assistance. Unfortunately, once the human contact occurs, euthanasia is the only outcome for the animal.”

What should you do if you find a raccoon who looks sick, injured, or orphaned? Officer Robertson recommends, “Leave the animal where it is, contact our Wildlife Department between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. at 716-449-0727, and comply with any instruction that is given. By calling ahead of time and speaking with the experts, it will give the animal the best (hopefully live) outcome.” If you have questions between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., please call your local police department and/or animal control department or the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

As always, it is important to have your pets up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations. Should you or your pet have contact with a wild animal, including a raccoon, please call the Erie County Health Department at 716-961-6800.

SPCA Busy with Wildlife Rescues!

April 24, 2020
By: SPCA Communications Manager Bethany Kloc

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the SPCA’s Wildlife Department is asking community members with wildlife concerns to call them before bringing an animal in to help determine if what they’re seeing is an emergency. Information can be found on our COVID-19 Response page.

WOOD DUCK RESCUE

On April 21, the SPCA’s Wildlife Department received a call about a Wood Duck who had been hit by a car in Tonawanda. “Wood ducks are a very sensitive species that are easily stressed, so we have to be especially careful with this bird,” said Wildlife Department Director Barb Haney. “When he was brought in, we took an X-ray and found that he had a broken radius, a wing bone. We’re caring for him now and we’re hopeful that he’ll make a quick recovery so we can release him back to the wild as soon as possible.”

     

CROW RESCUE

On April 22, a crow was admitted to the Wildlife Department after a good Samaritan found the bird tangled in fishing line and stuck in water. When admitted, the crow was tired and very wet, and luckily, none of his bones were broken. The fishing line was immediately cut off, and he was given pain medicine and food. He rested over night in the Wildlife Department. After an examination the next morning, the crow was cleared to be released and SPCA Officers Maleskis and Wlodarczyk had the privilege of releasing him back to the wild!

LOON RESCUE

On April 23, the SPCA’s Wildlife Department Director Barbara Haney received a call from a Buffalo citizen who was surprised to find a bird, who the caller thought was possibly a goose with a broken leg, on the caller’s second-floor balcony. “I asked him to text me a picture and immediately I knew it was a Common Loon — a species of special concern in New York State. The gentleman thought the bird looked like it had a broken leg because of the loon’s anatomy.” Common Loons spend most of their lives in water and walk clumsily on land, because their legs are located far on the rear of their bodies.

Because this is a very special bird, SPCA Officers Maleskis and Wlodarczyk went on the rescue call. Wearing PPE, they walked through the man’s apartment to the balcony and rescued the loon. They brought the loon to Dr. Karen Slote, the SPCA’s wildlife veterinarian and local expert on this very delicate species. “Migrating loons don’t breed in Buffalo and my guess is that he was on his way to Canada. If you see loons in area lakes, they’re just stopping by for food. I don’t know how in the world he got stuck on a balcony but once he was there, he probably had difficulty taking off. He was dirty and exhausted when I got him. Currently I’m caring for him around the clock,” said Dr. Slote.

     

SPCA’s Wildlife Department Assists Two Fox Kits

April 9, 2020
By Bethany Kloc, Communications Manager

The SPCA Serving Erie County’s Wildlife Department received two fox kits today from two towns. Barb Haney, Director of the Wildlife Department said, “During this time, to protect staff and volunteers, my department has minimal on-site staff and no volunteers, and we’re only able to help with wildlife emergencies. Right now, it’s so helpful and important that we are called first before anyone brings an animal to us. With both cases, we were able to determine over the phone that our services were needed.”

One fox kit was found cold, in a puddle and the other had a severe bite wound on the back of her neck. While in the SPCA’s Wildlife hospital, both kits received medications and fluids. Once they were stabilized, they were sent to a local wildlife rehabber. Sadly, the fox kit who was bit, didn’t make it. We are hopeful that the other kit will make a full recovery and will be released to her natural habitat as soon as possible.

If you have a wildlife emergency, please call 716-449-0727 between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., please call 716-449-0363.

For more information about the SPCA Serving Erie County’s Covid-19 response, please visit this page.

April 9, 2020
By Bethany Kloc, Communications Manager

As the number of Covid-19 cases rise in our area, it’s important to plan for the safety of all our family members, including our pets. SPCA Serving Erie County Officer Tyler Robertson has been on the front lines since the pandemic began helping people and animals. “We’ve received calls from concerned citizens asking what to do with pets who have been in a home with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19. If you’re not feeling well, or are showing signs of Covid-19, limit your exposure to your pet. If there is someone else in the home who can care for your pet, it’s a good idea to ask them to take over all the caretaking responsibilities.

“Right now, the SPCA is helping pets of two people who tested positive for Covid-19 and who are now hospitalized. In one case, the manager of the property was caring for the animal, but that’s not a long-term, sustainable solution. In the other case, the family of the person hospitalized can no longer care for their family member’s dog.

“Everything is on a case-by-case basis and because of their specific circumstances, these two pets are going to be surrendered to the SPCA. (They will be segregated from other animals at the shelter.) What we’re struggling with is finding the medical and vaccination records for these animals. It’s difficult when we don’t know animals’ histories and obviously right now, the owners are unable to provide that information.”

This means that having a pet emergency preparedness plan is more valuable than ever. Officer Robertson recommends taking these steps:

– Find a trusted individual to care for your pets should you or anyone in your household become ill or hospitalized. Identify local boarding facilities should you need to utilize out-of-home sheltering options.

– Ensure that each of your pets has identification on his/her collar that contains your current address and phone number. If your pet is microchipped, contact the microchip company to make sure your information is current.

– Ideally, create a folder for each of your pets. Include all current vaccination and veterinary records and a list of all medications and where they can be found in your home. Authorize in writing that your veterinarian may release medical records of your pets to individuals/organizations other than you. (You may even want to call your veterinary hospital and ask them to put a note in your file saying this.)

– Stock up and store essential items in a water-proof container including the following: a 2-week supply of food and water, 2-week supply of medications, litter boxes with litter, and a pet first aid kit.

– Have a proper carrier available with appropriate bedding, blankets, and/or towels. Have a bag ready with food dishes, an extra leash, harness, and toys.

For more information about the SPCA Serving Erie County’s Covid-19 response, please visit this page.

We say it all the time and we’ll say it again: we LOVE our amazing Erie County community! Thanks to everyone who voted in the Target Circle, the SPCA was awarded 6,202.61! Thank you so much!

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