Author: Gina

At this time, SPCA Paws for Love therapy teams will be assisting:

~Tops Markets associates: visits started May 18 and will be made all week, expected to continue next week;

~Buffalo Academy of Science Middle School: visits begin this week, possible future dates to be added;

~Crisis Services: a series of visits begin next week;

~Grand Island Elementary Schools: dates currently being scheduled;

~Winning Smiles Dental Care located in the Jefferson Ave. area: visits begin next week for employees who were directly and indirectly impacted by Saturday’s shooting;

~WKBW-TV Channel 7: after station representatives learned of SPCA therapy services during our appearances on the station (see those stories here >>), management recognized the need for therapy visits to station staff, which begin tomorrow;

~Build Community Schools: Paws for Love teams will visit multiple classrooms and schools in the Jefferson Ave. area throughout the month, while school is still in session;

~Erie County, NY: Working with the County Executive’s Office, providing Paws for Love therapy teams at the Johnnie B. Wiley Sports Pavilion this weekend. Coming: neighborhood strolls with Buffalo Peacekeepers, stress-relief events for first responders at the scene of Saturday’s shooting, and stress-relief events with Erie County and City of Buffalo employees.

Please see image above to learn how to receiving therapy visits or become an SPCA Paws for Love volunteer.

–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer


May 16, 2022

 

Dear SPCA Friends & Family:

On Saturday morning May 14, members of our SPCA’s Humane Education Department embarked on a visit to Buffalo Public School #99, the Stanley M. Makowski Early Childhood Center, 1095 Jefferson Ave. in Buffalo. We were participants in an event teaching children about the different ways to safely express themselves and their feelings through art, words, music, and more.

Mere hours later, less than one mile away, ten lives were taken in a barbaric act of violence, rage, and racism.

The people we lost to this hatred, members of our community, were exceptional individuals who, we have learned, truly made the world a better place for those in their lives and for so many they didn’t even know. Our hearts go out to the victims, to their families, to all the people in our towns and cities and counties who are suffering from this hateful brutality.

The violence inflicted upon these individuals, and the violence that affects community members every single day in our neighborhoods, is something we must continue to fight together. With one voice. As one community.

The SPCA Serving Erie County stands committed to its work of putting an end to such violence. Our specific efforts in response to this weekend’s killings are slowly unfolding, but we are ready to bring our existing programs where they are needed most. Our Paws for Love therapy pet visitation teams are on notice, ready to step in at counseling events, therapy sessions, stress-relief events, and more to help suffering individuals cope with their feelings, fears, and emotions. Our Humane Education team is ready to bring our important message of anti-violence, inclusion, empathy, respect, compassion, and love to our community’s children. Our pet food pantry is already in the process of delivering pet food and litter to neighborhoods filled with pet owners who may have difficulty acquiring these items at this time.

We are certain there will be more opportunities for our humane society to assist in efforts designed to not only help with what happened this weekend, but to fill the needs that arise in Erie County every day.

Our SPCA has and will remain diligent in its contribution to the creation of a society more humane, more inclusive, more accepting, and more loving. This can only be accomplished when our entire community works together in solidarity against acts of bigotry, racism, hatred, and violence.

As always, we remain honored to serve the people of Erie County and beyond.

Committed to Kindness,


Cait Daly
President & CEO
SPCA Serving Erie County
CaitD@yourspca.org

–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer

From the office of Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn:


BRANT WOMAN ARRAIGNED ON 49 MISDEMEANOR COUNTS FOR FAILING TO PROPERLY CARE FOR CATS, DOGS, CHICKENS AND HORSES

May 13, 2022 — Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 49-year-old Jesika S. Bristol-Glor of Town of Brant was arraigned yesterday evening before Brant Town Justice Jeffrey Gier on nine counts of Overdriving, Torturing and Injuring Animals; Failure to Provide Proper Sustenance and 40 counts of Failure to Provide Proper Food and Drink to Impounded Animal (misdemeanors under New York Agriculture and Markets Law).

The investigation began after the SPCA Serving Erie County received a report of animal neglect. It is alleged that on April 4, 2022, SPCA investigators conducted a welfare check of the animals at the defendant’s home on Brant Farnham Road in the Town of Brant and provided recommendations on how to improve upon care for the animals. It is further alleged that on April 20, 2022, SPCA investigators conducted a second welfare check and found that care for the animals had not improved. A search warrant was obtained for the property.

The defendant is accused of failing to provide necessary food, water and care to the animals confined to her property. It is alleged that on April 22, 2022, at approximately 10:00 a.m., investigators executed the search warrant and found three cats, eight dogs, three horses and 32 chickens living in unsanitary conditions without access to food and water. Nine of the chickens were severely emaciated. All of the animals were seized and remain in the custody of the SPCA.

Bristol-Glor is scheduled to return on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. for further proceedings. She was released on her own recognizance as the charges are non-qualifying offenses for bail.  Judge Gier issued an order that prevents that defendant from owning any animals while the case is pending.

If convicted of all charges, Bristol-Glor faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail.  

Judge Gier issued an arrest warrant for the defendant’s husband who has also been charged in this case.

“I want the residents of Erie County to know that my office is committed to protecting the welfare of all animals. This defendant is accused of failing to provide food and water to more than 40 animals living on her property. Animal neglect is a crime. When you bring an animal into your home, you are responsible for their care. I want to thank our partners at the SPCA for their work in this investigation and the many services that they provide to help animals in our community,” said Erie County DA John Flynn. 

“The SPCA Serving Erie County works together with the community to ensure all animals are treated humanely, with respect, and that includes farm animals,” said SPCA President/CEO Cait Daly. “The fact that District Attorney Flynn and his team stand behind ending cruelty to animals of all types reminds us once again of why we are so proud to serve this county. This particular instance involved work and assistance from various organizations and individuals, and it’s inspiring to witness this community working together as a team, expressing zero tolerance for any form of animal cruelty.”

DA Flynn commends the SPCA Serving Erie County and SPCA Investigator Lindsey Wood for their work in this investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christine M. Garvey of the Felony Trials Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Richard K. Barney, III of the Justice Courts Bureau.

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

For more information, contact the Erie County District Attorney’s Office at (716) 858-2529.

–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Serving Erie County Chief Communications Officer

See this story on WGRZ-TV >>

See this story on WIVB-TV >>

See this story in The Observer >>

SPCA ACCEPTED INTO ‘WE FOSTER CHALLENGE!’

May 13, 2022
By: SPCA Vice President of Veterinary Services Melanie Rushforth

The SPCA Serving Erie County has been accepted into the Maddie’s Fund We Foster Challenge! 

The We Foster Challenge is meant to help shelter and rescue organizations create or expand community-based foster programs that will get community members involved and proudly saying, “We foster! So can you!” As we shift towards a more community-centric model of animal welfare, it’s important to get everyone in the Western NY area involved. After all, fostering is a job just about anyone can do.  Pet owners know the incredible bond that humans and animals have and the importance of keeping families together. Foster care is a powerful way to achieve that. That’s what the We Foster Challenge is all about!

SPIRIT is a Shadow Cat currently in a foster home. He’s made great progress in the home, and his foster mom Erica reports that he approaches her now when she holds a brush so he can take control of his own grooming.

Throughout the month of May, the SPCA Serving Erie County will be highlighting Shadow Cats as our We Foster Challenge project. Shadow Cats is a new initiative which works to meet shy or fearful cats where they are behaviorally to assist them in navigating the journey to becoming adoptable pets living out the rest of their lives in long-term homes.  We are seeing a positive response regarding the acceptance of these shy cats just the way they are, so we are expanding the adoption opportunities and housing of these cats to colony settings within the SPCA’s physical shelter as well.  While some Shadow Cats need to get out of the shelter to showcase their personalities, some are best kept with their buddies in the colony rooms that we have in our modern shelter.  We let the cats help us understand what they need.

SMOOCHIE was the first cat identified as a Shadow Cat. She is the “poster child” for the prestigious title, and serves as the spokeskitty! Her foster mom sent this photo and described the progress she is making in her home. Smoochie is still shy and prefers the shadows of her home, but she does come out to play, and follows foster mom around during meal time, and even approaches her for pets. Smoochie is available for adoption from foster mom’s home.

Shadow Cats are the best friend you don’t yet have.  They are quiet, stealth, and maybe just need a little extra time to acclimate into your home before they settle into being a lap cat.  Or perhaps they’ll remain the quiet and polite roommate that is grateful for your companionship and company….from a distance.  Shadow Cats offer the benefit of companionship without the burden of constant attention.  They’re great pets for individuals that work from home, or individuals who might work nontraditional shifts.  They’d be great roommates in apartments (they don’t need too much space!)

Pets are like people in so many ways, so why wouldn’t some of them be a little shyer than others?

This exciting Challenge is funded by Michelson Found Animals Foundation, Maddie’s Fund® and Cuddly in collaboration with Adopt-A-Pet.com, Adoptimize, American Pets Alive!, ASPCA, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement, Best Friends Animal Society, Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity (CARE), Community Cats Podcast, Greater Good Charities, HeARTS Speak, Humane Society of the United States, National Animal Care and Control Association, Petco Love, and PetSmart Charities.  We are so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this important shift in the work of animal welfare.

Want to get involved with fostering (or even adopting) your own Shadow Cat?  Please contact the SPCA Serving Erie County’s Foster Care Department via email at FosterCare@YourSPCA.org.

 

 

 

From the office of Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn:


DEPEW MAN TO SERVE JAIL TIME FOR BEATING HIS CAT TO DEATH WITH A BASEBALL BAT

May 12, 2022 — Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 52-year-old Boyd C. Baker of Depew was sentenced this morning before Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio to 6 months in jail followed by 5 years of probation.

On February 14, 2021, at approximately 10:48 p.m., Depew Police officers responded to a residence on Penora Street after receiving a 911 call from a neighbor. The defendant is accused of hitting his cat, “Roxy,” multiple times with a baseball bat in the driveway outside of his home. The severely injured cat suffered for a few hours before it was found by police. The cat died a short time later. A necropsy determined that the cause of death was blunt force trauma. (Read the original story here >>)

Baker pleaded guilty to one count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals (Class “E” felony) on February 28, 2022. The defendant pleaded guilty to the only charge in the indictment against him two days before testimony was scheduled to begin in his non-jury trial.

As part of his sentence, Judge DiTullio ordered that the defendant undergo anger management counseling and issued a lifetime ban that prohibits him from owning any animals in the future.

DA Flynn commends the Depew Police Department, SPCA Investigator Bill Heine and the SPCA Serving Erie County for their work in this investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Megan E. Mahoney and Christine M. Garvey of the Felony Trials Bureau.

For more information, contact the Erie County District Attorney’s Office at (716) 858-2529.

–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Serving Erie County Chief Communications Officer

 

 

We’re hearing from more creative kids in Buffalo!

From SPCA Humane Educator Katherine: “We had two groups of students from the Charter School of Applied Technology (CSAT) visit us in March for their visual arts class. They took photos of the animals and made them into posters promoting adoption!”

Thank you to Digital Arts Teacher Lauren at CSAT for sharing this impressive work, and thanks to the students for helping us picture our beautiful animals in such a unique, contemporary way!

–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer

Mental Health Awareness Month, and How Animals Make a Difference

May 3, 2022
By: SPCA Vice President of Veterinary Services Melanie Rushforth

Most of us don’t need a scientist or a formal study to tell us that spending time with dogs and cats makes us feel better. Those big eyes and the wagging tail that greet you at the door after a stressful day can immediately help one feel calmer. Perhaps it is the companionship, or the shared activity, or even the sense of community that comes from pet ownership.  Pet owners know from experience, but research confirms that spending time with a pet can help reduce depression, anxiety, and loneliness. There is a lot of pertinent data and research being done about ways pets make our lives better.  Should you want to research this further, you can learn more by visiting the Human Animal Bond Research Institute

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, the SPCA Serving Erie County would like to offer a few opportunities throughout this month of May as well as some ideas to help you connect with animals and get a little oxytocin boost!

Adopt a Pet

If you’ve been thinking about adding a new furry family member to your life, there couldn’t be a better time! The SPCA Serving Erie County has a wide range of pets with different personalities to fit different lifestyles. Visit our shelter (or one of our offsite locations) today and see if your new best friend is waiting for you. As with any long-term commitment by adopting a pet you are committing to many years of companionship and care.  Currently, the SPCA Serving Erie County is offering a “Name your Own Price” special through the 21st of May.  While pets are priceless in our opinion, we want to sweeten the deal of their companionship with this promotion.  Adopting a pet can impact one’s mental healthy positively in a variety of ways.

Volunteer

New research is suggesting that volunteers aren’t just helping the communities they serve. People who volunteer actually experience a boost in their mental health.  There are a variety of ways to volunteer as a representative of the SPCA Serving Erie County.  You can check out the different opportunities HERE and decide what works best for you.  If cuddling kittens is considered volunteering, then sign me up!  (It actually is, BTW).

Foster

Fostering pets reduces stress and improves your mental health. Animals add so much love, joy, and satisfaction to your days that it’s much more of a reward than a demand. When a shy cat finally comes out of hiding to snuggle, or a weak kitten starts to gain weight, or a stressed-out dog relaxes and plays happily, it’s like the sun coming out from behind a cloud and brightening the day. Fostering allows for some decompression on both ends of the leash, because the humans behind this noble work benefit as much as the animals needing that precious extra time.  Knowing you’re saving a life is a boost that can’t be matched.

Almost 20% of American adults—nearly 50 million Americans currently experience mental illness, and many of them suffer in silence because of the stigmas associated with mental illness and mental disorders.  Mental health is health and deserves to be put on the forefront just like the other illnesses that are recognized throughout the year. The more it is discussed, the less stigmatized and the more normalized it becomes.  Animal welfare is profoundly compassionate, and the impact on the lives of humans in this work is great.  The SPCA Serving Erie County is proud to invest in supporting the mental health of our team, and would be honored to have a small role in improving the mental health of our shared community via the unconditional love of an animal.

MelanieR@yourspca.org
(716) 875-7360

This Month’s Vets and Pets, and the Effect of Animals on the Lives of Veterans

An open letter from the SPCA’s Melanie Rushforth

May 1, 2022

Dear Fellow Veterans of Erie County (and beyond!),

First, thank you for your service!

Second, as a small token of appreciation for the service dedicated to this country we share, the SPCA Serving Erie County wants to invite the community at large to spread the word about an incredible promotion happening.  Between May 23rd and May 30th, the SPCA Serving Erie County is waiving adoption fees on most animals for individuals and immediate families of individuals on active duty, reserves, and honorable discharge, along with service-disabled veterans and those retired from military service.  This special offer for these special humans applies at our Harlem Rd location and multiple offsite locations.

As a veteran myself, of the US Army, I know firsthand the benefits of pet companionship.  My pets have seen me off on an overseas deployment and greeted me with unbridled enthusiasm upon my return(s) home.  The comfort of a pet is unlike anything else.  From a scientific standpoint, interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Some studies have even found that animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and boost your mood.  Pets offer a sense of community and a safe haven in a world that sometimes just doesn’t make sense all the time.

People may often hear military troops refer to each other as brothers or sisters. The military creates a structure of shared work and deepens relationships through tough times.  After leaving the military, or even transitioning from active duty to the reserves, a veteran might find this part of their life lacking. There aren’t always built-in friendships in a new workplace or neighborhood. For single veterans, it could feel as though no one needs their presence to survive.

A furry friend can provide friendship and love, plus a reason to get out of bed every day. Our pets are entirely dependent on us to survive.  Pets are there 100% of the time. Dogs and cats are ready for snuggles, long conversations and play time. Many dogs, and even some cats, enjoy going for walks with their humans. Relationships and bonds are formed and deepen over time.

This promotion wouldn’t be available without the support of longtime friend and supporter of the SPCA, Nancy Gacioch of Buffalo.

If you have a former service-member in your life, please encourage them to take advantage of this Pets for Vets celebration.  The SPCA Serving Erie County is currently beyond capacity with animals that need loving homes.  They would be honored to share their lives and love with an area veteran.

Thank you for your support of the work of the SPCA Serving Erie County and for your service.

-Melanie Rushforth, SPCA Vice President of Veterinary Services
United States Army


Veterans Day Reflections From the SPCA’s Melanie Rushforth

Veterans Day 2021 — After almost 30 years of holding a role that serves the public in some way, I’m never without gratitude. I began my social service career following military service, and while the two may seem quite different, they are actually more similar than not.  These days I wake up and look forward to the moments and challenges that come with being the Vice President of Veterinary Services at the SPCA Serving Erie County, and around Veterans Day I tend to lean heavily towards reflection. This year, I thought I’d share a few thoughts on what being a veteran off of the battlefield looks like through my eyes.

November 11, formally celebrated as Armistice Day, has been known as Veterans Day since 1954 when it was renamed. Veterans Day officially marks the anniversary of the end of World War I in 1918 and honors those who served in the armed forces.

To those who served, and for those who love the men and women who have served, Veterans Day is more than just a holiday, and for some (myself included) it is a time of reflection on years of service and the impact that service has on the work in which we are involved now.  The ongoing pandemic may be fostering an environment in which resilience is front and center, but this year seemed to call for a written reflection on the ways in which my military service shows up in my work as an animal welfare professional.  Dogs and cats are very different than tanks and battlefields, yes.  But the basics of teamwork, trust, and training span across different industries where veterans may find themselves serving in a different capacity.

As a United States Army veteran, I’m proud of my service.  It was never easy, but it was always meaningful.  I could probably apply that statement to my work in animal welfare, especially as animal welfare has shifted over time to serve whole communities and commit to tackle issues from a social justice approach, versus simply treating the symptoms over and over.  My time in service shows up on a daily basis with regards to the value I place in people, and the trust we need to have with one another to do good work in an effort to really make lasting change.

Veterans bring a sense of resourcefulness, boldness, and leadership that is often not replicated in employees with civilian backgrounds. They’ve been faced with the challenge of getting a job done without access to the resources that would ideally be available.  This resourcefulness is a highly-desirable employee trait within the nonprofit sector, since it is always trying to grow, adapt, and meet the needs of people and animals with limited resources at hand. Veterans also bring a sharp ability to stick through difficult tasks and see them through to completion.

The military cultivates many traits that serve well in business and community service. It champions collaboration, innovation, and problem-solving. Innovation shows up because of people having to think on their feet. There were many circumstances where no one knew what was around the corner, or what challenge would arise, but a standing belief that runs deep in the military is that ‘there is always a way.’ When it comes to executing a mission, there’s a strong adherence to relying heavily on the collective creativity of the team to get the job done.  Teamwork truly does make the dream work.

The military produces individuals with uncanny adaptive thinking and a capacity and passion for continuing to learn. This learning environment focuses on personal development, as well as training and developing subordinates and peers. This acts as a force multiplier when a veteran is added to the staff of any organization, whether for-profit or nonprofit. Veterans work to develop a crew that can perform well together rather than focusing on the individual. This commitment to a greater cause becomes an ingrained culture that can improve the work habits of the entire team.

For fellow veterans, I thank you for your service.  For the loved ones of fellow veterans, I thank you for your support, trust, and commitment.  In the community where we all intersect, I invite us all to continue to find ways to collaborate, grow, and strengthen the bonds that truly unite us.  We are stronger together.

— Melanie Rushforth, SPCA Serving Erie County Vice President of Veterinary Services and former member of the United States Army

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