SPCA SERVING ERIE COUNTY APPOINTS KELLY WOLFE AS ORGANIZATION’S NEW CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
February 14, 2024
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
SPCA Serving Erie County President/CEO Cait Daly, together with the organization’s board of directors, is pleased to announce the appointment of Kelly Wolfe, MSW as the SPCA’s new Chief Development Officer (CDO).
Wolfe most recently held the position of Donor Engagement Manager at the SPCA Serving Erie County for approximately two years.
“Kelly has an incredible talent for connecting people to the SPCA’s mission and getting folks excited about our work,” says Daly. “She is a gifted professional and I look forward to the successes we will experience with her at the helm of our fundraising efforts.”
With 20 years of non-profit leadership experience and more than 10 years of fundraising and animal welfare experience, Wolfe is excited to move into this new, challenging role.
“The SPCA has very strong executive leadership, and I am excited and honored to be joining that team, helping to change the landscape of animal welfare to better serve our community,” says Wolfe. “The mission of the SPCA is very close to my heart. Through the Development Department, we will be ramping up contact with supporters to ensure they know the scope of the important work being done on a daily basis.”
“The SPCA Board of Directors is incredibly excited that Kelly has become our new CDO,” says SPCA Board of Directors Chairperson P. Jeffrey Birtch. “She is stepping into some big shoes, and her years of successful development experience leave no doubt that she is the perfect choice. On behalf of the entire board, I congratulate Kelly on joining the SPCA’s senior leadership team.”
Wolfe, whose experience also includes creating and overseeing youth programs and working with the elderly, is excited to apply her fundraising experience in this new role.
“I’m eager to apply best practices in fundraising techniques to SPCA strategy, ensuring we are able to raise the funds to not only help more at-risk animals but to ensure this agency is sustainable, continuing to serve the ever-changing needs of this community for another 150 years and beyond.”
Outside of work, Wolfe fosters kittens, gardens, and enjoys spending time outdoors. She assumed her position as CDO in January.
Click here for more information on the SPCA Serving Erie County and its leadership team.
BAN CRUEL GLUE TRAPS NOW!
From Peta.org:
The Case Against Glue Traps
A glue trap is a small board covered with a sticky adhesive designed to ensnare any animal who wanders across its surface. These devices inflict slow, painful deaths on mice, rats, birds, chipmunks, bats, lizards, squirrels, and any other animals small enough to get caught in the glue. They can take days to die of starvation, dehydration, or blood loss, while they cry out in agony. Take steps to outlaw these cruel traps!
A unique learning experience for children with at least one thing in common: THEIR LOVE FOR ANIMALS! Children will learn about a variety of animal-related topics while meeting and interacting with cool animals, learning to understand and appreciate the unique bond we share! Register children for one day, two days, or all days! Just select the appropriate button or click the image above!
Questions? Contact SPCA Director of Humane Education Christine Davis:
(716) 875-7360, ext. 262 or christined@yourspca.org
PetNotices.com Provides New and Unique Opportunity to Memorialize Beloved Pets
January 12, 2024
By: Media Sales Plus, Inc.
Media Sales Plus, Inc., a leading provider of media sales and obituary notice services in North America, is pleased to announce the launch of a brand new website dedicated to pet obituary notices and memorialization located at www.petnotices.com.
WNY.PetNotices.com provides pet lovers and their families with a platform to memorialize their pets for all eternity. The local WNY site will be part of a new global site on the web at www.petnotices.com, thereby filling a void for a global pet memorialization and services platform. Additionally, pet lovers will also have an opportunity to place the obituary notice in their local newspaper (where available, and for an additional fee) as part of an arrangement made by PetNotices.com and many of their affiliated newspaper partners across the US and Canada.
Upon arriving at www.petnotices.com, 
pet owners will find a simple form that will be used to tell the life story of their pet. All notices will include an option for the pet owner to upload photos, videos, obtain messages from the guest book, and the ability to share the pet notice via social media. The pet notice will then be published on the website for a one-time posting fee of $29.99 with a portion of the proceeds benefiting various pet-related causes in Western New York.
Read more about this new pet memorialization service here >>
SPCA ISSUES WINTER PET SAFETY TIPS
January 12, 2024
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
Snow is predicted to return with a vengeance to Buffalo and surrounding areas. As many veterinary clinics (including the Lipsey Veterinary Clinic at the SPCA) are dealing with smaller work forces, it’s a little more complicated to receive emergency veterinary care. Plan ahead for the upcoming snowy days and nights now to ensure your pets stay safe and healthy today and throughout the rest of the winter. Read on for some of the SPCA Serving Erie County’s winter pet safety tips.
*OUTDOOR ANIMAL SHELTER MUST BE SUITABLE FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER: …and if it’s not, animal welfare officers can rescue the pet even before he or she shows signs of suffering, thanks to New York State’s Shelter 
Law that went into effect in 2003. Thanks to a legislative push in late 2018 that led to stronger laws concerning the tethering of dogs within Buffalo city limits, the SPCA and other law enforcement organizations can now take even more steps to ensure dogs are protected from the elements.
* Keep a Tight Leash: Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm. Pets can lose their scent on snow and ice, especially if snow is falling at a fast rate, and your pet can easily lose his sense of direction. Pets may also panic during a snowstorm and run away; many pets are lost during the winter months. Remember to keep current identification on your pet at all times!
*Keep Pets At Home: Never leave your pet alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold. Your pet could literally freeze to death.
*Always Dry Pet’s Wet Feet: Thoroughly wipe off your pet’s legs and stomach when she comes in and out of the rain, snow or ice. Check her sensitive foot pads, which may be bleeding from snow or ice encrusted in them. Your pet may also pick up salt and other chemicals on her feet accidentally. These chemicals could hurt her if she swallows them while licking her feet.
*Lay Straw for Dogs’ Visits Outdoors: Can’t get your dog to wear booties? Lay straw on top of snow for trips outdoors by dogs reluctant to step out onto a freezing surface to relieve themselves.
*Check Cars for Cats: During the winter, stray or neglected cats outdoors sometimes sleep under the hood of the car where it’s warm and comfortable. If you start the motor, cats could get caught in or flung about by the fan belt, causing serious injury or death. To prevent this, bang loudly on the hood and sides of your car before turning on the ignition to give the cat a chance to escape.
*Keep Outdoor Sessions Short: Take your dog outside only for as long as it takes for him to relieve himself. Dogs, particularly small, short-haired breeds like Chihuahuas and terriers, suffer from the cold despite their seemingly warm fur coats. Live within Buffalo city limits? Don’t forget Buffalo’s new laws pertaining to tethering dogs in inclement weather.
*Bathe Pets Only When Necessary: Your pet runs the chance of catching a cold when wet, especially in cold weather. If you absolutely must bathe your pet, consult a professional groomer or veterinarian.
*Keep Pets Warm: Limit the clipping of your pet’s hair in the cold winter months, keeping your pet as warm as possible. Brush your pet daily in lieu of clipping to keep your pet’s coat healthy, shiny, clean and mat-free. Make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep far away from outside drafts.
*Hungry Pets: Speak to your veterinarian about increasing your pet’s supply of food, particularly protein, to keep his fur thick and healthy through the winter months. Inquire about vitamin and oil supplements.
*ANTIFREEZE IS POISON TO PETS: ANTIFREEZE, EVEN IN SMALL DOSES, IS A LETHAL POISON FOR DOGS AND CATS! Because of its sweet taste, animals are attracted to it. Be sure to clean up spills thoroughly, and consider switching to an animal-friendly antifreeze. Ensure that, if you store Antifreeze in a garage, shed, or other places accessible to your pets, it is well out of pets’ reach.
If your pet becomes lost, be sure to visit YourSPCA.org’s Lost and Found page for recommendations on where to post lost pet listings, and tips for finding your lost pets.
For more tips regarding keeping pets safe and healthy during the winter, please contact your veterinarian.
A unique learning experience for children with at least one thing in common: THEIR LOVE FOR ANIMALS! Children will learn about a variety of animal-related topics while meeting and interacting with cool animals, learning to understand and appreciate the unique bond we share! Register children for one day, two days, or all days! Just select the appropriate button or click the image above!
Questions? Contact SPCA Director of Humane Education Christine Davis:
(716) 875-7360, ext. 262 or christined@yourspca.org
SPCA SERVING ERIE COUNTY APPOINTS JENNIFER GURZ STONEBRAKER AS ORGANIZATION’S NEW CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
January 3, 2024
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
SPCA Serving Erie County President/CEO Cait Daly, together with the organization’s board of directors, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jennifer Gurz Stonebraker as the SPCA’s new Chief Operating Officer.
Gurz Stonebraker is well-known in our community, particularly to organization donors, as the SPCA’s Chief Development Officer, a position she has held since 2016.
Prior to her work on the senior leadership team, Gurz Stonebraker was an SPCA Adoptions/Admissions Counselor in 2002, then joined the Development team in 2003. She has more than 20 years of experience in non-profit fundraising, donor cultivation and stewardship, special event planning and management, grant writing, direct marketing, website management, and corporate sponsorships.
Daly says, “I’m so excited to begin the new year and a new era for the SPCA by announcing Jen’s shift to COO. Promoting from within shows the strong internal talent we have at the SPCA. Jen’s leadership is going to move this organization forward into the newest phase of the animal welfare industry, one in which our humane society is recognized and utilized as even more of a vital community resource.”
“We are very excited to announce Jen’s appointment as our new Chief Operating Officer,” says SPCA Board of Directors Chairperson P. Jeffrey Birtch. “This is an important job at which she will excel. Jen has been with the SPCA 21 years; we know what she can do and how well she can do it, and after all these years she has earned the utmost respect from everyone at the SPCA.”
SPCA Board of Directors Vice Chairperson Sara Dayton adds, “Jen has been instrumental to our organization for many years and is truly dedicated to our mission and our vision. She is so deserving of this promotion, and we look forward to her continued leadership as COO for years to come!”
“I am as passionate about the mission of the SPCA Serving Erie County as I was on my first day with the organization 21 years ago,” Gurz Stonebraker shares. “As a fundraiser, I have sung the praises of the work done by the SPCA because I wholeheartedly believe in the difference the SPCA has made in the lives of animals and the people who love them. I have watched the SPCA evolve over the years to meet the needs of our community and serve as a leader in the animal welfare world. I am excited and honored to bring my leadership and fundraising experience to the operations side of the organization in a way that will help the SPCA continue to thrive and grow.”
Gurz Stonebraker assumed her position as COO January 1, 2024.
Click here for more information on the SPCA Serving Erie County and its leadership team.
SPCA Officers Rescue Coyote Stranded Near US Coast Guard Site in Buffalo, NY
December 26, 2023
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
How does the SPCA Serving Erie County, NY respond when the Department of Environmental Conservation calls about a coyote stranded on a log near the US Coast Guard’s Fuhrmann Blvd. station? With a resounding “Be right there,” of course.
That’s exactly what happened Friday when the SPCA’s Wildlife Department received the call about a stranded coyote seen swimming, then stranded and shivering on a log.
Shortly after receiving the call, SPCA Chief Lindsey Wood and Officer Melina Homsi, along with Agents Molly McLaughlin and Meghan Giles, headed out to the docks with the appropriate level of rescue equipment and determination necessary to get the job done.
Upon arrival, the team noticed the soaking coyote’s evident exhaustion. US Coast Guard Metalsmith Petty Officer 1st Class Taylor Foran told Wood via text message that the coyote was in the water and/or stranded at least three hours, but probably longer, and said the coyote was violently shivering and was so exhausted from swimming when first seen that she couldn’t lift her head.
The photos below depict the dramatic rescue, as Wood, assisted by Homsi, Giles, and McLaughlin, was able to snare the coyote and pull her up to safety. The coyote was immediately transported to the SPCA’s West Seneca location where she was examined and cared for overnight.
On December 23, as shown in the video below, officers released the now warm and fed coyote to a safe, wooded area at Wilkeson Pointe not far from where she was located!
Wildlife concern? Contact the SPCA Serving Erie County, NY Wildlife Department at (716) 875-7360, ext. 247.
#SPCACompassionInAction
See this story in the Buffalo News >>
Hear this story on Newsradio 930 WBEN >>
Wildlife Killing Contests Will be Illegal in New York After Governor Hochul Signs Bill; New York is the Tenth State Outlawing ‘Cruel Kill Contests’
December 26, 2023
By: Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
On December 22, New York State became the tenth state in the nation to outlaw wildlife killing contests after Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation S.4099/A.2917 to protect wildlife by ending such competitions, derbies, and tournaments, killing of which Sierra magazine says most New Yorkers were unaware.
A press release issued by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) states that the historic new law prohibits competitive events during which contestants compete to kill the most, the heaviest, and the smallest coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and other ecologically vital species for cash and prizes. Hundreds of animals may be killed at a single event and countless others may be injured. The HSUS release goes on to say that, during springtime contests, dependent young may be orphaned and left to die from starvation, predation or exposure. After the killing is over, the animals are often dumped like trash, away from the public eye.
The contests have no impact on population management, an argument often used by contest organizers and participants to justify the activity. Additionally, the legislation does not ban hunting or fishing.
Championed by Assembly Member Deborah Glick, D-Manhattan, and Senator Tim Kennedy D-Buffalo, this legislation was approved by bipartisan majorities in both the Assembly and Senate earlier this year. (See the full HSUS story >>)
SPCA Serving Erie County President/CEO Cait Daly says, “Once again, Governor Hochul has demonstrated her support for the kind and ethical treatment of animals. The Governor has asked us all to rise to a higher standard, and because of her fortitude, New York State is now one of a handful of states leading the nation in this effort: ending the senseless killing of our magnificent wildlife.”
“We are grateful for the governor’s action and recognize the bold leadership of Assembly Member Glick and Senator Kennedy for championing this law,” says Brian Shapiro, New York State director for the HSUS. “These inhumane, wasteful competitions must come to an end across the country once and for all.”
“The SPCA Serving Erie County’s mission is to create a more humane community that nurtures the bond between animals and people, and thanks to Governor Hochul and the choice to eliminate cruel kill contests, New York State can say that it is a more humane community for wildlife,” said Barbara Haney, SPCA director of wildlife. “Thank you, Governor Hochul, and all of our community members who stood up to voice their opposition to these heinous contests. May we continue to grow in kindness and compassion for wildlife and each other.”