Williamsville Central schools approve new therapy dog policyThe policy allows district employees to potentially bring their dogs to school, if they meet the proper criteria.
See video and read the full story here >>
SPCA SERVING ERIE COUNTY TO BRING BACK ‘NAME YOUR OWN PRICE’ ADOPTIONS FOR KITTENS & CATS 20 WEEKS AND OLDER
Starting Monday, August 19 for 19 days, the SPCA Serving Erie County will bring back its Name Your Own Price adoption special for kittens and cats ages 20 weeks and older. The adoption special will run through Friday, September 6 and applies to felines temporarily residing at the SPCA’s 300 Harlem Rd., West Seneca site, or one of several offsite adoption locations.
Included with the adoption is the cat’s spay/neuter surgery; age-appropriate vaccinations; initial worming; flea control medicine; feline leukemia test; microchip; temporary identification; a certificate for the new pet’s first physical examination at the SPCA’s Lipsey Clinic or at the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society’s veterinarian of choice; the option of a 30-day pet health insurance plan provided by 24PetWatch; and while supplies last, a bag of Purina cat food.
See photos of cats available in West Seneca here, and for a list of offsite adoption locations along with photos of cats available at those sites, click here. Questions about Name Your Own Price adoptions? Call SPCA Adoptions: 716-875-7360, ext. 233.
UPDATE, AUGUST 16, 2019: Jarrod Dillman appeared in Buffalo City Court this morning. He has waived his felony hearing and his case will now proceed to the grand jury. Please keep watching YourSPCA.org for further information on this animal cruelty case.
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August 13, 2019
DOG DAYCARE WORKER CHARGED WITH ANIMAL CRUELTY FOR BEATING DOG TO DEATH
Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 23-year-old Jarrod Dillman of Buffalo has been arraigned before Buffalo City Court Judge Barbara Johnson-Lee on one count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, a felony, and one count of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance, a misdemeanor.
It is alleged that on Saturday, August 3, 2019, the defendant, while working as a [daycare attendant and bather] at PawPrints by Penny & Co. on Niagara Street in the City of Buffalo, caused the death of “Alessio,” a three-year-old Havanese, by throwing the dog against a wall and repeatedly kicking the dog while wearing boots. The preliminary necropsy results determined that the dog died as a result of blunt force trauma.
Dillman is scheduled to return on Friday, August 16, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. for a felony hearing. Judge Johnson-Lee set bail at $5,000 cash, bond or property.
DA Flynn commends the SPCA Serving Erie County, including Officers Paul LeShay, Amy Jaworski and Lindsey Styborski, for their work in this investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Erin E. Hart of the DA’s Animal Cruelty Unit.
As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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From BuffaloNews.com:
Dog day care attendant arraigned on felony aggravated animal cruelty charge
By Harold McNeil
Published August 13, 2019|Updated August 13, 2019
An attendant for a Buffalo dog groomer was arraigned Tuesday in Buffalo City Court on a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals, after an animal in his care died, according to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said 23-year-old Jarrod Dillman of Buffalo was additionally charged with overdriving, torturing and injuring an animal, as well as failure to provide proper sustenance.
“We’re horrified and saddened by the death of the dog that was in our care, and this is the first that I’ve learned that he was arrested,” said Penelope Lanich, proprietor of PawPrints by Penny & Co., when contacted by The Buffalo News Tuesday.
“We’ve been working closely with the SPCA to make sure justice is served here,” she added.
On Aug. 3, while working as a day care employee at PawPrints by Penny & Co. on Niagara Street in Buffalo, Dillman allegedly caused the death of a 3-year-old Havanese named Alessio by throwing the dog against a wall and repeatedly kicking the animal while Dillman was wearing boots. The preliminary necropsy results have determined that the dog died as a result of blunt force trauma, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Dillman initially was identified by the District Attorney’s Office as a dog groomer at PawPrints, but Lanich said that is not a position Dillman ever held at the business during his 1 1/2 years of employment there.
“I’ve been in business for over 15 years and I’ve never had anything like this happen,” Lanich said.
Dillman is scheduled to return to court Friday for a felony hearing before City Court Judge Barbara Johnson-Lee, who set bail at $5,000.
August 8, 2019
FORMER EMPLOYEE ADMITS TO STEALING FUNDS FROM LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER
Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 53-year-old Elizabeth Tyler of Buffalo pleaded guilty before State Supreme Court Justice Paul B. Wojtaszek to one count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class “E” felony.
The defendant admitted that between January 1, 2015 and June 20, 2019, she stole $30,784.13 while working at the SPCA Serving Erie County. An audit conducted by the SPCA uncovered the theft, which was reported to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
As part of her plea, Tyler agreed to pay full restitution by the date of her sentencing, which is scheduled for Monday, November 4, 2019 at 2 p.m. This morning, she appeared in court with her attorney who indicated that a check in the amount of $15,392 will be paid to the SPCA Serving Erie County by tomorrow morning.
DA Flynn commends the SPCA Serving Erie County and Detective Dan Brinkerhoff of the Erie County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Candace K. Vogel of the DA’s Special Investigations and Prosecutions Unit.
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August 8, 2019: The SPCA Serving Erie County adds to District Attorney Flynn’s comments that Tyler was terminated from her position earlier this year. The investigation referenced above determined that the total of $30,784.13 represented payment for services, and did not include donations received by the SPCA.
Senator Mike Ranzenhofer, in cooperation with Amherst Town Clerk Jeffrey Zeplowitz and Clarence Town Clerk Nancy Metzger, spent the month of July hosting a donation drive for the animals here at the SPCA Serving Erie County!
Earlier this summer, Senator Ranzenhofer said, “I am pleased to be hosting a donation drive for the SPCA. The SPCA has saved countless animals and does wonderful work. I am happy to be giving back to them [and] appreciate Clerks Metzger and Zeplowitz having drop-off locations at their offices.”
August 7, 2019 was drop-off day at the SPCA’s West Seneca shelter. SPCA Annual Giving Manager Phil Weiss welcomed Senator Ranzenhofer, his team, and especially their big truck full of donations! See the video here!
Thanks to each and every community member who contributed, and tail wags to Senator Ranzenhofer and Town Clerks Metzger and Zeplowitz for supporting the animals helped by our humane society!
See more on this year’s drive here >>
| For Immediate Release: 7/31/2019 | GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO |
Governor Cuomo: “Leaving a pet in a stifling hot or freezing cold car is inhumane and potentially dangerous, and emergency responders should have the ability to remove them if necessary. As a dog owner myself, I am proud to sign this measure into law to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of animals.”
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation (S.5045/A.7053) authorizing firefighters and other emergency medical responders to remove animals in unattended motor vehicles under conditions that endanger their health or well-being. This legislation will help reduce wait times when calls are made to 911 that a pet is in danger, especially in areas and at times when law enforcement or animal control availability is limited. The bill goes into effect immediately.
“Leaving a pet in a stifling hot or freezing cold car is inhumane and potentially dangerous, and emergency responders should have the ability to remove them if necessary,” Governor Cuomo said. “As a dog owner myself, I am proud to sign this measure into law to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of animals.”
Senator Kenneth P. LaValle said, “By authorizing emergency medical service personnel and firefighters to remove animals from cars in extreme heat or cold situations, we reduce wait times saving critical minutes and the lives of innocent animals. In areas with limited police resources, this new law becomes even more important as it expands the number of emergency personnel who can respond to a desperate situation where a helpless animal is in imminent danger and the owner cannot be located. Too often we hear stories about an animal who has died due to the reckless behavior of its owner. This measure will offer greater protections to our precious pets and penalize those who put them in harms way.”
Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele said, “In the summer months, we are reminded of the danger that the confinement of pets in motor vehicles can pose when temperatures inside vehicles can soar to life-threatening extremes within minutes. This important measure will result in the saving of beloved pets’ lives in these dangerous situations by substantially expanding who can respond to a pet in distress. Firefighters and EMS personnel are equipped and trained to act in these situations. This will allow our firefighters to put that training to good use when a pet is threatened by extreme temperatures in a motor vehicle.”
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Additional news available at www.governor.ny.gov
From Buffalo News; see additional photos and read more here >>
By Keith McShea | Published 10:51 a.m. July 23, 2019
Firefighters actually do save cats from trees sometimes. And they also rescue them from storm sewers.
The Eggertsville Hose Company, with some help from neighborhood residents and children, rescued a stray kitten who had fallen into a storm drain on Harcroft Court in Amherst Monday night.
After neighborhood children heard the kitten crying from the sewer, firefighters arrived, opened three storm drains to isolate the cat, and used some sardines supplied by a neighbor to lure the cat to within arm’s reach.
The effort, which lasted just over an hour, ended when firefighter Pat Boyle was able to get a hold of the kitten and lift him out of the sewer to applause from children and photo-snapping neighbors.
“It was great, it was almost like heart-melting to see all the kids when I brought it out,” said Boyle. “Everybody brought their phones out, everyone wanted a picture of it … it was a great feeling.”
Ten firefighters including First Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Peters were involved in the nontraditional rescue, which lasted from 8:20 to 9:35 p.m. No residents knew where the kitten came from, while firefighters estimated it to be 2- to 4-weeks-old. The SPCA took custody of the kitten following the rescue.
“There was a lot of community involvement, it was really kind of fun, and it’s always fun when there’s a good outcome,” said past chief and public information officer John Buttino, who was also on scene. “We’re a volunteer department and we answer over 1,200 calls a year – that was our fourth call of the day. It was a non-routine call and definitely unique.
“It just goes by what residents do: When they can’t solve a problem, they’ll call the fire department, and they seem to fix things.”
Firefighters engaged in a game of cat and air hose to rescue the kitten. Firefighters had to find out which parts of the maze of storm sewers the cat was in, and then used an air hose to make a commotion in an effort to direct the cat to a location where they could reach it.
“The storm sewers are all connected via tubing, and the cat was probably halfway through one sewer under the road when we got there,” said Boyle.
Firefighters then opened a cover on the opposite side of the road and put an air line down to try and direct it back to the other side. They never had to enter the tubes; the storm sewers were relatively shallow, coming up chest-high to firefighters.
“We turned on some air on very low volume, trying to entice it to come out the other side, which it did … it came running out, but then it ran into another hole on the other side,” said Boyle.
Eggertsville Hose Company firefighters check out the storm sewers in search of a trapped kitten. (photo courtesy of Chris Pyzynski)
Firefighters then opened another manhole cover to block that escape route.
“We missed him on the first try and he went shooting down another pipe, so we capped the one pipe off and went down the other end,” said Buttino.
Meanwhile, a crowd of residents had gathered.
“At first we could hear it crying a little bit,” said Harcroft Court resident Chris Pyzynski, who said she lives two houses down from the scene. “Then finally we could hear it quite a bit, it sounded distressed.”
While Buttino and other firefighters used the air hose to direct the kitten back to the original manhole, Boyle could see it getting closer and closer.
“It was sitting in there crying and we could hear it meowing,” Boyle said. “That’s when we took the sardines and placed it down on the edge of the hole, and he came to the edge of the hole, but he kept scooting back in. Finally, he came out enough that I was able to grab him by the scruff of the neck and remove him from the hole.”
Buttino and his crew were about 150 feet away at the other manhole.
“You could hear the uproar down the street,” Buttino said. “They all started cheering and applauding down there, and we were like, ‘I think they got it.’ ”
Four members of the Town of Amherst engineering department were called in for their expertise; the engineers had just left to get their equipment when the cat was rescued.
“It was really cool – we all thanked them, and clapped a little bit and cheered a little bit – we didn’t want to scare the kitten,” said Pyzynski. “People stayed around there the whole time to make sure it was alright. We were proud of our firemen, and we told them that.”
The kitten, named Patricia by the SPCA in honor of firefighter Patrick Boyle, will be put in foster care.
Firefighters treated the kitten with oxygen via an animal mask right after rescuing it, Boyle said, “just to make sure it was OK.” Boyle wrapped up the kitten in a towel and it got a ride back to the Eggertsville station on a fire truck, where representatives from the SPCA retrieved the cat later Monday night.
SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca said the kitten, which is a female, was in an incubator Tuesday afternoon and will undergo an exam today.
“We wanted to make sure she got some nice, clean, pure air,” said Lattuca. “Since she was in a storm drain, sometimes animals can breathe things in that can cause internal damage.”
Lattuca said a foster family has been lined up to care for the kitten, and that foster care families have the first chance to adopt foster-care animals. The kitten will be picked up Wednesday morning, and the foster family was not aware of last night’s rescue.
“We have the best people who provide foster care – they don’t care if it’s a celebrity kitten,” Lattuca said.
Lattuca said the kitten has been named “Patricia” by the SPCA in honor of firefighter Patrick Boyle.
From Buffalo News; see additional photos and read more here >>
| For Immediate Release: 7/22/2019 | GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO |
GOVERNOR CUOMO SIGNS LEGISLATION BANNING CAT DECLAWING
Governor Cuomo: “By banning this archaic practice, we will ensure that animals are no longer subjected to these inhumane and unnecessary procedures.”
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation (S.5532B/A.1303) banning the performance of declawing procedures on cats, making New York the first state to prohibit the practice. The bill takes effect immediately.
“Declawing is a cruel and painful procedure that can create physical and behavioral problems for helpless animals, and today it stops,” Governor Cuomo said. “By banning this archaic practice, we will ensure that animals are no longer subjected to these inhumane and unnecessary procedures.”
Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris said, “Cat declawing is a brutal procedure similar to severing a human finger at the first knuckle and has lifelong ramifications for cats. I am proud of the new Senate majority’s emphasis on animal welfare and am glad the Governor enacted this legislation.”
Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal said, “Today, New York becomes the first state in the nation to ban cat declawing. Declawing is cruelty, plain and simple, and with so many low-cost and pain-free alternatives available, there is no reason to allow this barbaric practice to continue, not here in New York or anywhere. It’s a wonderful day for the cats of the state and the people who love them. Now that my bill has become law, New York has been catapulted onto the leaderboard of humane states, and we expect other states to quickly follow in out footsteps.”
Declawing, also known as onychectomy, involves the removal of all or most of the last bone of each of the toes of the front feet, and tendons, nerves and ligaments that allow for normal function of the paw are severed, resulting in intense and chronic pain and other serious medical or behavioral issues. After the claws are removed, cats often shift their gait and where it places most of its weight, causing strain on its leg joints and spine, which can lead to early onset arthritis and prolonged back and joint pain. Cats’ claws play an important role in various aspects of their lives, including to assist in climbing and maintaining balance and to escape danger.
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Additional news available at www.governor.ny.gov
New York State | Executive Chamber |press.office@exec.ny.gov | 518.474.8418