Category: Behavior

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SPCA EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

Our goal at the SPCA Serving Erie County is to be a diverse and inclusive workforce that is representative of the community we serve in the most effective way possible. All employment decisions are decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

Animal Behavior Manager

Licensed Veterinary Technician, Lipsey Clinic

NYS Peace Officer

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Veterinary Assistant, Lipsey Veterinary Clinic

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Take This Job and Love It:
Great Benefits Program with Perks for Blue Collar Working Cats

May 11, 2026
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca

SPCA Serving Erie County, NY works with Feral Cat Focus to place feral or unsocial cats into the Blue Collar Working Cat program, housing them in safe locations such as barns and stablesThey’re a little too temperamental to be considered perfect, in-home, companion cats. Some are even feral. What’s to be done about these categories of cats when agencies like the SPCA Serving Erie County receive them as surrendered animals, or as part of an animal hoarding situation or other type of animal rescue or cruelty case?

For more than a decade, East Aurora-based Feral Cat FOCUS Inc. (FCF) has provided an answer for this agency and other cat welfare organizations in the state. Historically called other names such as the Adopt-A-Barn-Cat program and the Adopt-A-Working-Cat program, the Blue Collar Working Cats program now encompasses more of the varied establishments that have taken advantage of the loyal presence of these hard-working cats!

FCF representatives tell us program cats are cats of various temperaments. In some cases, they are not exactly feral, but they’re unsocial. They call this program a “beautiful adoption alternative” for these types of cats who have nowhere else to go.

According to FCF, Blue Collar Working Cats have been placed in various western New York establishments including wineries, warehouses, nurseries and greenhouses, barns and stables, and more. When an organization representative calls to inquire about receiving Blue Collar Working Cats to live on the property, FCF conducts a thorough interview to SPCA Serving Erie County, NY works with Feral Cat Focus to place feral or unsocial cats into the Blue Collar Working Cat program, housing them in safe locations such as wineriesensure proper placement, since not all of the cats will thrive in all of the settings. They also ensure there are enough people who will take full responsibility for the care and feeding of the cats throughout their lifetime.

Once an establishment is deemed a proper setting for specific Blue Collar Working Cats, a representative of FCF brings a minimum of two cats (some larger establishments have four or more Blue Collar Working Cats), already spayed or neutered, treated for fleas, and vaccinated by veterinarians at Operation PETS: the Spay/Neuter Clinic of WNY, Inc. for “grounding” purposes. Cats are placed in extra-large dog crates at their “new home” for a three-week period, which allows them time to adapt to the different people, sights, sounds, smells, and, possibly, other animals that collectively comprise the new setting.  Most importantly, they begin to bond with and recognize the voices of those who will be providing the majority of care.

Temporarily, FCF provides the crates and other equipment, which is on loan during the three-week grounding period. After that, as with any adoption, all care is the responsibility of the new owners. FCF representatives also tell us that, in all the years of managing this program, FCF has had very few cats that didn’t respond to the new surroundings. They attribute that to the fact that the quality of life has increased for the animals and they’re more content; some of the cats SPCA Serving Erie County, NY works with Feral Cat Focus to place feral or unsocial cats into the Blue Collar Working Cat program, housing them in safe locations such as warehousesbecome even more social and enjoy being present around people for longer periods of time.

To date, more than 600 establishments house a minimum of two Blue Collar Working Cats. The purpose? “Rodent control, plain and simple,” an FCF representative says. “Sometimes the mere presence of Blue Collar Working Cats is enough to keep rodents away from perceived food sources or food and beverage storage areas.”

FCF is unable to accept surrenders of cats from private owners who believe their cats may not be living a high quality of life indoors, yet feel guilty about keeping them outdoors or giving them up. FCF will, however, walk these cat owners through how to set up a Blue Collar Working Cats program right at home.  FCF representatives say the group works hard to remove the misplaced guilt these cat owners may feel over not keeping a cat indoors, and added that not every cat can live a high-quality life indoors. They help these people establish a Blue Collar Working Cats program right where they are, taking  them through all the steps and assisting them as much as possible in their imitation of the program.

The SPCA Serving Erie County is honored SPCA Serving Erie County, NY works with Feral Cat Focus to place feral or unsocial cats into the Blue Collar Working Cat program, housing them in safe locations such as barns and stablesto be one of the organizations with which FCF works in its Blue Collar Working Cats program. Several hundred cats who were not viable adoption candidates found new lives through FCF and this program, and the SPCA is indebted SPCA Serving Erie County, NY works with Feral Cat Focus to place feral or unsocial cats into the Blue Collar Working Cat program, housing them in safe locations such as barns and stablesand eternally grateful to the team at FCF for dedicating so many of their resources to these special cats with high work ethics.

Organization representatives who believe Blue Collar Working Cats might be a welcome addition to their establishments are encouraged to call FCF at (888) 902-9717, email info@feralcatfocus.org, or visit the FCF website to learn more about adopting a working cat team.

Feral Cat FOCUS Inc. is an all-volunteer organization with 501(c)(3) status.

Last year, National Volunteer Appreciation Week looked unlike any year prior. The SPCA Serving Erie County chose to continue serving the community as effectively as possible while the county…and the world…continued navigating a worldwide pandemic. Our volunteers stood by, ready and willing to help us continue to serve the people and animals of our community in whatever way possible. This year during National Volunteer Appreciation Week, as we continue to rebuild and restructure, we take a look back at last year’s efforts and again thank our volunteers for their dedication, their loyalty, their smiles, and most of all, for their love.

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION WEEK 2021
Day 6, April 23 [Reposted April 22, 2022]

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia

Every single animal reacts to being at our shelter in a different way. Every one. But how can each individual need be addressed? Former SPCA Director of Behavior and Research Miranda K. Workman, among other tasks, headed up the team responsible for determining (to the best of our ability) how to help each animal adapt to shelter life in the best way possible. Thousands of animals are admitted to the SPCA year after year, so it’s not a stretch to understand what a monumental task this is, and why we so heavily rely on volunteers to help these animals. Every adoption success story at the SPCA has at least one volunteer who helped write that story, constantly giving time, energy, and especially love to these animals from what seems to be an endless supply within themselves.

From Miranda: “The volunteers have allowed us to continue to provide quality care and enrichment to the animals at the SPCA. Their dedication to and love for our sheltered animals is evident in the time they spend ensuring our animals experience positive behavioral welfare while they wait to meet their adopting family.”

In these photos, courtesy of Communications Manager Bethany Kloc, we see some of our volunteer team members at work, enriching the lives of our animals! You’ll see Miranda with Cindy, Red, and Ken (who is doing amazing work trying to teach Little Red how to be a big, brave girl!), and Gary, helping Callie overcome her fears by softly and gently reading aloud to her. You’ll also see feline specialist volunteer Cary with kitty Tommy, packed up to be taken to the airport so he could fly home (full story: https://YourSPCA.org/TommyReunion2020/)!

These photos are representative of the work done by our volunteers with all the animals in our care. From bunnies to turtles to farm animals and reptiles, all our animals receiving kind, loving words and touch (when appropriate) every day, as our caring volunteers work to enrich their stay at our SPCA.







-Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer

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Please send completed application to The SPCA Serving Erie County, c/o Human Resources, 300 Harlem Road, West Seneca, NY 14224.

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The SPCA’s Miranda Workman Receives PhD from UB

Dr. Miranda K. Workman

September 20, 2021 — Congratulations to SPCA Serving Erie County Director of Behavior & Research Miranda K. Workman, PhD, on those new and exciting letters after her name!

Miranda’s PhD in Sociology was conferred August 31 from the University at Buffalo! Her focus was on human-animal-environment entanglements/relationships; in fact, her dissertation was a qualitative research project entitled Are Fluffy and Fido Family? Negotiating Multi-species Families.

Equally-interesting are the two theses Miranda completed in receiving her 2014 Canisius College Masters of Science degree in Anthrozoology, one to investigate euthanasia decision-making processes at the group and individual levels in animal shelters, and the other, how click rates on online photographs of cats available for adoption were related to how long a cat was on the adoption floor, which was published. Miranda was also elected to the American Sociological Association’s Animals & Society Section Council, and is an adjunct professor for Canisius College teaching Anthrozoology.

The SPCA Serving Erie County congratulates Dr. Workman on her latest accomplishment, and is thrilled to have her on its team!

–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Serving Erie County Chief Communications Officer

DOMESTIC MALE RATS ADDED TO NEUTER LIST AT SPCA SERVING ERIE COUNTY

August 24, 2020
By: SPCA Shelter Veterinarian Dr. Allison Kean; Vice President of Veterinary Services Melanie Rushforth; Director of Behavior and Research Miranda K. Workman 

The SPCA Serving Erie County is now neutering male rats prior to adoption. Neutering male rats can have several benefits that result in improved welfare for the rats, their cagemates, and their humans.

Males can be neutered as early as eight to 12 weeks of age. A neuter is a less- risky procedure than a spay (ovariohysterectomy) for females, which is why the SPCA is limiting sterilization surgeries to males.

Benefits of neutering male rats include the following:

-The risk for testicular cancer is eliminated after neutering. Reproductive cancers are very common in rats; neutering can potentially increase their lifespan. The greatest increase in average lifespan for male rats is associated with early neuter (eight to 12 weeks old).

-Neutered rats can be housed with female rats (spayed or intact) without the risk of impregnating the females. This increases their potential adoption opportunities as they are not restricted to housing with males only. (Research indicates that most males are sterile by one week post-neuter, although introductions to females may be safest after two weeks post-neuter to ensure the males have completely healed from the procedure and are no longer experiencing post-operative pain.)

-Neutered rats are significantly less likely to exhibit aggressive behavior toward their cage mates, behavior that may result in injury and/or death. At sexual maturity, due to increased testosterone, it is common for male rats to display increased aggressive behavior.

-It is also easier to introduce new rats to neutered rats than intact males who are more likely to attack “intruders” to their housing space. Introducing new rats to adult, intact males resulted in death for 21% of the introduced rats in one study* (Flannelly & Thor, 1978).

-Neutered males urine mark much less often than intact males. This can help keep their housing units cleaner than if they are urine marking more frequently.

-Neutered males are also more prosocial with humans and are easier to handle due to the decreased influence of hormones on their behavior. The risk of aggressive behavior toward humans is decreased with neutering.

With all the benefits above, there is one small downside:

-Neutered males are at a slightly higher risk of obesity, which is why we encourage a good quality diet and regular exercise and enrichment.

Given the evidence provided by research combined with the experience of the SPCA’s Director of Behavior and Research Miranda K. Workman and Shelter Veterinarian Dr. Allison Kean, we can confidently say that neutering male rats increases the welfare of each individual rat, their cage mates, and their human companions. Thus, in line with the SPCA Serving Erie County’s mission, we are now neutering all male rats prior to adoption. The adoption fee for domestic rats is $15.00, and this fee includes the males’ neuter surgeries.

Web references for information above include:

*http://www.ratbehavior.org/Neutering.htm

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/neutering-in-rats

https://ratcentral.com/should-i-neuter-my-male-rat/

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