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

Open interviews May 12 will include the following positions*: 
Animal Care
Adoptions Counselor
Facilities Attendant
Humane Educator
Seasonal Camp Counselor 
Veterinary Assistant

*This list is regularly updated; please check back for additional positions listed. There are other employment opportunities at the SPCA that may not be interviewed for on Thursday; to see all openings including those that will be interviewed for May 12, please click here >>

See this story on Newsradio930 WBEN >>

See this story on WGRZ-TV >>

See this story on WKBW-TV >>

See this story on Buffalo Scoop >>

 


SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
to benefit the SPCA Serving Erie County
In-person fair May 2-3 & 5-7, 2022

Online Book Fair >>

Ages 5 – 16
25% of your purchase benefits the SPCA!
Family-friendly pricing!

IN-PERSON
Visit the SPCA 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday & Tuesday, May 2 & 3, or Thursday -Saturday, May 5 – 7!

ONLINE
CLICK HERE to purchase books online, to meet popular authors, to watch book videos, and for direct access to more than 6,000 additional titles (plus nearly 300 titles listed by grade)!

MORE INFORMATION
Contact Director of Humane Education Christine Davis
(716) 875-7360, ext. 262 or
ChristineD@yourspa.org

READ ACROSS AMERICA!
March 2, 2022

SPCA’s READ ACROSS AMERICA Book Selections >>

We’re celebrating #ReadAcrossAmerica Day at the SPCA Serving Erie County, and our Humane Education Department staff found a way to help children celebrate too!

Check out this list of recommended reading, 40 books for children of all ages with humane themes, hand-selected by members of the SPCA’s Humane Education Department! The books focus on pet adoption, pet loss, animal rescue, caring for animals, animal adventures, and more!

If your child loves reading, don’t forget to check out the SPCA’s Tale for Two program allowing children to read to shelter animals! Details here >>

And if your child’s library is a little sparse, mark May 2 – May 7, 2022 in your calendar! That’s the day the Scholastic Book Fair returns to our 300 Harlem Rd., West Seneca shelter…with online purchase opportunities available too! Details coming soon!

-Gina Lattuca, SPCA Serving Erie County Chief Communications Officer


Register children ages 7-11 here >>

SPCA Kindness Camp:
– A unique learning experience for children who share a love for animals!
-Children learn about a wide variety of animal-related topics while meeting
and interacting with animals!
-Lessons, activities, games, hands-on crafts!
-$55 per camper
 -Register children ages 7 – 11  right here >>

Questions? Contact SPCA Director of Humane Education Christine Davis:
(716) 875-7360, ext. 262 or christined@yourspca.org

Reading to SPCA Animals is Back!
New Tale for Two Season Offers In-Person and Virtual Options.

September 1, 2021
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca

The SPCA Serving Erie County is now welcoming readers into its 2021 – 2022 season Tale for Two program, encouraging children ages six through 16 to read aloud to adoptable animals at the SPCA, or therapy pets who are volunteers of the SPCA’s Paws for Love program! Animals benefit from the increased socialization and reduced stress levels, while children work on their literacy and reading skills, building their self-esteem and confidence.

If registered for in-person reading, one adult and one child can visit the SPCA’s 300 Harlem Rd., West Seneca shelter to read aloud to shelter pets. To remain consistent with COVID-related occupancy guidelines, only six child/adult teams will be allowed on the Adoptions floor at any given time, so space is extremely limited.

Virtual reading will take place on a Zoom call, during which participants will read to a Paws for Love therapy animal. Each virtual session will conclude with an opportunity for the child to ask the shelter representative questions about the animal or the SPCA.

This year’s reading season begins October 4, and is available in a three-month package (program cost: $50 for one 30-minute in-person reading session per week, or unlimited 30-minute virtual reading sessions); a ’21-’22 school year package (program cost: $85 for one 30-minute in-person reading session per week, or unlimited 30-minute virtual reading sessions; this package has an end date of June 9, 2022); or a full year 12-month package (program cost: $125 for one 30-minute in-person reading session per week, or unlimited 30-minute virtual reading sessions; this package has an end date of September 15, 2022).

In-person shelter reading opportunities along with virtual reading slots are available Mondays and Wednesdays, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., at the SPCA’s 300 Harlem Rd., West Seneca shelter. 

Children can read from their own reading materials, or make a selection from the SPCA’s library.

REGISTER NOW  to choose your reading package and to select your desired virtual orientation date (orientation is mandatory for adults and recommended for the child readers). Space is extremely limited. For more information on Tale for Two, please contact SPCA Director of Humane Education Christine Davis at 716-875-7360, ext. 262, or christined@yourspca.org .

Register for TALE FOR TWO now!


From the SPCA’s Humane Education Department regarding the safety of children participating in one of the Humane Ed programs:

“The SPCA Serving Erie County has and always has had strict cleaning and safety policies in place due to the nature of animal sheltering and the potential for zoonotic disease exposure. During the age of COVID-19, we will follow all CDC guidelines and recommendations. At this time, the SPCA Humane Education Department requires social distancing and masks for all participants, regardless of vaccination status. There will also be a temperature check and COVID screening prior to entry.”

Check out all the fun from this summer’s SPCA Kindness Camp 2021! Just click on the image below to see our album of 200+ camp photos!

Future camp space is extremely limited.

Be the first to know about vacation day, break, and summertime camps at the SPCA and register children early!

Just email your name and other contact information to HumaneEducation@yourspca.org and you’ll receive early notice and updates before details are released to the general public!

SEE YOU AT CAMP!

SPCA Launches Tale for Two Summer Reading Challenge; Program Encourages Children to Read to Shelter Pets

June 8, 2021
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca

UPDATE, JULY 7: All slots for this summer’s Tale for Two Reading Challenge have been filled! That’s a lot of dedicated readers! Look for more Tale for Two sessions in the fall, when we resume normal programming. Thanks for all the interest! Good luck readers!


UPDATE, JUNE 23: Tale for Two has received such an overwhelming response to its in-person reading slots that members of the SPCA’s Humane Education Department have added Thursday in-person options to the roster. In addition to the options listed below, children can now be registered to read aloud to shelter animals in person on Thursdays, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.


The SPCA Serving Erie County has announced its 2021 Tale for Two Summer Reading Challenge this year, with prizes for children who read multiple books!

Tale For Two encourages children ages 5 – 16 to read aloud to adoptable animals at the SPCA. Animals benefit from the increased socialization and reduced stress levels, while children work on their literacy and reading skills, building their self-esteem and confidence.

This summer’s reading challenge sessions include both in-person and virtual options to be scheduled June 28 – September 1, 2021.

In-person 30-minute reading sessions take place Mondays and Wednesdays between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Six families will be welcomed for each 30-minute time slot, for a maximum of 18 families each day. Virtual Zoom 30-minute reading sessions are available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

The cost of a Tale for Two Summer Reading Challenge pass is $50.00, which allows children to read once per week to an SPCA animal in person at the
300 Harlem Rd., West Seneca shelter, once per week to an SPCA animal virtually, or both.

Children in kindergarten through eleventh grade who read multiple books receive certificates of achievement and various SPCA prizes ranging from pencils and wristbands to T-shirts and sweatshirts. The top two children who read the most books will receive a small collection of age-appropriate books for their reading libraries, and memberships to the SPCA’s Kind Kids Club.

Children can bring their own reading materials, or make a selection from the SPCA’s library.

Readers and parents/guardians are required to be part of one hour-long ZOOM orientation session, during which

reading challenge details and rules will be discussed. Orientation sessions are scheduled for Monday, June 21 and Thursday, June 24 at 5:30 p.m. If attendance at one of these sessions is not possible, participants will have the opportunity to watch a recorded orientation session and complete a required orientation questionnaire.

 

Register for the Tale for Two Summer Reading Challenge and one orientation session right here >> 

Register for the SPCA’s Tale for Two Summer Reading Challenge here >>


SUMMER, 2021 MASK POLICY FOR HUMANE EDUCATION PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS:
At this time, face masks are REQUIRED for all adults and children participating in Humane Education programs, regardless of vaccination; for all unvaccinated adults and children; and for all children 11 years of age and younger.

SPCA Camp-At-Home Kits

GET YOUR SPCA CAMP-AT-HOME KIT(S) HERE!

SPCA Camp-At-Home Kits let kids ages five through nine bring the fun of the SPCA home…or to any vacation location!…in an engaging, screen-free way!

Two different kits include step-by-step instructions on all craft and activity supplies; age-appropriate books; an issue of “Kind News;” an SPCA water bottle; and an SPCA wristband and pencil. Children will learn lessons about animal care, nature, and more that will keep them thinking and creating long after kit activities are complete.

SPCA Camp-At-Home Kits will be available July 6 – September 1, 2021, and include:

Rescue a Furry Friend!
Ages 5 – 9
$35.00
Children will learn about and practice the five elements of pet care and responsible pet ownership by caring for their very own pet….PLUSH pet, that is! They will rescue their new, furry friend, then foster it, care for it, and eventually ADOPT! Each activity will allow children to explore a different component of care through hands-on activities, crafts, and experiments.

Arts and Nature
Ages 5 – 9
$35.00
This is a self-paced activity kit for animal lovers with a creative side! Campers will have the opportunity to express themselves creatively through fun, impactful, indoor/outdoor crafts and activities! All required craft materials and instructions will be included in each kit.


The health and safety of our participants are our primary concerns, so all kit materials have been disinfected and handled by healthy staff members wearing masks and gloves.

Kits will be available via curbside pickup, or can be delivered within Erie County at an additional cost. Kits can also be shipped at an additional cost.

CURBSIDE PICKUP
Curbside pickup will be available at the SPCA’s 300 Harlem Rd., West Seneca shelter Monday – Saturday, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

DELIVERY
Delivery is only offered for locations within Erie County, NY.

SHIPPING
If you live inside or outside of Erie County, NY,  and  you are unable to pick up your kit at the SPCA, you may wish to have your kit shipped to you. Backpacks are shipped at an additional fee to be determined.

Register for your child’s kit here . For more information, contact SPCA Director of Humane Education Christine Davis: 716-875-7360, ext. 262 or ChristineD@yourspca.org

GET YOUR SPCA CAMP-AT-HOME KIT(S) HERE!
 


From the SPCA’s Humane Education Department regarding the safety of your children: “The SPCA Serving Erie County has and always has had strict cleaning and safety policies in place due to the nature of animal sheltering and the potential for zoonotic disease exposure. During the age of COVID-19, we will follow all CDC guidelines and recommendations, require masks, require social distancing, and will temperature-check and screen for COVID prior to entry. In addition, extensive sanitizing protocols are in place, including sanitizing areas before and after use, to keep our participants and staff safe and healthy while participating in any in-person program.”

At this time, face masks are REQUIRED for all adults and children participating in Humane Education programs, regardless of vaccination; for all unvaccinated adults and children; and for all children 11 years of age and younger when on the grounds of the SPCA.

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