ECMC Staff Receiving SPCA Serving Erie County Paws for Love Therapy House Calls

April 14, 2020
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca

The SPCA Serving Erie County Paws for Love therapy animals are hitting the virtual road again as they make more HOUSE CALLS, this time bringing their comfort and care to Erie County Medical Center (ECMC).

When ECMC staff members were asked what could be done to help make them feel just a little better, the response included an overwhelming desire for therapy pets.

Enter the SPCA’s Paws for Love therapy animals. The SPCA Serving Erie County Paws for Love two and four-footed volunteers will be making virtual house calls to the staff at ECMC through recorded therapy visits. “SPCA Serving Erie County Paws for Love: HOUSE CALLS, Project ECMC” starts this week;  ECMC staff members will be informed about where they can view the “visits” on ECMC’s Intranet site.

ECMC Corporate Associate Medical Director and Emergency Department Attending Physician Dr. Sam D. Cloud said, “Our dedicated clinical and support staff are working many long, difficult hours each day to address the many needs of our diverse patient population during this pandemic. On behalf of us all at ECMC, I am pleased to offer our sincere thanks to the SPCA for providing virtual access to their therapy animals through their ‘Paws for Love’ video visits.”

Read more about the SPCA Paws for Love: HOUSE CALLS program and find a playlist of house calls here >>

The SPCA Serving Erie County shares its gratitude and thanks to the professionals at ECMC for doing everything in their power to help us recover and rebound during the current health crisis. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with you all.

SPCA Paws for Love Volunteers Partner with Libraries for ‘Read With a Dog’ Program

April 11, 2020 — Volunteers with the SPCA Serving Erie County Paws for Love program often bring their therapy dogs to libraries for reading sessions in an effort to increase children’s interest in books in the most perfect setting possible: a library!

Aurora Town Public Library is going virtual with its reading program, and has invited SPCA Paws for Love two- and four-footed volunteers  to participate!

Each Friday in May at 11 a.m., a new reading video will be posted on the Aurora Town Public Library Facebook page and YouTube channel. Other Buffalo & Erie County libraries may participate in this reading program; we will share that information when more details are available.

No registration is required to view the reading videos. Visit http://www.BuffaloLib.org for more information.

— Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer

MYRTLE THE TURTLE (and her rubber ducky):
HEADING HOME TO BUFFALO!

April 11 — And now, for your viewing pleasure…straight from the SPCA in West Seneca, NY…ladies and gentlemen, after a stay of approximately 111 days…join us in saying goodbye to MYRTLE THE TURTLE!

Today, Anthony and Jill from Buffalo brought Myrtle home to her new 100-gallon aquarium!

They also adopted Myrtle’s rubber ducky and smiley-face balloon, so we know Myrtle will easily make the transition! Thank you, Jill and Anthony, for loving our gorgeous girl as much as we do! GOODBYE, MYRTLE! We’ll all miss you SO MUCH! Be a good girl! Have a happy,loooooooooooooong life!

–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer

 

See the story on WIVB.com here >>

SPCA’s Wildlife Department Assists Two Fox Kits

April 9, 2020
By Bethany Kloc, Communications Manager

The SPCA Serving Erie County’s Wildlife Department received two fox kits today from two towns. Barb Haney, Director of the Wildlife Department said, “During this time, to protect staff and volunteers, my department has minimal on-site staff and no volunteers, and we’re only able to help with wildlife emergencies. Right now, it’s so helpful and important that we are called first before anyone brings an animal to us. With both cases, we were able to determine over the phone that our services were needed.”

One fox kit was found cold, in a puddle and the other had a severe bite wound on the back of her neck. While in the SPCA’s Wildlife hospital, both kits received medications and fluids. Once they were stabilized, they were sent to a local wildlife rehabber. Sadly, the fox kit who was bit, didn’t make it. We are hopeful that the other kit will make a full recovery and will be released to her natural habitat as soon as possible.

If you have a wildlife emergency, please call 716-449-0727 between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., please call 716-449-0363.

For more information about the SPCA Serving Erie County’s Covid-19 response, please visit this page.

April 9, 2020
By Bethany Kloc, Communications Manager

As the number of Covid-19 cases rise in our area, it’s important to plan for the safety of all our family members, including our pets. SPCA Serving Erie County Officer Tyler Robertson has been on the front lines since the pandemic began helping people and animals. “We’ve received calls from concerned citizens asking what to do with pets who have been in a home with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19. If you’re not feeling well, or are showing signs of Covid-19, limit your exposure to your pet. If there is someone else in the home who can care for your pet, it’s a good idea to ask them to take over all the caretaking responsibilities.

“Right now, the SPCA is helping pets of two people who tested positive for Covid-19 and who are now hospitalized. In one case, the manager of the property was caring for the animal, but that’s not a long-term, sustainable solution. In the other case, the family of the person hospitalized can no longer care for their family member’s dog.

“Everything is on a case-by-case basis and because of their specific circumstances, these two pets are going to be surrendered to the SPCA. (They will be segregated from other animals at the shelter.) What we’re struggling with is finding the medical and vaccination records for these animals. It’s difficult when we don’t know animals’ histories and obviously right now, the owners are unable to provide that information.”

This means that having a pet emergency preparedness plan is more valuable than ever. Officer Robertson recommends taking these steps:

– Find a trusted individual to care for your pets should you or anyone in your household become ill or hospitalized. Identify local boarding facilities should you need to utilize out-of-home sheltering options.

– Ensure that each of your pets has identification on his/her collar that contains your current address and phone number. If your pet is microchipped, contact the microchip company to make sure your information is current.

– Ideally, create a folder for each of your pets. Include all current vaccination and veterinary records and a list of all medications and where they can be found in your home. Authorize in writing that your veterinarian may release medical records of your pets to individuals/organizations other than you. (You may even want to call your veterinary hospital and ask them to put a note in your file saying this.)

– Stock up and store essential items in a water-proof container including the following: a 2-week supply of food and water, 2-week supply of medications, litter boxes with litter, and a pet first aid kit.

– Have a proper carrier available with appropriate bedding, blankets, and/or towels. Have a bag ready with food dishes, an extra leash, harness, and toys.

For more information about the SPCA Serving Erie County’s Covid-19 response, please visit this page.

We say it all the time and we’ll say it again: we LOVE our amazing Erie County community! Thanks to everyone who voted in the Target Circle, the SPCA was awarded 6,202.61! Thank you so much!

April 8, 2020

Now here’s a tasty treat our staff wasn’t expecting today! Madeline K.’s Girl Scout troop 30173 in Hamburg has been donating cookies to essential staff at local organizations. Madeline and her mom arranged to donate cookies to the SPCA’s essential service employees today! Madeline and her mom are familiar with the SPCA because Madeline has participated in our Tale for Two reading program. Thank you to Madeline and to her troop!

–Bethany Kloc, SPCA Communications Manager

–Bethany Kloc, SPCA Communications Manager

SPCA Alum Goes National on America’s Funniest Home Videos

April 7, 2020 — In August of 2018, Mike and Alli of Cheektowaga adopted Miles from our SPCA and brought him home to start their wonderful life together!

In April, 2019, Miles was taken to PetSmart in Orchard Park, NY for his first-ever visit with the Easter bunny!

Well, we won’t tell you what happened next…but most of America found out Sunday, April 5, 2020 when Miles appeared on ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos!

Here in Buffalo, NY, most of the show was preempted for a White House press conference. Fortunately, Alli and Mike shared the video with us, and now you can see what happened right after this photo was taken! Happy Easter, everyone, from Miles!

–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer

 

See this story on WYRK.com here >>

April 6, 2020 — You read that right!

We know it will change soon…but at the SPCA Serving Erie County we’re taking this moment to celebrate the “emptiness” of our cat adoption rooms!

Right now, all the cats available for adoption at the SPCA Serving Erie County’s Harlem Rd., West Seneca shelter have been adopted by loving members of our community willing to give them wonderful, new homes, even during our current health crisis.

We’re trying not to delude ourselves.

We know there are still a few beautiful, available cats in foster homes waiting to be adopted (see them at http://YourSPCA.org/adoptable-animals).

We know there are still cats at the shelter receiving some kind of treatment, so they’re not able to be adopted at this time.

We know there are many, many SPCA cats previously surrendered to the SPCA who are temporarily residing in foster homes with kittens on the way…which means it won’t be long before these rooms are completely filled again.

But today, we celebrate!

We are working at the SPCA to determine how and when to slowly and, more importantly, SAFELY, bring previously-admitted cats from foster homes back to the shelter after their kittens are  born and old enough to be separated from the moms. Much is still undetermined due to health concerns during this COVID-19 period. We will share details when more information is available.

Thank you to the people of our community for continuing to support the SPCA Serving Erie County and our animals during this crucial time. We are honored to serve you.

— Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer

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