Tonawanda Woman Pleads Guilty to Animal Cruelty

November 15, 2022
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca

Hilary P. White of Tonawanda plead guilty today to (eight counts of animal cruelty OR disorderly conduct) after being charged by officers at the SPCA Serving Erie County.

On August 13, 2022, the SPCA received a report from an anonymous source who claimed that several animals had been abandoned at a Hillcrest Rd., Tonawanda residence.

After obtaining a search warrant, SPCA Officers Jennifer Maleskis and Leanne Webb arrived at the property and rescued two guinea pigs, three cats, and three dogs left abandoned in deplorable conditions at the residence.

White was located on August 15 and charged by Officer Maleskis with eight counts of animal cruelty. She plead guilty to all counts in City of Tonawanda Court in front of Chief Judge Hon. Mark Saltarelli.

White was sentenced to a three-year ACD, a three-year No Animal Order of Protection, forfeiture of all animals, and an SPCA Animal Awareness Course. A $120 surcharge is owed to the court.

At the time of this writing, the animals are scheduled to be brought back from foster housing situations and will be individually assessed for adoption.

Buffalo Bills Visit SPCA Serving Erie County to Pay Tribute to Veterans, Commend SPCA Vets and Pets Program

Full photo album of Buffalo Bills’ visit >>



November 10, 2022 — On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Buffalo Bills players Reid Ferguson (blue circle right), Tyler Matakevich (red circle), & Tommy Sweeney (blue circle left), along with members of Bills’ staff, stopped by the SPCA Serving Erie County as part of the NFL’s Salute to Service program. They paid tribute to veterans at the SPCA and commended the SPCA’s Vets & Pets program, which waives animal adoption fees for U.S. service members.

We’re all heroes in some way. On Tuesday at 11 a.m., most of those on-site at the SPCA fell into at least one of two categories. Some are “heroes” for dedicating their lives to teaching teaching the world about kindness, non-violence, compassion, and love as they help animals and people through their work at the SPCA. Others are “heroes” for dedicating their lives to representing our city and teaching the world about elite skill and strategy and dedication…about being caring role models, winning with grace and humbleness through athletics.

But serving in the U.S. Armed Forces defines the word “hero” in a more supreme way. And we were lucky enough to have some of those supreme heroes among us on Tuesday.

A quote by P. McCree Thornton says it in a powerful way: “To those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor that the protected will never know.”

Veterans Day is about more than recognizing those who fought for this freedom. It’s about honoring them. It’s about remembering their service. It’s about thanking them for making the rest of us “the protected.”

Thank you to the members of the Buffalo Bills organization for making this special week dedicated to veterans so special, and thank you to the veterans on our staff and volunteer force, for your service and dedication.

See the full album of the Buffalo Bills’ visit to the SPCA here >> 

See this story on WGRZ-TV >>

See this story on WKBW-TV >>

Full photo album of Buffalo Bills’ visit >>

–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer

SPCA Compassion in Action:


October 21, 2022 —
Earlier this week, Mocha was brought to the SPCA with a pyometra, an infected uterus, which required surgery to remove. Following surgery, our vet services staff cleaned up Mocha to help her recover. From having a pain patch applied to her tail to getting necessary vaccines and having blood drawn for lab work, our team ensured that Mocha was taken care of. Mocha is still recovering from her surgery but is in good spirits. Just this morning, she was standing up and wagging her tail in her kennel. As she recovers, let’s send some good thoughts her way! We’ll keep you updated on her condition. Thank you to our vet services staff for all the incredible work you do. #SPCACompassionInAction

–Jillian LeBlanc, SPCA CCO Assistant/ Social Media Coordinator

From WKBW-TV:
Click the image and headline to see the full story from Oct. 20, 2022!
Thank you to Cheektowaga Animal Control and Aaron Kandefer, for the concise explanation of what’s being done to help dogs in our region!

SUBARU LOVES PETS IN ERIE COUNTY THROUGH DONATIONS, ADOPTION EVENT 

October 19, 2022
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca

Once again, the Subaru Loves Pets campaign will help animals in Erie County, NY!

As announced earlier this month, for every dog or cat adopted at the SPCA Serving Erie County this October, Northtown Subaru has been donating $100 to the SPCA as part of Subaru Loves Pets. The donation will be made for up to 31 animals, one for each day of the month!

Additionally, Northtown Subaru will hold an adoption event made possible through a generous grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®). Adoptable animals from the SPCA Serving Erie County will be present at Northtown Subaru, 3930 Sheridan Drive in Amherst, on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Patrons are invited to visit with SPCA animals, learn about what the SPCA Serving Erie County has to offer, and learn more about Northtown Subaru.

Then November 17, 2022 – January 3, 2023, Subaru donates $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased to the purchaser’s choice of either four national charities or to the SPCA Serving Erie County, a registered Hometown Charity with Northtown Subaru (Northtown Subaru will donate a minimum of $50 per unit sold, plus $5 for every routine service visit, to be divided amongst each registered Hometown Charity).

“Partnering with the Northtown Subaru team is always an absolute pleasure and we are so grateful for its continued commitment in helping the animals in our community,” said SPCA Annual Giving Manager Phillip Weiss this month. “The assistance of the ASPCA® in the Subaru Loves Pets Grant Program, responsible for October’s adoption event, is also invaluable. The event and the donation campaigns will not only help more animals get adopted but they will also earn more funds to help the animals who are in need of medical attention, food, shelter, and comfort when they have nowhere else to turn. Northtown Subaru is a true friend of animals and the SPCA Serving Erie County!”

See animals available for adoption (some might be at the October 26 adoption event!) right here >>

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION is the conversation…in our HUMANE HABITAT series!

The SPCA Serving Erie County’s Humane Habitat program addresses the need to decrease negative interactions between humans and wildlife and promotes kindness and compassion in the spaces that we share with wildlife.

Our vision is to create a community where all animals are treated with compassion and respect. In a series of six classes – three in the fall of 2022 and three in the spring of 2023 – members of the SPCA’s Wildlife Department and associates from the Citizen Coalition for Wildlife and Environment will share ways to make participants’ yard, space, school, or other outdoor area more humane and wildlife-friendly.

After attending the classes, participants will qualify to have their space deemed a Certified Humane Habitat and will receive a sign to display in their Humane Habitat. Participants will have an opportunity to invite a member of the SPCA’s Wildlife Department to come out to their property and see the space and offer suggestions.

By supporting this program and having a space certified as a Humane Habitat, participants can feel good about creating kind spaces and helping to teach about living compatibly with nature and animals!

Fall classes will take place via Zoom on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00. (Dates for the spring classes will be announced in 2023.) Classes are $20 each; register for one class or all classes! Pay $120 for both the fall and spring series and receive your yard sign!

Class 1: Thursday, Oct. 20
Why are Humane Habitats important spaces? Participants will learn about the risks that wildlife (and humanity) face.

Class 2: Thursday, Oct. 27
What is a Humane Habitat? What have you done? What are you doing? Nicole and Dave, representatives from Citizen Coalition for Wildlife and Environment, will lead tonight’s program.

Class 3: Thursday, Nov. 3
How can you start and continue your work in your designated outdoor space? How is the SPCA designating Humane Habitats?

For more information and to register, please send an email to the Wildlife Department Director Barb Haney at BarbH@yourspca.org.

October’s Subaru Loves Pets Campaign at Northtown Will Benefit Animals at the SPCA Serving Erie County

October 3, 2022
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca

Northtown Subaru in Amherst is celebrating Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month this October in a different way…in about 3,100 different ways, to be exact! Plus, they’re letting the cats join in the celebration.

For every dog or cat adopted at the SPCA Serving Erie County this October, Northtown Subaru will donate  $100 to the SPCA as part of the Subaru Loves Pets campaign! The donation will be made for up to 31 animals, one for each day of the month!

Subaru is a long-standing partner of a national animal cruelty prevention society, and since 2008 has helped to support more than 1500 adoption events that helped approximately 57,000 animal nationwide.

This year, Northtown Subaru, located at 3930 Sheridan Dr. in Amherst, will keep Subaru’s donation local, and by donating to the SPCA Serving Erie County, Northtown Subaru will be assisting homeless animals right here in our community.

“Partnering with the Northtown Subaru team is always an absolute pleasure and we are so grateful for their continued commitment in helping the animals in our community,” says SPCA Annual Giving Manager Phillip Weiss. “This promotion will not only help more animals get adopted but it will also earn more funds to help the animals who are in need of medical attention, food, shelter, and comfort when they have nowhere else to turn. Northtown Subaru is a true friend of animals and the SPCA Serving Erie County!”

See adoptable animals at the SPCA >>

 

 

SAYING GOODBYE TO OUR SWEET, FOUR-FOOTED FARM FRIEND

September 29, 2022 — We said sad goodbyes this morning to a sweet, gentle friend not only loved by SPCA staff members and volunteers, but loved by thousands throughout the community.

Even those folks just passing the SPCA on the I-90 East grew fond of looking for Newman the goat, grazing the pastures of our Educational Farm.

Newman, a 10-year-old Nubian goat, was brought to us by one of our animal cruelty investigation officers after being rescued from a neglectful owner/caretaker in January, 2014. Newman, almost 2 at the time, was tested for and was suffering from a permanent condition most likely acquired at a very young age, Caprine Arthritis and Encephalitis (CAE); he was receiving no care for the condition. Newman was also emaciated and suffered from pneumonia. After months of loving care and veterinary treatment, Newman rebounded beautifully from the emaciation and pneumonia, and became a permanent resident of the Educational Farm, helping to teach thousands of children and adults about goats and farm animal care while serving as best friend to Xylord, the SPCA’s resident miniature horse.

Newman’s CAE started to progress at an increased rate last year, and SPCA Educational Farm Manager Sheila Foss and her team went to work monitoring Newman, keeping him as comfortable as possible. By late summer, Sheila noticed Newman slowing down significantly; he was having more difficulty getting up and down, walking more slowly, and she noticed he didn’t want to stay out in the pasture as long as he usually did in the past. The SPCA’s Patti Burg, then-assistant farm manager who originally helped in bringing Newman to the SPCA and worked alongside Newman throughout his 9-year residence at the SPCA, also saw changes in him.

Earlier this month, local large animal veterinarian Dr. Jean Feldman, who has treated SPCA farm animals for decades and was Newman’s veterinarian, visited as part of an instructional presentation to veterinary students at the SPCA. When she observed Newman’s continuing decline, Dr. Feldman knew some tough choices had to be made. After discussing the situation with Dr. Feldman, Sheila, Patti, and new Educational Farm Associate Raeleigh May made the heartbreaking choice to say goodbye to Newman this morning.

We know so many of you in the community share our sorrow in bidding farewell to this amazing soul who has brightened so many of our lives just by his presence.

-Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer & Sheila Foss, SPCA Educational Farm Manager

Make a $150 donation to 2022’s PAWS IN THE PARK and you’ll be entered to win Buffalo Bills General Manager Brandon Beane’s one-of-a-kind Bills Muttfia cleats, part of the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats program!

No promotion code necessary! Just donate $150 or more to help animals at the SPCA Serving Erie County and you’ll be entered….but hurry! This game ends at 9 p.m. Tuesday, September 20! Score for SPCA animals and DONATE TODAY!

Winner will be notified at the email address provided on Wednesday, September 21! Good luck, and GO, BILLS!

YES, I want to ENTER with a $150 donation >>

Learn more about PAWS IN THE PARK >>

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