Archives: News & Events

This year, the SPCA Serving Erie County is bringing our Kindness Camp to you! We’ve designed camp options to keep kids active, entertained, and learning all the time!

For 2020, the SPCA is offering three different camp-related experiences:

KINDNESS CAMP: The Backpacks
Take-home backpacks only; non-interactive
-Art and Animals
-Back to Nature
-Service Project
–NEW: Behavior & Training

KINDNESS CAMP: The Backpacks Off-Leash!
(Update 7/15: Off-Leash Registration Closed)
Take-home backpacks; some interactive, virtual teaching
-Multimedia Mutts
-Animal Helpers
-Behavior and Training

KINDNESS CAMP: The Live, Virtual Veterinary Experience
Live, virtual teaching; some take-home materials
-Introduction to Veterinary Science Camp
-Advance Vet Camp

Descriptions, suggested ages, and costs of each camp experience are listed below! You and your child are certain to find just the right camp experience that will work best for your family…or maybe you’ll participate in all three types of camps!

Take-home backpacks only; non-interactive. 

Bring the SPCA’s Kindness Camp to your home! Camp backpacks will provide your child with fun, engaging, hands-on activities and games that can be enjoyed at their convenience.

Backpacks include one week’s worth of materials and instructions needed for the themed activities, art projects, educational handouts, and fun swag items…all you’ll need are safe scissors, glue, and a table cover for messy projects!

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

Backpacks will be available via curbside pickup, or can be delivered within Erie County at an additional cost. Backpacks 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 backpack at the SPCA, you may wish to have your backpack shipped to you. Backpacks are shipped at an additional fee to be determined.

Take-home backpacks; some interactive, virtual experiences.

As in the backpack experiences above, each of these backpacks will include daily at-home, hands-on activities that can take place in your yard or right in your home…but these camp experiences also go “off-leash!” We’ll have live, virtual interactions with people and animals, on-demand videos, and additional, downloadable activity sheets! Each day, campers will virtually meet different animals, participate in interactive games and activities, and learn lots of new things! Live sessions will take place each day at 10 a.m. and last 30 – 60 minutes.

Here’s a sample schedule of a live off-leash session:

10 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.  Fun gathering game and pet parade

10:15 a.m. – 10:25 a.m. Interactive lesson (sample lesson: “Learn How to Train a Chicken!”)

10:25 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.  Craft/Activity (sample activity: “Make a Cat Mask!”)

10:40 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. Meet animals at the SPCA

10:50 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Conclusion

Can’t make it to the live session? Don’t worry! There will be a virtual replay available for registrants after the live version is completed! This way campers can enjoy camp at their own pace! Campers will still receive ALL of the videos, activities, and camper challenges, even if they miss the live meeting component.

Each backpack in the Backpacks: Off-Leash! experience will include:

-Craft & activity supplies;
-An age-appropriate book;
–Kind News magazine;
-SPCA “swag,” like a water bottle, drawstring bag, wristband, and pencil;
-Access to an exclusive Bitmoji classroom PDF sent to each camper’s email that includes self-paced videos, virtual games, and DIY activities and crafts!

Choose one camp, or choose them all! There may be some overlap, but each week will have a new theme! Remember, to participate in the “off-leash” virtual component of these camp experiences, campers will need access to a device that connects to the Internet and has Zoom conference visual and audio capabilities.

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

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

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. If you have chosen the backpack delivery option, you must register for your child’s backpack by the Thursday before your backpack’s start date to have your item delivered in time.

SHIPPING
If you live inside or outside of Erie County, NY, and you are unable to pick up your backpack at the SPCA, you may wish to have your backpack shipped to you. Backpacks are shipped at an additional fee to be determined. Please note, package delivery is not guaranteed by the beginning of the backpack start date.

Live, virtual teaching; some take-home materials

KINDNESS CAMP: The Live, Virtual Veterinary Experience will be a two-part veterinary camp series for kids who love animals and are interested in exploring a career as a veterinarian!

If campers attended last year’s Vet Camp, they can skip ahead to Advanced Veterinary Science Camp. If campers are new to vet camps, they can start with Introduction to Veterinary Science Camp and then decide whether to move ahead to Advanced Veterinary Science Camp!

Campers will learn what it takes to be a veterinarian through a combination of live virtual content and fun activities. They will learn how to check a pet’s vital signs, discover what heartworms are, watch an animal exam, observe a neuter surgery, and so much more.

Remember, to participate in the virtual component of these camp experiences, campers will need access to a device that connects to the Internet and has Zoom conference visual and audio capabilities. Two-hour live Zoom sessions will begin at approximately  9 a.m. each day of camp.

Sample take-home materials will include:
-A stethoscope or kid’s pet first aid/CPR book;
-Animal X-ray;
-Owl pellet;
-Plushie for demonstrations;
-Craft materials;
-Much more!

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

Take-home materials will be available via curbside pickup, or can be delivered within Erie County at an additional cost. Materials can also be shipped.

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.  If you have chosen the delivery option, you must register for your child’s camp by the Thursday before your camp’s start date to have your items delivered in time.

SHIPPING
If you live inside or outside of Erie County, NY,  and  you are unable to pick up your child’s materials at the SPCA, you may wish to have your materials shipped to you. Take-home materials are shipped at an additional fee to be determined.  Please note, package delivery is not guaranteed by the beginning of the backpack start date.

Dear Friends of the SPCA:

You do something very important for the homeless pets in our community. Your generous support to the SPCA Serving Erie County gives animals the lifesaving care that they need in time for it to matter. You give animals who are alone, frightened, and hurt a second chance at a safe and happy life.

You’re amazing. Countless animals are resting with their new families because of your support.

And here’s some great news: Delta Sonic Car Wash, a long-time SPCA donor, has offered to match – DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR – every new gift made before the end of November, up to $25,000!

This is a tremendous gift to the homeless and neglected animals who will be served by this support, animals like Sunny, a one-year-old Chihuahua named Sunny with a broken pelvis after being hit by a car, healed through the efforts of our veterinary staff and your support. We tended to Willow, a three-legged Retriever mix with five newborn puppies. We cared for Apollo, a sweet, two-month-old kitten with an umbilical hernia. These are just a few of the thousands of many lives you’ve helped save.

According to SPCA Chief Development Officer Jennifer Gurz, “We are beyond grateful to Delta Sonic for continuing to be one of our most generous corporate partners. By matching donations made to our Holiday Fund Drive, they are ensuring these gifts will go twice as far and even more animals can be saved. The holidays will definitely be brighter for the animals at the SPCA this season thanks to our friends at Delta Sonic!”

Together, we rescue and heal animals and then find them amazing, new families. They depend on us to do all we can to create a community – and a world – where they are respected, safe, and loved. Thank you for being part of that.

To contribute to this Delta Sonic matching dollar challenge, please make a donation before November 30.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo Signs Legistion to Crack Down on Unscrupulous Pet Dealers

August 15, 2017
By: Press.Office@exec.ny.gov

See WBFO 88.7 FM Buffalo’s NPR News Station’s story: http://news.wbfo.org/post/new-law-closes-loophole-used-unscrupulous-pet-dealers

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation to regulate pet dealers and crack down on unscrupulous practices in this industry. The bill (S.5599/A.7195) requires incorporated animal shelters, rescue organizations and other non-profit entities that transport or offer animals up for adoption in New York State to register with the Department of Agriculture and Markets, subjecting them to state regulation for the first time.

“For too long, unscrupulous pet dealers have avoided proper oversight, and placed the health of pets under their care at risk in the name of profits,” Governor Cuomo said. “This legislation closes this loophole and creates a framework that allows regulation of these organizations and companies and creates peace of mind for pet owners.”

Current law authorizes the Department of Agriculture and Markets to oversee and regulate municipal animal shelters and any entity serving in that capacity under contract. The current law exempts humane societies. This allows some unscrupulous businesses that sell animals take advantage of this exemption, and organize as not-for-profit humane societies to avoid the stringent importation, inspection and documentation requirements set forth in New York’s pet dealer regulations. These owners then seek to sell pets as quickly as possible and house their animals in unsafe and unsanitary conditions without adequate food or care. 

This legislation fixes that loophole and requires not-for-profit entities to comply with all documentation and vaccination requirements associated with the import of pets into the state for purchase. Potential pet owners will now have greater insight into the animals they are seeking to adopt, and these facilities will be subject to greater oversight and compliance.

Senator Phil Boyle said, “There are so many wonderful organizations that do incredible and valuable work to help animals, but unfortunately some not-so-great people have used this exemption as an excuse not to be regulated. The number of licensed pet dealers in New York has declined over the last 40 percent over the past five years showing just how troublesome this loophole really is. This new law will require and ensure a measure of transparency to foster public trust that animals are getting the care they deserve. I applaud Governor Cuomo for signing this measure into law, and I’d like to thank the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the New York State Animal Protection Federation, and the New York State Veterinary Medical Society for their support on this important issue.”

Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski said, “Most rescue groups do a great job finding forever homes for needy animals. Unfortunately, there are also bad apples who skirt the law; bringing in sick animals in poor conditions into the state. These entities avoid pet dealer regulations by hiding under not for profit status. No more: New York will now close this loophole, regulate these entities, and better protect these needy animals. I’d like to thank Governor Cuomo for his swift action in signing this important measure into law.”