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PUPS AT THE PEN Trainee Sora Receives the Best Graduation Gift of All: A New Family!
January 21, 2020
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
Erie County Jail Management Superintendent Tom Diina adopts inmate-trained pup
More than 50 dogs have graduated from the locally-dubbed “Pups at the Pen” program sponsored by the SPCA Serving Erie County and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office. But it took one dog’s eyes, resemblance to a pet recently lost, and charisma that jumped right out of the photo to catch the eye…and heart…of Tom Diina, Erie County jail management superintendent.
Pups at the Pen began in the summer of 2016 and allows dogs from the SPCA Serving Erie County to reside with female inmates at the Erie County Correctional Facility. The women are trained by a professional dog trainer to work with the dogs, providing a level of behavior lessons and attention that wouldn’t be possible in a shelter setting. The Erie County Sheriff’s Office credits the program as leading to better behavior by inmates at the facility and a reduced re-offense rate, while it helps shelter dogs learn important behavior lessons that contribute to faster adoptions.
In December, Sora, a one-year-old brown-eyed girl, was sent to the correctional facility as the SPCA’s latest Pups at the Pen candidate, and it didn’t take long for staff there to send Diina photos of their newest temporary resident. Noting a resemblance to a pet to whom the Diina family recently had to say sad goodbyes, Diina decided to meet Sora. The connection was immediate and led to the best grad gifts Sora could have hoped for six weeks later on graduation day: a new family and a new home!
Jan. 20, 2020 — Sora is the newest family member of the Diina family! Here, she and dad Tom prepare for the ride home from the Erie County Correctional Facility in Alden!
With the help of the SPCA’s Matt Cicatello and trainer Melissa Staniszewski of Sit n Stay Pet Services in Orchard Park, Monday’s graduation ceremony and adoption turned into a heartwarming story shared locally and by media outlets throughout the nation on Monday!
After two days in her new home, Diina tells us Sora has already made their home her own and is keeping her new four-footed sister, Marci, very busy!
Check out some of the stories as told by Newsradio 930 WBEN, WIVB-TV, WKBW-TV, Spectrum News, and just a few of the other news outlets elsewhere in the country that carried the story:
– ABC7 in NYC
– KMOV4 in St. Louis
– CBS 46 in Atlanta
For more information on Pups at the Pen or SPCA adoptions, please contact the SPCA Serving Erie County at 716-875-7360.
SPCA CONTINUES ‘TALE FOR TWO’ READING PROGRAM IN 2020
March 12, 2020: Program cancelled in March & April, 2020 in response to COVID-19 health concerns
January 7, 2020
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
Register your child for Tale for Two here >>
The SPCA Serving Erie County will continue its popular Tale for Two reading program throughout the 2020 school year!
Tale For Two encourages children ages 6 – 15 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 year’s reading sessions, available in groups of 6 sessions (program cost: $40 for 6 sessions; discounts on additional sessions) or 12 sessions (program cost: $70 for 12 sessions; discounts on additional sessions) are available on Tuesdays, 4:30 p.m.-7 p.m. at the SPCA’s 300 Harlem Rd., West Seneca shelter. Sibling discounts are available. Reading sessions are 30 minutes in length.
Children can bring their own reading materials, or make a selection from the SPCA’s library.
Register your child for Tale for Two here >>
Please contact SPCA Humane Education Director Christine Davis with questions: HumaneEducation@yourspca.org.
LOCAL BAKERIES: SUGAR-COATING THE HOLIDAY SEASON FOR THE SPCA SERVING ERIE COUNTY WITH “SWEETS UNLEASHED!”
November 27, 2019
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
This year, six local bakeries will brighten the spirits of animals at the SPCA Serving Erie County by participating in “Sweets Unleashed!”
December 1-12, visit one of these local bakeries for a special Sweets Unleashed deal! A portion of your fee will be donated to the SPCA Serving Erie County!
JUST SAY CHEESECAKE
106 Webster Street, North Tonawanda, NY 14120 * https://www.justsaycheesecakecafe.com/
($2 from every petit four sold will be donated)
DONUT KRAZE
365 Somerville Avenue, Tonawanda, NY 14150 * http://donutkrazebuffalo.com
($2 from every dozen donuts sold at Tonawanda location ONLY will be donated)
EARLY BIRD BAKERY & CAFÉ
85 Central Avenue, Lancaster, NY 14086 * https://www.earlybirdlancaster.com
(50 cents from every cinnamon bun sold will be donated)
FRY BABY DONUT COMPANY
336 S. Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14201 * https://www.facebook.com/FRYBABYDONUTS
(Item to be determined)
MUSCOREIL’S FINE DESSERTS, GOURMET CAKES & BISTRO
3960 Niagara Falls Boulevard, North Tonawanda, NY 14120 * https://muscoreils.com
($1.50-$5 per every bag of gourmet dog treats sold will be donated)
WHEATBERRY BAKE SHOP
3985 Harlem Road, Snyder, NY 14226 * http://www.wheatberrybakeshop.com
(15% of all vegan sales will be donated)
For more information, visit our Sweets Unleashed page here!
Buffalo Bills Visit SPCA Veterans in NFL’s ‘Salute to Service’
November 13, 2019
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
On Tuesday, November 12, 2019, members of the Buffalo Bills visited veterans connected in some way with the SPCA Serving Erie County as part of the NFL’s ‘Salute to Service’ program!
From the Buffalo Bills: “In recognition of the NFL’s Salute to Service campaign, the Buffalo Bills joined local military veterans at the SPCA Serving Erie County on Tuesday to engage with adoptable animals, and promote the good work the SPCA does for our community. The SPCA’s Paws & Patriots program was developed for veterans in our community in need of giving and receiving special love and attention, and for animals at the SPCA who need exactly the same.”
Honored for past or current service were Joseph Browning, Brian Buck (with SPCA Paws for Love dog Sam), Bruce Clugston, Peter Cooley, Keith Foss, Gary Gonzalez, Dennis Hennessey, Timothy Joyner (with SPCA Paws for Love dog Bruno), Anthony Lattuca, Ray Mandel, John Miller, Allan Monaco (with SPCA Paws for Love dog Jake), Richard Sansone (posthumous recognition), Steven Tuttle, and SPCA staff member Laura Zaranek.
Also on hand to add to the evening’s excitement were SPCA Paws for Love volunteers Brittany Betts (with Brody), Marcy Baumgarden (with Yankee and Dodger), and Deborah Williams (with Sam)!
The SPCA Serving Erie County extends a heartfelt thanks to the NFL and the Buffalo Bills for helping us honor veterans while shining a spotlight on the Paws and Patriots program here at the SPCA for the second year in a row.
If you are a veteran or active service man or woman and would like to learn more about the SPCA’s Paws and Patriots program, encouraging those who have served to work with SPCA shelter pets, please send an email to PawsandPatriots@yourspca.org.
Check out the Buffalo Bills’ photo album here, or by clicking the image below:
See WKBW-TV Ch. 7’s story here, or by clicking the image below:
See WIVB-TV Ch. 4’s story here, or by clicking the image below:
FROM THE DESK OF JOHN J. FLYNN, ERIE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
November 6, 2019
DOG DAYCARE WORKER PLEADS GUILTY TO FELONY CHARGE FOR BEATING DOG TO DEATH
Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 23-year-old Jarrod Dillman of Buffalo pleaded guilty before State Supreme Court Justice Russell P. Buscaglia to one count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, a felony. The defendant pleaded guilty to the highest charge.
On Saturday, August 3, 2019, the defendant, while working as a dog daycare attendant at PawPrints by Penny & Co. on Niagara Street in the City of Buffalo, caused the death of “Alessio,” a three-year-old Havanese mix. The defendant admitted to using a leash to throw the dog against a wall. He also repeatedly kicked the dog while wearing boots. A necropsy determined that “Alessio” died as a result of blunt force trauma. (Read the original story here.)
Dillman faces a maximum of 2 years in jail when he is sentenced on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. He remains released on $5,000 bond posted in Buffalo City Court.
DA Flynn commends the SPCA Serving Erie County, including Officers Paul LeShay, Amy Jaworski, and Lindsey Styborski, for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Erin E. Hart of the DA’s Animal Cruelty Unit.
SPCA LIGHTS OF LOVE 2019
November 1, 2019
By: Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer
The SPCA Serving Erie County is bringing back its Lights of Love program for the 2019 holiday season!
November 4 through December 12, those wishing to purchase a labeled Christmas tree light in honor of or in memory of people or pets who have touched their lives can do so through the SPCA. The lights will adorn trees in the organization’s 300 Harlem Rd., West Seneca shelter Adoptions lobby, and will remain lit through the end of the year.
“In Memory Of” white lights and “In Honor Of” colored lights are available for a $20 donation. A string of 12 lights is available for $180. All donations will help give shelter animals a second chance at happy, healthy lives filled with light and love.
Lights of Love is sponsored by Adams Nursery and Garden Center.
Purchase one or more lights here, or call Amber at the SPCA: 716-875-7360, ext. 230.
To celebrate the men and women of the armed services this Veterans Day, the SPCA Serving Erie County offers “Vets & Pets,” waiving adoption fees on most animals for individuals on active duty, reserves, and honorable discharge, along with service-disabled veterans and those retired from military service!
Vets & Pets begins Friday, November 1 and runs through Monday, November 11 at the SPCA’s 300 Harlem Rd., West Seneca shelter and all SPCA offsite adoption locations.
Photos of adoptable animals are available here, and a list of offsite adoption locations, their addresses, and photos of animals at these sites can be found here.
Military ID or DD214 will need to be presented.
Vets & Pets is proudly sponsored by the Buffalo Bills Foundation, philanthropist Nancy Gacioch of Buffalo, and Paul’s Jewelry Designs!
In fact, all this week, Paul will be offering custom-engraved pet ID tags for $19.95, with proceeds donated to the SPCA Serving Erie County! Pet ID tags are available in store at 12 N. Ellicott Creek Rd., Amherst, or pre-order online and pick up in store. For more information on pet ID tags, contact Paul’s Jewelry Designs at 716-691-0000 or paul@paulsdesigns.com.
More information to follow. Contact SPCA Adoptions with any questions: 716-875-7360, ext. 233.
SPCA ENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH WNYMedia.net
In recent years, the SPCA Serving Erie County has listed WNYMedia.net as one of its media partners. The media outlet provided the SPCA with fully-edited, high-quality adoptable animal videos, event videos, wildlife videos, etc. …videos that helped us place animals in new homes and helped the SPCA share with all of you information regarding its important work in animal rescue, rehabilitation, and other animal welfare issues. We appreciate the effort and skill that went into these pieces at no cost to the SPCA. Unfortunately, last weekend the SPCA was made aware of a situation in which the media outlet posted on its Facebook page a video of an animal available for adoption at the SPCA Serving Erie County, but added derogatory text to the post to further its opinion on a local, public figure, an opinion in no way shared by the SPCA. WNYMedia.net and its representative, Marc Odien, have publicly accepted full responsibility for the text portion of the post, absolving the SPCA Serving Erie County of any foreknowledge of or involvement in the opinion of this media outlet. However, due to our uncertainty of WNYMedia.net’s choices on how images, names, impressions, video, etc. on and/or in donated SPCA materials will be used to further opinions of the media outlet, we are forced to end our partnership with WNYMedia.net.
–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer
October 7, 2019
SPCA Receives South Carolina Dogs as St. Frances Animal Center Prepares for Hurricane Dorian
September 3, 2019
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
As the state of South Carolina prepares for the possible arrival of Hurricane Dorian, St. Frances Animal Center in Georgetown sent 70+ dogs (and five cats!) on the road yesterday in an effort to open up space that may be needed for animals displaced by the hurricane.
The truck’s first stop? The SPCA Serving Erie County, receiving 14 adult dogs and five pups at 6 a.m. this morning.
A full crew was on hand to assist with the transport of these animals to the West Seneca shelter. See videos that were taken live of the transport arrival (Video 1) and hear from Devon, part of the husband-and-wife team who drove these animals to safety through the night (Video 2).
The SPCA’s Animal Transport Coordinator, Barbara Frazier, who worked through the weekend making arrangements for this transport, applauds the work of the St. Frances Animal Center. “In addition to making room for possibly displaced dogs, these dogs were proactively moved out ahead of the hurricane due to the potential danger they would be in if or when the hurricane strikes, as the shelter is right on the east coast of South Carolina,” said Frazier.
Things to know about this transport and these animals:
-The animals received by the SPCA Serving Erie County this morning had been previously surrendered to a shelter by their owners. They are not animals who have been separated from their owners by a storm.
-None of the animals in the videos will be available for adoption today.
-Many of the adult dogs are already spayed/neutered. They will be examined today, and those without pressing medical needs will be slated for behavior evaluations. This could happen as early as later this week. The dogs will be listed on the SPCA website’s Adoptable Dogs page when they become available.
-The five puppies who arrived this morning are not medically prepared for adoption and still need vaccinations and other treatments, so they are being placed in foster homes. If a foster family decides to keep and adopt its foster pet, that animal will not be available for general adoption. The animals not adopted by their foster families will be listed on the SPCA website’s Adoptable Dogs page when they become available. Puppies are adopted very quickly and rarely spend the night at the SPCA once available. If you are interested in a transported puppy, remember to check that page several times throughout the day. To learn more about becoming a foster parent to a future animal in need, please visit the SPCA’s Foster Care page.
-Read more information on out-of-town animals accepted by the SPCA on our Animal Transports page.