Remembering Sandy Beach: A Voice for Buffalo—and a Voice for the Animals
August 21, 2026
By: Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca
Buffalo has lost a legend.
Sandy Beach was larger than life. He had a laugh you simply couldn’t resist—a contagious, unmistakable laugh that could fill a room and make you smile whether you wanted to or not. He had fans across the country, but here in Buffalo, his voice was woven into the fabric of our community for decades.
For the SPCA Serving Erie County, Sandy was so much more than a radio personality. He was a friend, an advocate, a champion—and, in countless cases, a voice for our animals.
Since 1990, even before…and long before social media gave organizations an instant way to reach the public…we could count on Sandy. If we needed to get the word out about an animal in desperate need, an important cruelty issue, an urgent community concern, or an animal whose life depended on finding the right person, Sandy made sure people heard about it during his shows on Newsradio 930 WBEN and Star 102.5 radio. It didn’t matter if it wasn’t part of the topic he had planned for his show. If it mattered to the animals, it mattered to Sandy.
Animals were a priority for him. Cats—especially his beloved Bengals and other kitties—held a particularly special place in his heart. But his compassion extended to every animal. Sandy gave the SPCA a regular weekly time slot on his long-running show to feature an animal looking for a home. Over the course of more than three decades, that simple act of kindness helped lead to hundreds, 
if not thousands, of adoptions. Listeners heard an animal’s story, fell in love, and opened their homes. Sandy helped make those miraculous connections happen.
He was also a pioneer of the SPCA Radiothon, helping transform it into an event that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the animals. Sandy was always thinking of ways to make it bigger, better and more meaningful. He introduced off-site locations that brought the Radiothon directly into the community and gave more people an opportunity to learn about the SPCA and become part of its mission.
But Sandy understood that the Radiothon wasn’t simply about raising money. It was about telling stories and shining a light on the work that often didn’t make the news—programs that changed lives and saved animals, including some of the most difficult and sensitive work the SPCA did that couldn’t always be discussed publicly.
And when an animal was abused, Sandy’s outrage was unmistakable.
Whether or not listeners agreed with his political views or his opinions about society, it was impossible not to appreciate his absolute, uncompromising position when it came to animal cruelty. His zero tolerance for anyone who mistreated an animal was genuine and fierce. His monologues—and sometimes entire shows—could become a passionate condemnation of anyone who failed to treat an animal with the respect and compassion it deserved. (Even rodents, despite the fact that Sandy was not particularly fond of them, and made sure we knew that!)
With the arrival of social media, the way we communicated changed, but Sandy’s commitment didn’t. He and his loving partner, Bernadette, continued to make sure animals from the SPCA Serving Erie County were front and center whenever they needed to be. When we had no media or marketing budget and needed a radio spot voiced, a program promoted, or an important message shared, Sandy didn’t ask what was in it for him. He simply helped.
No questions asked.
On a personal level, my connection to Sandy goes back to my first job out of college in 1988, when I had the incredible opportunity to work alongside him and his then-producer, Rob Lucas, at the radio station formerly known as Rock 102, in addition to Newsradio 930 WBEN.
Sandy taught me so much—how to communicate a message quickly, effectively and passionately for radio and other mediums, sometimes in only 10 or 20 seconds. He taught me what worked, and perhaps just as importantly, he taught me what didn’t.
When the Public Relations Director position at the SPCA was about to open in 1990, Sandy was one of the media representatives who confidentially let me know about the opportunity. He served as a reference for me and helped me get the job that would ultimately become such a meaningful part of my life. He kept me under his professional wing for the past 36 years, giving me advice on handling sensitive situations in the media, even when it meant scrapping plans that took me hours or days to put together. His favorite reminder to which he kept bringing me back: “Stop sidetracking. KEEP IT ABOUT THE ANIMALS.” Those lessons and hundreds of others stayed with me.
I will always be grateful for that.
Life in Buffalo will be different without Sandy Beach. The airwaves will be quieter without that unmistakable voice and that unforgettable laugh.
But his legacy is anything but quiet.
It lives in the animals who found homes because Sandy told their stories. It lives in the lives saved because he made sure people knew an animal needed help. It lives in the programs he helped make possible, the generosity he inspired, the people he educated, and the countless listeners who came to understand that animals deserved our protection, our compassion and our respect.
There are thousands of people—and thousands of pets—whose lives are different because Sandy Beach cared enough to use his extraordinary platform to make a difference.
We will miss his laugh.
We will miss his passion.
We will miss his voice.
But most of all, we will miss his friendship.
Thank you, Sandy, for more than 36 years of standing beside the animals—and beside all of us who loved them.
There are people who leave a mark on an organization, and then there are those who become part of its very foundation. George May was one of those rare individuals. Although he retired from the SPCA Serving Erie County in June 2000 after an extraordinary 46-year career, his presence has never truly left us. With the passing of George on July 16, 2026 at the age of 92, we mourn not only a beloved former superintendent, but a man whose character, compassion, and unwavering commitment helped shape generations of people—and changed the lives of countless animals.
* ENSURE ALL ANIMALS ARE WEARING CURRENT IDENTIFICATION! Even if the animal has microchip identification, place a collar with an ID tag on your pet. If a neighbor or passer-by finds your animal, an ID collar that includes your phone number can lead to a faster reunion. Remember, don’t limit a search for a lost pet to your geographical location! A frightened animal that bolts can travel long distances, and well-meaning community members trying to help may also transport the animal to an animal control facility or veterinary clinic in a different neighborhood. Find 
“Losing a pet can be deeply painful,” said Lentz. “For many people, pets are family members… companions… sources of comfort and support. When they’re gone, the loss can feel overwhelming… and it’s not always something others fully understand or know how to support. This is designed to be a welcoming group, providing a judgment-free environment for anyone coping with the loss of a pet for any reason.”
compassion. “Whether the loss is recent, or happened years ago, whether the loss was sudden or expected, all experiences of grief are valid here. Participants will be invited to share their stories, talk about their pets, and express emotions openly.”
They’re a little too temperamental to be considered perfect, in-home, companion cats. Some are even feral. What’s to be done about these categories of cats when agencies like the SPCA Serving Erie County receive them as surrendered animals, or as part of an animal hoarding situation or other type of animal rescue or cruelty case?
ensure proper placement, since not all of the cats will thrive in all of the settings. They also ensure there are enough people who will take full responsibility for the care and feeding of the cats throughout their lifetime.
become even more social and enjoy being present around people for longer periods of time.
to be one of the organizations with which FCF works in its 
and eternally grateful to the team at FCF for dedicating so many of their resources to these special cats with high work ethics.
Law that went into effect in 2003. Thanks to a legislative push in late 2018 that led to stronger laws concerning the tethering of dogs within Buffalo city limits, the SPCA and other law enforcement organizations can now take even more steps to ensure dogs are protected from the elements.
