Tag: SPCA Serving Erie County

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 >>

 

 

TOUCHDOWN!
Buffalo Bills General Manager Brandon Beane and Wife Hayley Continue “Bills Muttfia” for SPCA Serving Erie County Animals

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

Give in honor of the Beanes and their Bills Muttfia HERE! >>

Hayley & Rob Lucas Talk Muttfia on Star 102.5 >>


The Beane Family

It’s official! For the third year in a row, Buffalo Bills’ General Manager Brandon Beane and wife Hayley will continue the Bills Muttfia program at the SPCA Serving Erie County!

For every home game touchdown scored by the Buffalo Bills, the Beanes will pay the adoption fee of one SPCA animal!

Dogs, cats, small animals, birds, reptiles, even farm animals will be drafted into the Bills Muttfia depending on the SPCA’s population on game day.  New Muttfia team members will be announced on the SPCA’s social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) at noon the next business day following each home game. 

“No matter what happens at work, good day, bad day, you win 40 to nothing, lose 40 to nothing, your dogs are fired up to see you when you come in the door, and that’s a cool feeling, the love and nurturing that they bring to the family,” Brandon Beane says in a BuffaloBills.com video focused on the Beanes and the importance of pet adoption.

“Brandon and I are so excited to start another season of Bills Muttfia!” says Hayley. “We love rescues, and have two of our own. Plus, it is heartwarming and inspiring to see the wonderful work done by the SPCA Serving Erie County. ” 

The Bills Muttfia program, conceived by the Beanes, picks up where Hauschpups left off.

Two years ago, the Beanes, staunch supporters of pet adoption and owners of two rescue dogs (Bodie and Peanut Beane, pictured here), immediately jumped at the chance to reimagine a program originated by former Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka and his wife, Lindsey, who paid the adoption fee of one dog, or “Hauschpup,” for every home field goal kicked.

Bills Muttfia meets the goal originated by Hauschpups:  help the SPCA Serving Erie County place animals with loving families more quickly.

To date, approximately $9000 in adoption fees have been paid by the Beanes, and more than 102 animals have been adopted through the Bills Muttfia program. In fact, one Muttfia draft pick, a guinea pig named Sherman, now sports the last name “Beane” after Hayley adopted him in December of 2021!

“I think adopting is so important because you have shelters that are just full,” added Hayley, who joined the SPCA Board of Directors last year. “We’re hoping for LOTS of touchdowns this season! GO, BILLS!”

This season’s Bills Muttfia draft will begin with the Buffalo Bills’ first home game Monday night, September 19, against the Tennessee Titans.

For more on Bills Muttfia, watch this BuffaloBills.com video or read Vic Carucci’s article in the Buffalo News.

See adoptable animals at the SPCA Serving Erie County >> 

Bills Muttfia Recipient of Bar Bill Golf Tournament >> >>

Bills Muttfia Included in Bills’ Community Honors >>

 

SPCA Takes Part in Maddie’s Fund We Foster Challenge

By Melanie Rushforth, Vice President of Veterinary Services

The SPCA Serving Erie County has been awarded funding for demonstrating success through the Maddie’s Fund We Foster Challenge! The SPCA Serving Erie County has not been awarded funding from Maddie’s Fund since 2019, so this is extra exciting for us.

The We Foster Challenge was designed to help shelter and rescue organizations create or expand community-based foster programs that inspire community members to get involved by proudly saying, “We foster! So can you!” As we shift towards a more community-centric model of animal welfare, it’s important to get everyone in the Western NY area involved. After all, fostering is a job just about anyone can do. Pet owners know the incredible bond that humans and animals have and the importance of keeping families together. Foster care is a powerful way to achieve that. That’s what the We Foster Challenge was all about. The process from start to finish involved an initial pitch of an innovative idea; selection to move onto the working portion of the challenge; reporting out on the results of the challenge; waiting while the experts at Maddie’s Fund evaluate our outcomes…and AWARD!

Throughout the month of May, the SPCA Serving Erie County highlighted Shadow Cats as our We Foster Challenge project. Shadow Cats is an ongoing internal initiative which works to meet shy or fearful cats where they are behaviorally to assist them in navigating the journey to becoming adoptable pets living out the rest of their lives in long-term homes. We are seeing a positive response regarding the acceptance of these shy cats just the way they are, so we expanded the adoption opportunities and housing of these cats to colony settings within the SPCA’s physical shelter as well. If you come to the SPCA, you’ll notice that one of our beautiful colony rooms is dedicated to a group of gorgeous Shadow Cats. While some Shadow Cats need to get out of the shelter to showcase their personalities, some are best kept with their buddies in the colony rooms that we have in our modern shelter. We let the cats help us understand what they need.

Shadow Cats are the best friend you don’t yet have. They are quiet, stealth, and maybe just need a little extra time to acclimate into your home before they settle into being a lap cat. Or perhaps they’ll remain the quiet and polite roommate that is grateful for your companionship and company…. from a distance. Shadow Cats offer the benefit of companionship without the burden of constant attention. They’re great pets for individuals that work from home, or individuals who might work nontraditional shifts. They’d be great roommates in apartments (they don’t need too much space!)

Pets are like people in so many ways, so why wouldn’t some of them be a little shyer than others?

This exciting Challenge was funded by Michelson Found Animals Foundation, Maddie’s Fund® and Cuddly in collaboration with Adopt-A-Pet.com, Adoptimize, American Pets Alive!, ASPCA, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement, Best Friends Animal Society, Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity (CARE), Community Cats Podcast, Greater Good Charities, HeARTS Speak, Humane Society of the United States, National Animal Care and Control Association, Petco Love, and PetSmart Charities. We are so grateful for the recognition of our part in this important shift in the work of animal welfare. This funding will allow the SPCA to continue to support animals needing a soft place to land outside of the shelter walls, and the supplies required of their loving foster families.

Want to get involved with fostering (or even adopting) your own Shadow Cat? Please contact the SPCA Serving Erie County’s Foster Care Department via email at FosterCare@YourSPCA.org or visit their page!

National Nonprofit Petco Love Invests in SPCA Serving Erie County to
Save and Improve the Lives of Pets in Erie County, New York

$25,000 grant was celebrated at local Petco event on July 21, 2022

 West Seneca, NY (July 2022) – The SPCA Serving Erie County received a $25,000 grant investment from national nonprofit Petco Love during a special celebration at West Seneca Petco in support of their lifesaving work for animals in Erie County.

Petco Love is a national nonprofit leading change for pets by harnessing the power of love to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since its founding in 1999, Petco Love has invested $330 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. And Petco Love helps find loving homes for pets in partnership with Petco and more than 4,000 organizations — like ours — across North America, with 6.5 million pets adopted and counting.

“Our investment in the SPCA Serving Erie County is part of more than $15M in investments recently announced by Petco Love to power local organizations across the country as part of our commitment to create a future in which no pet is unnecessarily euthanized,” said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. “Our local investments are only part of our strategy to empower animal lovers to drive lifesaving change right alongside us. We recently celebrated the one-year launch anniversary of Petco Love Lost, a national lost and found database that uses pet facial recognition technology to simplify the search for lost pets.”

“Of course, you can never predict when an emergency veterinary situation presents itself, but with this gift, Petco Love is giving the opportunity to ensure that pets stay with their families instead of being surrendered to our shelter or to another rescue organization,” said Bethany Kloc, Bethany Kloc, SPCA communications manager.

The SPCA Serving Erie County is committed to addressing the problems of violence, neglect, and apathy – problems that impact not only animals, but people of all ages, races, and income groups. Our priority as a humane society is to teach lessons of kindness and caring at every opportunity. By providing services for people and animals, we empower individuals to become caring, competent, responsible citizens who value animals as vital parts of our community. We foster a kind and gentle environment for the people and animals who come to our shelter seeking our protection. As the premier animal welfare agency in our community, we lend help to all who need it. Last year, the SPCA oversaw the adoption of more than 4,400 animals, the Wildlife Department cared for more than 3,800 animals, the Humane Education Department provided programs and services for thousands of adults and children, and SPCA Officers went out on 1,450 investigation calls. The SPCA has recently become a Human Animal Support Services (HASS) partner, ensuring that people and pets stay together.

Our team is growing!
There’s no better time to join the SPCA! Just click on the job title for the job description and learn how to apply!

SPCA EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

Educational Farm Associate

Humane Educator

 

Our goal at the SPCA Serving Erie County is to be a diverse and inclusive workforce that is representative of the community we serve in the most effective way possible. All employment decisions are decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

We’ll see you July 11 – 17 at PetSmart Amherst, Cheektowaga, Clarence, and Orchard Park!

–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer

Click on the image below to watch the full story:



–Gina Lattuca, SPCA Chief Communications Officer

FOURTH OF JULY, OUTDOOR FESTIVALS: No Picnic for Pets

June 29, 2022
By: SPCA Chief Communications Officer Gina Lattuca

The days immediately following July 4 can result in increased numbers of stray animals admitted to animal control facilities and humane societies, and often the explosive sound of fireworks is to blame. Fireworks cause many pets to panic, resulting in extreme and sometimes dangerous escape measures from homes or yards. Without identification, it is nearly impossible to reunite pet with owner.  Please keep the following tips in mind this holiday:

* 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 finds your animal, an ID collar that includes your phone number can lead to a faster reunion.

* DON’T TAKE ANIMALS TO FIREWORKS DISPLAYS. The sounds and sights of fireworks often have the ability to turn the most calm, quiet, and non-aggressive pet into a stressed, frightened animal. A startled animal may not only break free and run away, but may also bite. If you bring your dog to these events and realize it’s becoming too overwhelming for him or her, DO NOT KEEP YOUR DOG IN YOUR CAR FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME! The effects of heatstroke on even slightly warm days begin within mere minutes. and the results could be fatal.  Stressed animals confined to cars can not only die or suffer severe brain damage, but can also experience an overwhelming stress level that can cause physical harm to the pet, and/or damage to the vehicle’s interior. Home is the safest place for pets this holiday.

* HAVE SOMEONE HOME WITH NERVOUS PETS DURING FIREWORKS. If the animal is with someone he or she knows, the pet’s stress level will be greatly reduced. Keep the volume on a television or radio turned up to block some of the noise. ThunderShirts®  reportedly work to calm the anxiety felt by some dogs and cats when they can hear fireworks, thunder, even when they experience separation anxiety, and can be found in many local pet supply shops and online. Other anti-anxiety items are carried here in the SPCA’s Petique: (716) 875-7360, ext. 237.

New! * NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES FOR HOUNDS. This tip comes from the SPCA’s own Annual Giving Manager, Phil. He and his wife, Samantha, have a beautiful dog, Daenerys, who is very afraid of fireworks. Phil says, “We’ve tried everything to keep her calm, from vests to CBD, and nothing seems to work.” Phil and Samantha ordered custom-made noise-cancelling headphones especially for dogs. The headphones, which must be ordered in advance based on each dog’s specific measurements, contain Bluetooth technology which allows owners to stream their dogs’ most calming musical selections (decibal reduction for the dogs provide a “whisper volume”) directly into their ears. Here, Daenerys is pictured sporting her new headphones, which arrived only days before July 4. We’ll keep you posted on Daenerys’ review of this new calming approach! A simple online search will direct pet owners to the various companies offering these headphones.

If a pet manages to escape, community members can visit the SPCA’s Lost & Found/Stray Animals page at YourSPCA.org, which includes effective ways to find a lost pet. A link to local animal control facilities can also be found on that page.

 Home is also the safest place for pets on extremely hot days, during arts festivals, food festivals, and other crowded outdoor events.  Very hot weather paired with immense crowds of people and loud, strange noises heighten the stress level for many animals.  Your pet’s body is closer to the asphalt and can heat up quickly. The hot pavement can also burn unprotected, sensitive paw pads

See the SPCA’s additional, important reminders for keeping pets safe in the summer heat here >>

If you witness animal cruelty or see any animal in need of rescue or emergency assistance this summer, the SPCA Serving Erie County may be able to help. Please call the SPCA Monday through Sunday,
8 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., at (716) 875-7360, ext. 214.

See this story on WKBW-TV >>

See this story on WIVB-TV >>

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