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.

See additional Tale for Two photos 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:

For more information, please contact Terry Belke: Terry.Belke@wgrz.com

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.

From the Amherst Bee: click the image below to see how Amherst Middle School is dedicating the year to helping the SPCA Serving Erie County’s “Paws for Love” program!


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.

 

Read about Officer McCormick’s rescue of Harry the Beagle and listen to the entire SPCA Bravery Award press conference from Oct. 22, 2019 by clicking the image below!



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, 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 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.

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