Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Today marks the 20th annual SPCA Radiothon on WBEN, as we along with our fellow Audacy stations team up to help raise funds for the SPCA Serving Erie County.
When the new year rings in, 2023 will mean a new focus for the SPCA.
While the SPCA Serving Erie County will continue to provide adoptions and rescue animals, Cait Daly says there will be new points of focus in the new year, including the pet pantry program, and the Safe Program, which is temporary boarding, "our pet pantry program now includes all sorts of resources like crates, litter, toys, enrichment items, and our Safe Program has been expanded to include a wide variety of different reasons why people are experiencing temporary homelessness," says Daly. She adds there is a new behavior program where the SPCA is willing to help people with their pets who are struggling with some behavior needs. There are also vet subsidy programs to help individuals who are struggling to afford veterinary bills.
Daly says the new programs have a common purpose. "Because while we are an animal shelter, and one of our primary functions has always been to house animals, we do know that a shelter is a stressful place for an animal. So anytime we possibly can we want to keep that animal in the community and with the people that already loved them," explains Daly. She says with the pandemic and inflation, it's been a challenge for everyone to afford to pay vet bills. "We are trying to create a safety net so that no matter why you're struggling or how you're struggling, we want to be here to help you," says Daly.
She says your donations are key to the SPCA's success. "Donations really are the fuel of all of the work that we do because we are a private 501 C three organization. We don't receive any tax funding. We don't get any money from the big organizations that you might think would be giving us money we're really not getting that," says Daly. She says if you can donate your time by volunteering, the SPCA will appreciate that as well.
