Erie County SPCA ‘nearing crisis situation,’ may temporarily restrict animal admissions

SPCA officials say their headquarters in West Seneca is running out of resources due to an increase in animal cruelty cases and a dwindling number of pet adoptions. Officials attribute those trends to cost of living increases, the end of New York’s eviction moratorium and the return to in-person work, among other issues.

The animal welfare organization has limited animal admissions the past few summers, when animal cruelty rates are the highest. But it’s worse this year, SPCA President Cait Daly said.

“We’re getting to the point where we’re only going to be able to take in the animals that need us most, so the animals who are severely emaciated or severely injured,” Daly told The Buffalo News. “We’re getting to the point where we simply don’t have the space for any animal other than those that desperately need to be here.”

A rise in animal cruelty is especially concerning because animals that are the victims of cruelty cases require more resources than other animals in the SPCA’s care, Daly said.

Since October, there have been hundreds of animal cruelty cases and seven animal cruelty arrests in Erie County. Many of those cases have resulted in felony charges, including one in which two UB football players are accused of hitting a miniature poodle with a belt, and another in which a Cheektowaga man is accused of trying to drown a family member’s dog.

Cases such as those require stringent documentation and even more resources from the SPCA, Daly said.

“Instead of a single injury, we might be seeing multiple injuries. Instead of a minor issue, we might be seeing an animal literally needing crisis interventions,” Daly said. “They’re just more severe cases, and they take a lot more time.”

The Erie…