Re-opening of Wyoming County SPCA

ATTICA, N.Y (WIVB) - After a tumultuous year, the Wyoming County SPCA has re-opened. State Police shut down the No-Kill shelter in February after finding 500 cats inside.

With the ribbon cutting ceremony, it is a new beginning for the SPCA and new leaders have new ideas on how to prevent the same issues that led to the shutdown of the No-Kill shelter.

Shelter manager Jennifer Volpe says, " We have a lot of adoption idea programs. Such as senior for senior. A senior cat for a senior citizen, which would be free. My favorite is the mini panther, which is a special on black cats."

The business hopes to send cats home with new families faster than they take in homeless cats. However, this will be a challenge seeing as even before opening the SPCA back up, they received six cats, five kittens, and two dogs.

The shelter has set a limit of 75 cats which is far fewer than the 500 cats that overtook the shelter earlier this year with some even living inside the walls.

The new shelter manager Volpe, has a waiting list for people who want to bring in cats; she is hoping people don't just drop them off at the front door like they used to.

"I understand some people drop off cats. I'm hoping the public understand I'll work with them, if they work with me," says Volpe.

The former leadership included Susan Davila, who died unexpectedly in July while awaiting animal cruelty charges.

Volpe says one problem with the former leadership is too many people were denied the chance to adopt the animals for strange reasons.

After the shutdown, volunteers gave their time and money to get the SPCA up to code and able to re-open.

To avoid overcrowding, Volpe admits it will be hard to tell some people "no." Volpe says, "But I gotta think of the shelter too, and what's best for the animals that are in the shelter."

The Wyoming County SPCA Shelter will be open six days a week, closed on Mondays. If you want to get on the waiting list to bring in cats to the shelter, they encourage to call ahead of time.