Cats being found in walls at WyoCo SPCA

ATTICA, N.Y. (WIVB) - Cats are still being chased down at the Wyoming County SPCA, after State Police raided the shelter on Wednesday. More volunteers who quit the shelter are coming forward with disturbing information.

The questions involve the shelter's manager, Susan DiVila. They deal with the medicating of cats, and the handling of money that came in through donations. Two days after the raid, there are still cats on the loose inside the shelter.

About a dozen animal rescue groups are taking as many cats as they can from the Wyoming County SPCA and its satellite adoption center at the Eastern Hills Mall in Clarence. About 500 cats are being examined, some still "coming out of the woodwork," according to Erie County SPCA personnel, who are lending a hand.

Erie County SPCA deputy director Beth Shapiro said, "There still cats that remain in the walls, in the ceiling."

Following Wednesday's State Police raid on the shelter, its manager, Susan DaVila was taken in for questioning. Former volunteers say she became a hoarder of cats, sometimes medicating them herself, without a veterinarian examining them. Some on her board, they say, added to the problems.

One of the whistle blowers tells News 4 some of the board members would go out of their way, catching what appeared to be stray cats, sometimes in a field, and then bringing the cats back to the shelter here. Sometimes people's pets would disappear, according to Chris Wiehe.

"It was a barn cat, and she knew that Wyoming County [SPCA] had snuck in there and taken it. On private property," Wiehe said.

Then there are questions about Sue DaVila's handling of donation money, and where it went. One former volunteer told News 4 she saw her empty a donation jar into her pocket. There was no accounting for any of the money, she said.

The volunteer said, "We did have a volunteer program where we gave money for spay and neutering program, and we were never given an accountability of what was going on with this money."

The Wyoming County District Attorney's Office is still investigating.