Buffalo Rising Online

Sep 12th 2008, 9:14am By Corinne Eberwine

Although their name suggests otherwise, you might be surprised to find that the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter provides just as many services to Buffalo residents of the human variety as they do for the furry, four-legged kind. Along with their goals of providing "food, care, shelter and comfort to injured, abused, lost and abandoned animals," they also reunite families with their lost pets and adopt animals into loving, responsible homes, but their primary function is to provide Buffalo residents with the very important service of dog control.

"We're here to enforce ordinances of the City of Buffalo," the shelter's director, Kelly McCartney said. "Things like licenses, roaming at large, nuisance/quality of life issues like barking dogs, unwholesome conditions...we're here to serve the constituents of Buffalo."

Anibal Sepulveda, one of the shelter's Dog Control Officers, agrees, "Not a day goes by that we don't get a call about a stray dog." And they have their hands full; they're not only concerned with the safety animals and our community on public streets, but in private residences as well.

"We'll get calls from people, for example, who say they have a neighbor next door with X amount of dogs or cats, and they don't think they're in the best conditions. So we go over and investigate." Too often they find cases of serious neglect and even abuse. "Some places you find that are just filthy—there's feces all over, the animals all have fleas, and many times they're sick," he says, shaking his head. "Depending on the condition of the animal, we have the right to remove them from unwholesome environments."

Just such a case occurred a few weeks ago, when a domestic disturbance brought the police to a local residence. Animal Control was called in upon the discovery of a starving dog, kept locked in a small laundry room. "It was so hot in there, it was like a sauna. The dog was so thin you could see his ribs—and it wasn't the kind of breed where that is normal. It was skin and bones, and so weak it could barely walk," Sepulveda said. He then worked with the police and had the owner arrested on animal cruelty charges. Fortunately, this was one of the cases with a happy ending. The dog was taken into the shelter, examined, nursed back to health, and a former shelter employee took it in under foster care, which led to adoption. "He looks great now, is happy and healthy. The difference is amazing," Sepulvida said. "It's one of the happy ending stories."

Animals and pet owners alike often benefit from all the work the shelter does. The walls are covered with thank you notes and photos of newly adopted animals and their happy owners, and there are several photo albums entitled "Happy Endings" for visitors to look through. For pet owners—and potential pet owners—the services of the shelter range from taking in strays, to reuniting lost animals with their families, to arranging for suitable adoptions; when an animal is in need of care, they are there to give it.

This dedication to pet well-being sometimes means taking in animals when owners can no longer care for them. "Regardless of the reason, we'll take them in. If it's a healthy, adoptable animal, we'll put them up," McCartney assures. There is a fee for surrendered animals—and it should only be considered as a last resort—but if it comes down to the difference between an animal being loved and taken care of or not, bringing them in for surrender is a viable option. As long as the vet evaluation determines that the animal is not violent and has not tested positive for any dangerous contagious diseases, they are eligible for adoption.

The adoption process consists of a short application and agreement form, and two forms of ID. McCartney says the application process is set up in large part to limit returns. "We hate to see an animal adopted only to be brought back two weeks later when their landlord finds out and tells them they can't keep it." So references and homeownership or and landlord policies are checked. To further insure a smooth transition and long-lasting relationship, the shelter facilitates compatible matches for adoption.

"We match up individuals' lifestyles to the kinds of animals that would work with them. For someone who isn't home a lot, a real high-energy dog or a puppy isn't the best choice for them," she explains. The shelter can also refer pet owners to specific organizations for various pet issues. "A lot of times there are situations where (pet owners) just don't know what to do, and they end up surrendering them to a shelter," McCartney said. The shelter also counsels owners regarding any problems they might have, so that they can keep their pets without sacrificing their quality-of-life.

One of the difficulties the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter is exposing the community to the animals they have available for adoption. To help with this, their Pet Adoption Wagon Service (PAWS) can be seen all around town participating in things like family days, kids' fairs and area festivals. PAWS provides adoption awareness and introduces the public to adoptable animals. "Getting them out into the community is so important," McCartney said. So for connections to be made, many times the animals have to be brought to the potential owners.

With all the work they have to do on a regular basis, they are always welcoming volunteers willing to help out. Contact them for more information on volunteering opportunities or to find out about other ways you can help their cause.

City of Buffalo Animal Shelter 380 North Oak Street 851-5694 www.bflocityshelter.petfinder.com

Above: Shelter Director Kelly McCartney