Big Ponds Lions Blub Donates to BCHS

Photo: Jennifer L. Spencer, BCHS Executive Director and Larue Austin of the Big Pond Lions Club

Each year the Big Pond Lions Club partners with Fay’s Sugar Shack for the Annual Pancake Days. The Bradford County Humane Society not allow participates by having a booth at the event, but also provides volunteers to assist with cleaning, taking care of dishes, making coffee, and other ways of helping for the big day.

The Big Pond Lions Club recently donated $750.00 to BCHS from proceeds from Pancake Days. They also donated $250.00 as a memorial in honor of Joan Mullaly. Joan was the Treasurer on the BCHS Board of Directors for many years, until her sudden passing in March. Jennifer L. Spencer, BCHS Executive Director attended a recent meeting with the club members to speak on behalf of the shelter and to receive the donations.
 

The Bradford County Humane Society staff, board of directors, and animals thank the Big Pond Lions Club for their continued support.

Nursing Dog Needs Your Help

Recently an adult female Coonhound Mix came into the Bradford County Humane Society as a stray. After taking her to a vet it was determined that she had a past injury to her hips and pelvis area and was also pregnant. The staff at the shelter named her MeMe and she is a calm, sweet, loyal dog. Meme smiles, keeps her cage clean, and behaves well on a leash. She is medium to large in size. Due to difficulty during labor, MeMe needed to have an emergency cesarean section at a local veterinary hospital.

MeMe is in foster care right now resting, nursing her pups and will be available for adoption by mid-June. Her pups will also be available for adoption at that time.

Due to MeMe’s C-section a large veterinary bill in excess of $1,166 was paid by the Bradford County Humane Society. If you can help BCHS with this vet bill it would be greatly appreciated.

Last year alone, BCHS paid over $17,000 in vet bills not only for emergency surgeries for dogs hit by vehicles, or cats that needed leg and hip surgery, but also for regular check-ups at local vets for various BCHS shelter animals. BCHS takes great pride in providing each animal with the necessary veterinary care so they are healthy during their stay at the shelter up until their adoption into their “forever homes.”

Any donations towards MeMe’s vet bill will be helpful. You can send a check directly to BCHS at PO Box 179, Ulster, PA 18850 attn: MeMe

Photo: Meme with her pups, Theo and Marley

BCHS Announces Executive Director

The Bradford County Humane Society is proud to announce the promotion of the current Community Coordinator, Jennifer L. Spencer to Executive Director.

Spencer has worked as Community Coordinator at the shelter for over a year and brings a great deal of experience to her new role as Executive Director. “I am so pleased to have this opportunity to utilize my marketing and managing skills and be an advocate for the many homeless and abandoned animals that come into our shelter,” states Spencer.

“I first became involved BCHS by adopting dogs and cats over the years. I am such a lover of animals and truly believe that the public needs to think of adopting a pet from a shelter over buying from a breeder. There are so many wonderful dogs and cats waiting for their forever home.”

Two years ago Spencer adopted Grace, a Chihuahua that was born without her front legs. The little dog was found in a field and brought in by the dog warden. It wasn’t known if she would survive as she was extremely emaciated, covered with fleas, had back knee problems and a skin condition. After being cared for and nursed back to health by the compassionate shelter staff, Grace found a permanent home with Spencer where she is flourishing. Grace visits local schools, senior centers, nursing homes and businesses. “I think it is important for students to understand that animals can have disabilities just like humans but should be treated as equals. It teaches them to have compassion, empathy and kindness to others,” states Spencer.

Grace shares a home with Spencer, her husband Robert; Rudy, a Chihuahua also adopted from BCHS; Lucy the cat, adopted from BCHS; and Cooper, a Golden Retriever.

Spencer brings 13 years of Marketing and Public Relations experience to the humane shelter. Her role as Executive Director at BCHS involves writing press releases, radio announcements, newsletters, brochures, event planning, fundraising, grant writing, marketing and promotion of the shelter, and volunteer coordination. Spencer is also a member of the Central Bradford Chamber of Commerce. Her most recent positions were Marketing Specialist at Guthrie in Sayre, and Business Development Executive at Cull Martin & Associates in Vestal, NY.

Spring Rabies Clinic to be held April 21

On Saturday, April 21st from 10 - noon at Bishop's True Value in Ulster, there will be a rabies clinic. The Towanda Creek Animal Hospital, Nancy's Animal House and the Bradford County Humane Society are partnering to provide the public with low cost rabies shots for cats and dogs. The fee is $8.00 per vaccination. Cats must be in carriers, dogs must be on leashes. Please bring documentation of previous rabies shots.

Help protect your pets, family and community by having your pets vaccinated against rabies.

First Presbyterian Church Group Visits BCHS

On Saturday, April 7th, Pastor Rachel Stahle of the First Presbyterian Church in Towanda and her confirmation class visited the Bradford County Humane Society. The students and adults learned about the history of the shelter, facts on spaying and neutering, as well as the importance of properly caring for their pets. Then they were given a tour by BCHS Executive Director Jennifer L. Spencer and shown the proper way of walking the shelter dogs and grooming the shelter cats.

Fun was had by all as the students walked various dogs and played with the cats in the free roaming cat room and kittens that are up for adoption.

"We are so thankful for this church group for their interest in our shelter and for wanting to spend time with our homeless animals. I know the dogs and cats enjoyed themselves!" stated Spencer.

Pastor Rachel Stahle said that working with the animals at the Humane Society in Ulster was the students' idea. "They really wanted to help out the animals and we are so proud of them," stated Stahle.

A huge Thank You goes out to Pastor Stahle and her confirmation group!

Thank You BCHS Volunteers

During this National Volunteer Week from April 15th - April 21st, the Bradford County Humane Society would like to honor the hundreds of volunteers who have kept the Ulster shelter functioning for more than 37 years and the many new volunteers who will work with us for years to come.

Volunteers do everything from walking dogs, socializing and grooming cats, working at fundraisers, to baking dog biscuits, transporting pets, donating dog coops; from calling in cruelty cases to bringing in lost pets and collecting and dropping off supplies.

In so many ways, we recognize that you have given unselfishly to support this cause. Without the assistance of volunteers, our mission of alleviating pain and suffering of animals and promoting the humane treatment of all living things would not be possible.

Thank you, shelter volunteers, for creating so many happy endings for so many of our needy animal companions for so many years. The BCHS Board of Directors and staff thank each and every one of you.

April is "Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month"

To help educate the public, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has made April "Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month." People are urged to spend time this month to educate themselves and others about existing animal cruelty laws and to support pending legislation.

Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month is 30 days where every day we can show our support of animals and tell everyone and anyone “we stand together and will not tolerate abuse and neglect of animals!”

According to the ASPCA website, thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have passed laws that make intentional cruelty a felony charge. Intentional abuse is just that – hitting, choking, kicking, deliberate starvation, etc. Unintentional abuse comes from ignorance; the abuser does not know how to care for the pet.

If you suspect someone is abusing a pet, don't confront that person directly. This is for your own safety, and the long-term interest of the pet. Call the police or your local animal control officer.

“Our Humane Investigations department responds to over 400 requests for service each year in Bradford County and now Sullivan County,” states Jennifer L. Spencer, Executive Directors at Bradford County Humane Society. “We hope to bring those numbers down by continuing to engage the hearts, hands and minds of the public and being a strong voice for animals.”

“Many of the reported cases of cruelty we investigate have a close parallel to weather,” states Humane Officer Hawbaker, from Bradford County Humane Society. “Many of the calls are seasonal related. Examples include pets being left outside in the summer heat with no water and situations where animals are left out in the extreme cold without shelter.”

“Humane education gives Bradford County Humane Society the ability to prevent animal cruelty before it starts,” states Jennifer L. Spencer. “Our focus is to help students develop compassion, empathy, and respect for animals. We can change attitudes regarding what is acceptable and what is not when it comes to how animals should be treated.”

Physical Signs of Animal Abuse

· Collar so tight that it has caused a neck wound or has become embedded in the pet’s neck
· Open wounds, signs of multiple healed wounds or an ongoing injury or illness that isn’t being treated
· Untreated skin conditions that have caused loss of hair, scaly skin, bumps or rashes
· Extreme thinness or emaciation—bones may be visible
· Fur infested with fleas, ticks or other parasites
· Patches of bumpy, scaly skin rashes
· Signs of inadequate grooming, such as extreme matting of fur, overgrown nails and dirty coat
· Weakness, limping or the inability to stand or walk normally
· Heavy discharge from eyes or nose
· An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal
· Visible signs of confusion or extreme drowsiness

Environmental Signs of Animal Abuse
· Pets are tied up alone outside for long periods of time without adequate food or water, or with food or water that is unsanitary
· Pets are kept outside in inclement weather without access to adequate shelter
· Pets are kept in an area littered with feces, garbage, broken glass or other objects that could harm them
· Animals are housed in kennels or cages (very often crowded in with other animals) that are too small to allow them to stand, turn around and make normal movements possibly with too many other animals

Animal abuse does not only relate to cats and dogs, livestock in our area also are included.

“Reporting suspected animal cruelty ensures that animals in jeopardy receive prompt and often lifesaving care,” says BCHS Humane Officer Hawbaker. “By making a complaint to the police or humane society in your area—you can even do so anonymously—you help ensure that animals in need are rescued and that perpetrators of animal cruelty are brought to justice.”

When you read this please take a moment to sit in silence and send your love out to all the animals that died at the hands of someone who abused or neglected them. Vow that you will do whatever you can to make a difference so they didn’t die in vain.

To report Animal Abuse, please call the Bradford County Humane Society’s Humane Officer at 570-888-4763.

For questions on adopting animals or Bradford County Humane Society programs and services please call 570-888-2114.