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Adoptions and donations are gifts for people and animals at Batavia shelter

By Joanne Beck

Wednesday evening seemed to be the right time to check out what was going on at Genesee County Animal Shelter on West Main Street Road, Batavia. Evening hours provided opportunities for several folks to visit, adopt a pet and/or drop off generous donations.

Sara Rose donated edible goodies on behalf of Revival Salon in Batavia. The salon staff members “are all animal-loving people,” she said.

“We wanted to do something to make sure that they had something that made their holiday special,” Rose said. “We know that the shelter does rely a lot on donations for food and treats, so being able to contribute to it so they can keep running and keep the animals comfortable and happy brings us so much joy.”

Brothers Jonathan and Henry Maher, nine and six years old respectively, decided to take some of their allowance money and donate it to benefit the animals, and Kevin and Krista Kretschmer brought in oodles of assorted pet items. Volunteers For Animals has a wish list of needed items on its website, including dry cat and dog food (preferably Purina One), canned dog food, laundry soap, bleach, paper towels, non-clumping cat litter, dog collars and leashes, large nylabones, cat toys and Forever postage stamps. 

The nonprofit is an “all volunteer group” that funnels money donations “directly to the animals and their care,” member Wendy Castleman said.

“In 2020, 75 percent of the money we spent went towards veterinary care, which includes spaying and neutering all animals prior to adoption, as well as treatment of conditions like skin issues, upper respiratory, GI issues, broken bones and heart worm disease,” she said. “Monetary donations go a long way in helping the animals in the Shelter as well as in the community.”

Targeted areas for monetary donations include:

Veterinary Care: Volunteers For Animals pays for all the medical treatment of the animals that come through the Shelter to ensure that animals are healthy prior to adoption. The group purchases all medications, special foods, and supplies for the animals at the Genesee County Animal Shelter that the County does not supply.

Spay-Neuter Program: A huge goal has been to spay and neuter all animals prior to adoption, and to assist with low cost spay/neuter of pets in the community.

Rescue Dogs: VFA pulls dogs from high volume shelters and transports them to the Batavia-based shelter be adopted into the community.

Fundraising and Promotion: Advertising is done to publicize the shelter and adoptable animals through the VFA website, local media and mailings and events.

No matter what the donation is, homeless pets deserve the gesture, Rose said.

“I myself have always adopted my family dogs from the shelter,” she said. “And it's always been so heartbreaking to see these animals without families, especially at the holidays.” 

Shelter animals are checked out by a veterinarian and treated with vaccinations and routine tests as needed. Most of them are spayed or neutered before leaving the shelter or a $35 deposit is required, to be returned upon proof that the spay/neuter surgery has been completed. Fees are $60 for county dogs and cats and $50 to $150 for out-of-state rescues. 

To schedule a visit, call 585-343-6410, Option 7. For more information, check out vol4animals.org.

Top photo: Sara Rose of Revival Salon in Batavia brings in a donation of edible treats Wednesday evening for the animals at Genesee County Animal Shelter on West Main Street Road, Batavia. Bottom photos: Kevin and Krista Kretschmer donate a large assortment of items, a chart on the Volunteers For Animals website displays how donations are used, Ken Krueger adopts Princess, a cat makes itself comfortable in the greeting room and Mike and Patty Uzialko snap a photo of their future household addition, Juliette. Photos by Howard Owens

Black kitty with bell collar found Tuesday in Bethany now at GC Animal Shelter

By Billie Owens

This black kitty with a bell collar that was found Tuesday morning by reader Marcy Ewell at Suicide Corners (Route 20 and East Road) in Bethany was not claimed by its owner.

This afternoon Ewell told The Batavian the cat, which was "very cuddly and very hungry" when found, was turned over to the Genesee County Animal Shelter.

The Volunteers for Animals have posted about the lost pet and hope to find its owner. But if no one comes forward soon, it will be placed for adoption.

Stafford Summer Recreation Program Fundraiser

By Jack Keenan

Stafford's Summer Recreation Program donates proceeds from their annual Penny Carnival to Hearts for Hailey. The children raised 4 lbs of soda can tabs and 57 dollars in pennies. Hailey then donates all money raised from the tabs to CURE-for childhood cancer. This fundraiser waschosen by recreation director Renee Price, who teaches at leroy jr/sr High School where students also collect tabs for Haley, who attends Wolcott Street School.

 

 

 

Whole caboodle of kittens available at the shelter

By Julia Ferrini

There are plenty of kitties to choose from at the Genesee County Animal Shelter this Spring.

Sandy Stendts, a volunteer for Genesee County Animal Shelter’s Volunteers 4 Animals, suggests getting a kitten for that someone special in your life, be it dad, a new grad, or a senior citizen who would enjoy having a cute clown around the house.

Working with the animal shelter, the volunteers take in stray cats and kittens, as well as those that people no longer want or can't care for. Not only does the shelter house these animals, they also provide medical care including spaying or neutering.

Many of the kittens and cats are kept separated because “it’s like a daycare, when one gets sick, they all get sick.” However, the volunteers try to keep litter mates together. 

The shelter takes in as many as 550 cats and kittens annually. According to Stendts, the shelter could potentially take in as may as 1,000 per year, but there is just no room.

“Just the other day we had to turn away six litters”; and with an average four to six kittens per litter, well, the numbers multiply exponentially.

“The most I’ve seen, was a litter of 10,” Stendts said. “I’ve been doing this for five years and it’s not getting any better.

The shelter, working alongside Petco, Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, helps find foster and permanent homes for both cats and kittens.

“In working with Petco, we have found 1,000 animals homes,” Stendts said.

But that still doesn't meet the needs of this ever-burgeoning population.

According to Stendts, most kittens will be able to be taken home immediately. Others are available but may be too young to take home right away. The organization will not release an animal that still needs shots, neutering or spaying.

“All it takes is $40 to adopt a cat,” the veteran volunteer continued. “Every kitten is either spayed or neutered and has received all their shots. If you purchased a kitten elsewhere, the vet bill would be well over $200.”

The only requirement -- a cat carrier must be available to take the kitten home. The group also accepts cash or check. For further information visit www.vol4animals.org.

Adopt Me - Christy - Beautiful Shepherd Mix!

By Wendy Castleman

Christy is a sweet dog who loves people. She is a frequent visitor to the local nursing homes for Pet Therapy. She is very well behaved and really enjoys the interaction with the residents and stafff. She is pretty peppy and lively girl who just wiggles like crazy with you come to visit her. She is a beautiful dog with a thick, fuzzy coat - perfect for laying on the couch with on a cold winter night!

 

Christy is a spayed female shepherd mix. She is housebroken, good with large dogs. She needs to go to home with no cats or small dogs.

 

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Volunteers For Animals
PO Box 1621
Batavia, NY 14021
www.vol4animals.org
 
Working in partnership with:
Genesee County Animal Shelter
3841 W. Main Street Road
Batavia, NY 14020
(585)343-6410
 
Adoption Hours:
Sunday - Friday 1 - 3 pm (closed on Thursdays)
Wednesday 7 - 9 pm
Saturday 11 - 1 pm
 
When you adopt a shelter pet you help to save two lives: 
the one you bring home and the one who takes its place.
 
 

Help Volunteers for Animals Win the Shelter+ Challenge - VOTE!

By Elizabeth Downie

 

This information. and much more, can be found at The Animal Rescue Site.

To vote for Volunteers for Animals, please click HERE!


 

Hi!  I'm writing to tell you about The Animal Rescue Site $300,000 Shelter+ Challenge of 2012 - together with Petfinder.  The Animal Rescue Site is awarding $300,000 in grants to eligible Petfinder.com member rescue organizations to help animals.  The grand prize in each voting round is a $5,000 grant, and there are many other prizes!  Visit The Animal Rescue Site to vote every day and learn more.  You don't have to register, and voting is FREE!  Support your favorite shelter and vote today! 

How long is the Challenge, and how can we increase our chances?
This voting round begins on January 9, 2012, and ends at midnight (PT) on March 18, 2012. There will be other voting rounds throughout the year - more chances for your organization to win! The more friends you can rally to vote for your favorite rescue organization, the better its chances of winning. Every vote, every day counts - shelters can pull ahead even during the last few days with enough support. Get people involved! Your favorite rescue organization is counting on you!

What kind of grant could my shelter win?
Seventy (70) grants will be awarded for a total of $75,000 to eligible Petfinder.com members during the very first voting round of the 2012 Challenge. The grand prize will go to the eligible Petfinder.com organization with the highest accumulative votes for the duration of the Challenge as specified in the rules.

The Prizes Are:
Grand Prize:  One $5,000 grant!
Dark Horse Grand Prize:  One $2,000 grant!
Dark Horse Runners Up:  Five $1,000 grants.
State Winners:  Fifty-one $1,000 state grants
  (50 U.S. states and Washington D.C.)
Canadian Winners:  One $1,000 grant will be awarded.
International Winner:  One $1,000 grant will be awarded.
Weekly Winners:  Ten $1,000 grants will be awarded, one for each week of this voting round of the Shelter+ Challenge.

Check out our special cats and dogs from the Genesee County Animal Shelter on YouTube!

By Wendy Castleman

WE HAVE SOME ANIMALS WITH SOME SPECIAL NEEDS BUT DON’T BE SCARED. THEY JUST NEED SOME EXTRA LOVE AND CARE BUT MOST OF ALL THEY NEED A CHANCE. WE MADE SOME VIDEOS SO THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE JUST HOW WONDERFUL THEY ARE - SO TAKE A MOMENT, SIT BACK AND ENJOY. YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE TO CONNECT TO YouTube FOR A PEEK AT THESE GREAT ANIMALS.

 

THERE IS A $30 FEE FOR ALL ANIMALS, A $35 REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT FOR ANY ANIMAL NOT SPAYED OR NEUTERED, AND ALL DOGS MUST BE LICENSED BEFORE LEAVING THE SHELTER.

 

PLEASE CONSIDER ADOPTING A SHELTER ANIMAL TODAY! 

HOW SWEET IT IS TO BE LOVED BY YOU!
Maxine, Bruno & Scooter

TAKE A CHANCE ON ME! Socks the Cat

DUTCH vs THE SANDMAN 

I WANT TO BE LOVED BY YOU...  Missie the Cat

 

 

 

Young woman born in Batavia searching for birth family

By Howard B. Owens

Posted on a genealogy site:

I am searching for my birth family. I was born July 3 1979 in Batavia, New York. I was born at Genesee United Memorial Hospital in Batavia. I was a ward of the state until adopted at 3 months old. I am a 28 year old female with blonde hair and blue eyes. I grew up in Batavia and now live in Buffalo. I have many health problems. I had cervical cancer, I have Von Willebrand's (a bleeding disorder) and more. I am searching for my birth family - anyone who might still be around.

If you can help,  contact Megan at the link above.

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