How 26 People Care for Thousands of Animals Every Year

When people think about animal shelters, they often imagine a place where animals wait for adoption while staff members walk dogs and clean kennels. The reality? It's so much bigger than that. And at Niagara SPCA, we're doing it all with just 26 people.

Twenty-six.

That's it. That's our entire team serving domestic companion animals and the people who love them across all of Niagara County. And here's the kicker: we're doing it without a penny of government funding. Every dollar comes from donations, grants, and the generous hearts of people who care about animals.

Let us paint you a picture of what those 26 people actually do every single day.

The Medical Team That Provides Care 24/7

Our veterinary staff doesn't just handle routine check-ups. They're running a full-scale animal hospital that operates on both scheduled appointments and emergency mode: simultaneously.

Emergency medical care can strike at any moment. A dog hit by a car rushes through our doors at 2 PM. A cat with a severe infection arrives just as we're closing. Injured or ill stray pets brought in by concerned neighbors. Our medical team pivots instantly, because that's what companion animals in crisis need. We provide care for domestic companion animals only—if you find injured wildlife, we'll help connect you with licensed wildlife rehabilitators.

But the emergencies don't stop the routine care. Every day, we're also providing:

Vaccinations for incoming animals

Health assessments for adoption candidates

Treatment for ongoing medical conditions

Post-surgical care and monitoring

Medication administration

And then there's our spay and neuter program. This isn't just a nice-to-have service: it's essential for controlling pet overpopulation. Our surgical team performs dozens of procedures each week, ensuring animals leave us unable to contribute to the homeless pet problem.

The Investigators and Rescue Team

When you hear "animal shelter," you might not immediately think "law enforcement," but that's exactly what part of our team does. Our animal cruelty investigators are out in the community, responding to reports of neglect, abuse, and abandonment.

These aren't easy calls. Our investigators see the worst of what humans can do to animals, then work tirelessly to remove animals from dangerous situations and build legal cases that protect future victims.

Beyond cruelty cases, our team is constantly picking up sick and injured animals throughout the county. Stray dogs, injured cats, and other domestic pets in distress: if a companion animal needs help in Niagara County, we're the ones people call. For wildlife concerns, we refer callers to licensed wildlife rehabilitators.

Processing Life Changes Daily

Every single day, animals arrive at our shelter and leave our shelter. That might sound simple, but each intake and adoption represents hours of paperwork, assessment, and care coordination.

Intake processing means:

Complete medical evaluations

Behavioral assessments

Documentation and record-keeping

Microchip scanning

Photography for our website

Creating care plans

Adoption processing involves:

Application reviews

Meet-and-greet coordination

Home visit scheduling (when needed)

Adoption counseling

Contract completion

Follow-up care instructions

The Hardest Decisions

Not every story has a happy ending, and our team carries the weight of that reality. Humane euthanasia is perhaps the most emotionally challenging part of our work, but it's a responsibility we take seriously.

Whether it's an animal suffering from untreatable medical conditions or severe behavioral issues that make adoption unsafe, these decisions are never made lightly. Our team provides dignity and peace to animals who can't be saved, ensuring their final moments are filled with kindness.

Behavior Experts in Action

Dog evaluations and behavior protocols happen around the clock. Every dog that comes through our doors gets assessed for temperament, energy level, training needs, and compatibility with different family situations.

Some dogs need intensive behavior modification before they're ready for adoption. Others need specialized training protocols. Our behavior team develops individualized plans, works with volunteers to implement training, and ensures every dog has the best possible chance at finding their forever home.

The Business Side Nobody Sees

Running a shelter means running a business: even when that business is saving lives. Someone has to pay the bills. Someone has to manage budgets, track expenses, and make sure the lights stay on and the medical equipment keeps working.

Our administrative team juggles:

Vendor payments

Utility bills

Equipment maintenance

Insurance policies

Payroll

Budget planning

Financial reporting

Fundraising: The Lifeline That Never Stops

Remember, we don't get government funding. Every dollar we spend comes from donations, which means fundraising is a 365-day-a-year job.

Our development team plans and executes:

Special events like our annual gala and adoption drives

Grant writing to secure funding from foundations

Major donor cultivation and stewardship

Direct mail appeals that reach thousands of supporters

Online fundraising campaigns

Corporate partnership development

Each funding stream requires different expertise, different timelines, and constant attention. One week our team might be writing a $50,000 grant proposal, the next they're coordinating volunteers for a community event that raises $5,000 in adoption fees.

Community Outreach and Education

We don't just wait for people to find us: we go out into the community. Our outreach and education team visits schools, participates in community events, and provides educational programs about responsible pet ownership.

These programs include:

Humane education in classrooms

Pet safety presentations

Community resource fairs

Senior center visits

Summer camp programs

Every interaction is an opportunity to prevent future animal homelessness through education and awareness.

The Daily Care That Never Ends

Behind every clean kennel, every fed animal, and every happy tail wag is someone on our team who showed up and did the work.

Cleaning isn't glamorous, but it's essential. Every dog kennel, cat room, and animal habitat gets cleaned daily: sometimes multiple times daily. Fresh water, clean bedding, sanitized surfaces. It's the foundation that keeps our animals healthy and comfortable.

But it's not just cleaning. Our animal care team also provides:

Exercise and enrichment activities

Socialization and human interaction

Grooming and basic hygiene care

Feeding (with special diets as needed)

Medication administration

Comfort during stressful times

The Digital Team

In 2025, managing social media and our website isn't optional: it's how we connect animals with families. Our digital team posts photos, writes adoption profiles, shares success stories, and maintains our online presence across multiple platforms.

Every adoptable animal needs professional photos and compelling descriptions. Every adoption success gets celebrated. Every fundraising campaign needs digital promotion. It's a full-time job keeping people connected to our mission online.

The Reality Check

So there you have it. Medical care, investigations, rescues, intake, adoption, euthanasia, behavior work, business management, fundraising, community outreach, education, daily animal care, and digital management. All of that. Every single day. With 26 people. Many filling multiple roles.

Serving domestic companion animals and the people who love them across all of Niagara County. Without government funding.

When you see a happy adoption photo on our social media, remember that it represents the work of multiple team members across multiple departments, all working together to make that happy ending possible.

The next time you visit our website, adopt an animal, or make a donation, know that you're supporting something pretty incredible. You're supporting 26 people who show up every day ready to move mountains for animals who can't advocate for themselves.

And honestly? We wouldn't have it any other way.

Ready to see some of the animals our amazing team of 26 has helped? Check out our adoptable dogs, adoptable cats, and other adoptable animals waiting for their forever homes.