The Finger Lakes SPCA of Central New York has launched a new program to improve the lives of the animals in its care.
Under the Animal Care Companion Standards Act signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in 2022 – the same legislation necessitating the shelter seek funds for critical facility upgrades – shelter animals need to receive at least 20 minutes of positive social interaction with a person per day. To meet this requirement, Executive Director Nick Lapresi told Finger Lakes News Radio that the SPCA has launched its Enrichment and Stress Reduction Program.
The program seeks to enrich the lives of the shelter’s dogs and cats and reduce stress by engaging with them in seven categories focusing on the senses of touch, taste, sight, sound, and smell along with play and training, according to Lapresi.
“Our idea is that every day we’re going to be hitting multiples of those different categories and try to enrich the dogs’ and cats’ lives here in different ways.”
For example, Lapresi said that using pinwheels and feather toys will engage a cat’s sense of sight while stalking games will do the same for dogs.
To ensure the success of its new program, the shelter is seeking the community’s support. An Amazon Wishlist has been created where individuals can purchase needed supplies for the SPCA. People can also drop off items such as toilet paper and paper towel tubes, almost empty peanut butter jars (Xylitol free), empty cereal boxes, and muffin tins to the SPCA at 41 York St in Auburn.
Additionally, volunteers are needed to participate in the program.
“If you’re looking for volunteer opportunities to come in and spend time with either the cats or the dogs here and do some really fun, unique games and help enrich their lives while they’re here, this is the perfect opportunity to come on down and volunteer with us.”
Lapresi said that volunteers will utilize tracking sheets to view each animal’s specific enrichment needs and then perform those activities with them.
For more information, you can visit the shelter in person, call 315-253-5841, or view their website.
This is only one of several programs launched by the SPCA this year. In May, the shelter launched its Ex-Paw-Dition Program, allowing people to take a dog with them for the day as a companion. Two months later, the shelter announced its Working Cat Program to provide an adoption mechanism for felines that may not be appropriate as house cats.
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