BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — National Dog Day is quite the celebration in Western New York with owners showing off their pets across social media. But there's a reason buffalo is so good to our four-legged friends.
“I think it says a lot about the people. People who are willing to take chances on dogs. I think it says a lot about the people that they're not just willing to talk about how much they love animals, but to really act on it,” said Gina Lattuca, Chief Communications Officer at the SPCA Serving Erie County.
Rescues, shelters and SPCAs across Western New York collaborate to help find dogs forever homes.
“We support each other. It's not about a rescue or an independent name. It's about the community and supporting each other,” said January Vaughn, President of Be Their Voice Rescue.
“We have a dog right now that was actually rescued from the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter. They did a great job with the dog. A fantastic group Be Their Voice pulled the dog from the shelter. They tried finding this dog a home. Now, that dog is with the SPCA serving Erie County. We're looking to find him a home,” Lattuca said.
Reese is a 9-year-old dog who has had trouble finding a forever home because of his age.
Working together allows them to rescue dogs like Peaches from tough situations. Peaches is about a 5-month-old puppy who was rescued from Jamestown, N.Y. A neighbor said the puppy was extremely malnourished, so Be Their Voice stepped in.
“In Peaches’s situation she was a voiceless soul. She couldn't tell anyone that she was hungry,” Vaughn said.
Peaches will be available for adoption on September 8th.
Rescue groups have so much success locally they're able to take in dogs from across the country.
“We did transport over 40 dogs from the south that were all emergency cases. I believe in saving every animal no matter where they're from. It's about the four legs, the four paws,” Vaughn said.
“The point is we really see an entire community coming together,” said Lattuca.
