NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — It’s been one day since board members, an executive director and a vet tech, all once connected to the Niagara SPCA came forward to the 7 Eyewitness News I-Team, revealing shocking allegations against the animal shelter. The allegations go back a year, and include poor medical care and staff not following internal policies.
Now, Niagara Falls Council member Kenny Tompkins wants answers.
“Here in the City of Niagara Falls, we hand over quite a bit of money to the Niagara SPCA, and it doesn’t seem like things are going the way they should,” he said.
Tompkins says the City of Niagara Falls is one of the shelter’s biggest donors, dishing out $300,000 a year for care for animals who may have been seized or picked up around the city. After our I-Team investigation aired Monday, he says he has major concerns.
“We’ve noticed the City doesn’t get all the paperwork we need from them. How many dogs they pick up, now we see this and wonder what’s going on over there.”
He added, “If they lost the City account, they would be in worlds of trouble. We’re the only one that pays them that amount of money.”
One of the biggest concerns for Tompkins and those who have come forward are allegations the shelter is not following its “no kill” policy. The policy states that a committee needs to be aware of any euthanasia and needs to sign off that that is an absolute last resort for the animal.
“The issue that we have not been able to determine because it happened prior to my starting is whether or not the staff at the SPCA was adequately notified of the new policy,” said Tim Brennan, the Executive Director of the Niagara SPCA. “Not one of them recall a discussion with the old executive director not one of them recall signing a copy of it.”
Documents obtained by 7 Eyewitness News show Brennan was present and did sign off on the no kill policy at a meeting August 22, 2018.
Tompkins is calling on Brennan to produce documents to the City pertaining to what the shelter is doing with the $300,000 of City funds.
