for the animals - Chemung County SPCA

for the animals
“Natasha”
Adopted Jan. 2010
Spring 2010
For The Animals is published by
the Chemung County Humane Society &
SPCA, a non-profit organization
dedicated to the welfare of animals.
Our Vision
The Chemung County Humane
Society & SPCA envisions a time
when loving and lifelong homes
will be provided for all homeless
companion animals in our community.
What’s Inside
Pages 2 - 3
Message from the Director
Humane Lobby Day 2010
Wish List
Pages 4 - 5
Dog Safety for Children
Calendar of Events
Teeter’s Story
Q and A with Barbara McLean
Summer Pet Safety
Pages 6 - 7
Vet’s Corner
Introducing Heather Murley, DVM
Message From the Board
Pages 8 - 9
Little Voices Making a Big Difference
Volunteer Profile
A French Connection
A New Look for Employees
1st Annual Putt fore Paws Registration form
Pages 10 - 11
1st Annual Putt fore Paws Sponsorship form
Fundraising Update
Honorarium and Memorial List
Introducing Our New Volunteer Program
Volunteers will now receive a
bag filled with goodies when they
volunteer at the Chemung County
SPCA.
The Chemung County Humane Society and SPCA’s volunteer
program got a makeover! At the beginning of this year, we
changed the way people volunteer at the shelter to help the
program better meet the needs of the organization. There are
new trainings, new time commitments and new perks.
The program starts with a general volunteer orientation where
interested individuals learn the ins and outs of the program,
including the new time requirement (volunteers are asked to
commit to at least four hours a month). After attending the
general volunteer training, there are four additional sessions.
The first one is the shelter life training which introduces
volunteers to the organization, what we do, who we are and
our policies and procedures. This also includes a match-maker
training where volunteers will learn how to talk to the public
about our animals, as well as the cat cuddling training to become
familiar with the cat handling procedures.
Next comes the dog walking training to teach volunteers how
to safely handle shelter dogs. Lastly, volunteers who wish to participate in offsite events
take an events training class where they learn how to answer frequently asked questions and
represent the shelter at adopt-a-thons and other offsite events. Training sessions are held
every other month and are offered on Thursdays, Fridays
and Saturdays to accommodate all schedules.
In addition to the multiple trainings that volunteers attend,
they will receive a welcome kit including an SPCA
bag, name tag, T-shirt, bracelet, fanny pack, whistle, dog
walking leash and folder to hold all printed volunteer
materials. A $25 fee covers the cost of these necessary
items.
For more information on the new volunteer program, or
to sign up for the next general volunteer orientation that
will be held on June 5 at the Big Flats Community Center
The fanny pack that volunteers will use
to carry treats and waste bags.
from 1 to 3 p.m., please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Liz Sowell, at 607-732-1827
Ext. 210.
Chemung County Humane Society & SPCA, Inc.
2435 State Route 352, Elmira, NY 14903
Phone: 607-732-1827 Fax: 607-732-6351
www.chemungspca.org

Message from the Director
A lot has happened since our last newsletter, and
probably the most important item to report was that
we met our 2009 fundraising goal of $350,000. We
could not have done this without the support of
people like you.
We have also welcomed some new people to the
Chemung County SPCA staff. The first is Brittany
Sprague, our new Offsite Event Coordinator. Brittany
will now be escorting our animals to their many
offsite appearances and presentations. Heather Murley,
DVM, is joining our staff as our new Veterinarian
of Record. Dr. Murley will be at the shelter two
times a month to look after the shelter animals and
to evaluate their health. To read more about Dr. Murley’s role in our organization, please see Page
7. We’d also like to welcome back Leanne Falkingham in her new role as our Animal Behavior,
Training and Outreach Manager. You can read more about Leanne on Page 11.
I’m excited to say that Spay Day 2010 (February 23) was very successful. This year we had eight
area veterinarians participate and donate their services to spay and neuter 31 shelter animals. We
want to say a big thank you to the following veterinary practices: Broadway Animal Hospital,
Chemung Valley Veterinary Clinic, Compassionate Companion Care, Lake Road Animal Hospital,
Towne & Country Animal Hospital, Agape Veterinary Clinic, Corning Animal Hospital and
Rio Vista Veterinary Hospital. Also on Spay Day, we offered free adoptions of any fixed animal
which was a huge success. We adopted out seven cats and two dogs under this promotion. Please
see page 5 of the newsletter for insight into why we chose to run this promotion and the motives
behind it.
We have a busy year ahead of us. We have added a new event to our repertoire of fundraising
activities. This year we will hold our first ever Putt fore Paws golf tournament at the Willowcreek
Golf Course on Friday, June 18. If you’re interested in playing, make sure to go to our Web site,
www.chemungspca.org, and sign up online under the Events link. If you would like us to send
you a registration form, please make sure to call us at 607-732-1827. You can find an update
about our fundraising progress for this year on Page 11.
Remember to stay tuned for everything happening at the Chemung County SPCA by becoming
a fan on Facebook, following us on Twitter, watching our videos on YouTube and browsing our
photos on Flickr.
Wishing you health and happiness,
Barbara A. McLean, Executive Director
For the Animals
Publication Information
For the Animals is published semiannually
in the Spring and Fall.
Contributors to this edition of For
the Animals:
Joshua Clay, VMD, Corning Animal
Hospital
Jennifer Farrel, Staff, Chemung
County SPCA
Darryl Heckle, President, Chemung
County SPCA Board of Directors
Audrianna Jones, Staff, Chemung
County SPCA
Cindy Lewis-Black, Development
Coordinator, Chemung County
SPCA
Betty Ling, Volunteer, Chemung
County SPCA
Barbara McLean, Executive Director,
Chemung County SPCA
Paulette Millan, Volunteer, SPA
Limoges
Marcia McPherson, Volunteer,
Chemung County SPCA
Heather Murley, DVM, Veterinarian
of Record, Chemung County
SPCA
Fran Pack, Administrative Assistant,
Chemung County SPCA
Liz Sowell,Volunteer Coordinator,
Chemung County SPCA
Jaclyn Welles, Public Relations and
Marketing Coordinator, Chemung
County SPCA
Susan Wenzel-Bertelsen, Chief
Humane Officer, Chemung County
SPCA
We want to hear from you. Please
submit questions, comments or advertising
inquires to Jaclyn Welles at
publicrelations@chemungspca.org,
or call her at 607-732-1827.
2

A Voice for the Voiceless: Humane Lobby Day 2010
Chemung County Humane Society and SPCA employees, Barbara
McLean, Susan Wenzel-Bertelsen and Jaclyn Welles at Humane Lobby
Day in Albany, New York on March 24.
This year marked the Chemung
County Humane Society and
SPCA’s first Humane Lobby Day
in Albany. This animal-conscious
day is sponsored each year by the
Humane Society of the United
States and works to educate animal
lovers from around New York
State about upcoming legislation
that would help improve the lives
of animals. Three representatives
from the Chemung County SPCA,
Barbara McLean, Executive
Director, Susan Wenzel-Bertelsen,
Chief Humane Officer and Jaclyn
Welles, Public Relations and
Marketing Coordinator joined
more than 150 people at this event.
The day started with a meeting to educate attendees on key legislation coming before the
legislature and ended with attendees meeting with their legislators about the upcoming bills.
The five bills discussed that day were: S. 3926 A. 6287 to strengthen NY’s animal fighting
laws, S. 5392 A. 6788 to stop puppy mills, S. 3223 A. 6788 to end canned shoots of captive
exotic wildlife, A. 8163 to protect farm animals from intensive confinement and A. 9732 to
ban the cruel tail docking of cows. Attendees heard speeches from several sponsors of each bill
about the ramifications and reach of each issue.
All and all, it was a very eye opening day. You can find out more about these bills by going
to our Web site at www.chemungspca.org and clicking on the News section to access a link to
position papers provided by the Humane Society of the United States. We urge you to contact
your State Senator and Assemblyman and tell them that these issues are important to you. If
you live in Chemung County, your State Senator is George Winner
and your Assemblyman is Thomas O’Mara (you can find their contact
information below). Without your legislators’ support, these bills might
not see a vote. This is something the animals in New York State
just can’t afford.
Wish List
Immediate Need
Baby food - meat only (no veggies
please)
Canned cat food
Canned dog food
Dog Advantage 55 Lbs and over
Dry cat food
Dry dog food
Canned puppy food (“loaf-style”, not
chunky)
Hot dogs - used for enrichment
High efficiency laundry detergent
Milk replacer for kittens
Paper towels
Printer paper
Sam’s Club gift cards
9 volt batteries
Special Needs/Projects
16” x 28” air filters
Agility course tunnel for dogs
Cherry pit packs/homemade rice heating
packs (call our office if you need
more information)
Force dryer (dog grooming dryer)
Industrial washer and dryer
Light bulbs
Riding mower
For a complete wish list, please go to
www.chemungspca.org and click on
the Donate tab.
George H. Winner Jr., State
Senator
winner@senate.state.ny.us
(518) 455-2091
Legislative Office Bldg, Rm 415
Albany, New York 12247
Tom O’Mara State
Representative
omarat@assembly.state.ny.us
(518) 455-4538
Legislative Office Bldg, Rm 720
Albany, New York 12248
Boomer tested
and
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Carrying:
Blue Seal, Innova, California
Natural, Premium Edge, Taste
of the Wild and many more...
3

Dog Safety Tips For Children
What To Do If a Strange Dog Comes Up To You
As the weather gets warmer, more people are enjoying the sunshine with their furry
friends. Now, more than ever, it’s important to teach your children, or the children you
love, how to interact with dogs. Here are a few tips courtesy of the American Kennel
Club on how children should approach dogs with owners and some more helpful tips on
what to do if a strange dog approaches you.
How to Greet a Dog
• Always walk slowly to the dog’s owner to ask if you can pet the dog.
• It’s important to receive permission before petting the dog. If the owner says “no,”
politely accept the answer, and don’t pet the dog.
• If the owner says “yes,” curl your hand into a closed fist with the back of your hand
facing upward. Extend your hand slowly to the dog.
• Allow the dog to sniff the back of your hand. We recognize people on sight; dogs
recognize people by scent. Dogs sniff people to learn their scent.
• After the dog has sniffed your hand and has become familiar with you, pet it gently
under the chin or on the chest.
Tell children to make like a “tree” as a loose dog approaches them. This means:
• Stand very still and quiet like a tree, and do not run away because this will cause the dog to chase you.
• Cross your arms over your chest, as if you are giving yourself a great big hug. (This shape forms the trunk of your tree.)
• Look away from the dog. Dogs think direct eye contact is a challenge for power and control. You do not want to challenge the dog. You
want the dog to go away.
• Wait until the dog goes away or help comes.
Hopefully these tips will be a great starting point to talk to your children about animal safety.
Teeter’s Story
Calendar of Events
May 15 - SPCA Benefit Show at the Starlite Room
May 22 - Schwan’s Fundraising Event
June 18 - Putt fore Paws Golf Tournament
July 7 - Bark in the Park Day at the Elmira Pioneer’s Game
September 18- Annual Walk N’ Wag
Check out more events, including monthly specials, online at
www.chemungspca.org.
When Teeter, a one-year-old Labrador Retriever and Chow Chow mix, was found as a stray, he
walked with a limp and it was obvious he was in a great deal of pain. After a vet visit, it was
determined that his leg had previously been broken and had healed incorrectly.
In order to eliminate the pain and restore Teeter to a happy, healthy dog, the limb had to be
amputated. Teeter underwent surgery to amputate his leg, which was paid for using the Animal
Rescue Fund. When Teeter returned, he was a three-legged dog.
We thought finding the right home for him was going
to be a challenge because of his physical status,
Teeter at the shelter with his broken limb.
but fate had other plans. One day not long after Teeter’s surgery, a woman came into the shelter
looking to rescue a dog. She told us the story of her last dog, a three-legged Lab that she missed
dearly. We knew it was meant to be when Teeter, who was wary of strangers, met the woman
and instantly fell in love. She started off fostering him until his leg was fully healed and then
happily welcomed him into her home on a permanent basis.
4
Teeter in his new home.
This story just goes to show that there is the perfect owner for every dog.

Q and A with Barbara McLean:
Explanation of Free Adoptions on Spay Day
On Spay Day 2010, February
23, the Chemung County
Humane Society and SPCA
decided to offer adoptions of
any spayed or neutered animal
with all fees waived. During
this one-day promotion, nine
animals - seven cats and two
dogs - found loving homes.
We received mixed responses
to this promotion with opinions
ranging from delight to
dismay. This did, however,
teach us one valuable lesson:
that we need to communicate
with the public the motives
behind our promotions. In this
article, we will explain why
we chose to offer a free animal
promotion and what it meant
for the shelter.
Q. Why did you decide to
offer free adoptions on Spay
Day?
A. The idea of a free adoption
promotion is now commonpractice
in many animal
shelters across the nation.
These promotions are usually
used to highlight harder to
place animals and help them
get adopted. The nationally
recognized Society of Animal
Welfare Administrators
(SAWA) recognizes the benefits
of this type of promotion
and advocates its use. Many
humane societies, including
The Michigan Humane
Society, Lollypop Farms in
Rochester, The Cleveland
Animal Protection League,
Sacramento SPCA and many
others, run free animal adoption
promotions. We decided
to try this type of promotion in
our shelter and see what kind
of results we got.
Q. Doesn’t the concept of a
free adoption devalue the
animal?
A. In a word, no. In 2006,
the American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(ASPCA) did an in-depth
study on free promotions.
They found that, “Eliminating
adoption fees does not devalue
the animals in the eyes of the
adopters.” The focus is rather
that these animals are valuable
and should have a home, that
is why they are getting the
special attention of a promotion
offering them with fees
waived.
Q. Does this mean you were
just giving animals away?
A. No, we still made it mandatory
to have an approved
adoption application. Many
people don’t realize how well
we screen potential adopters.
We check their veterinary
history if they have ever
had a pet before, we check
with their landlord to see if
they can have a pet or check
if they do indeed own their
own home. We even make
sure people have a source of
income before they adopt.
Every person who adopted a
free pet on Spay Day had an
approved adoption application.
We did in fact deny some
people a free animal on Spay
Day because the animal wasn’t
a good fit for them or they
did not meet our screening
criteria.
Q. How much money did the
shelter lose by running this
promotion?
A. Not as much as you’d
think. Many people do not
realize that we do not make
any money on adoptions. We
are lucky just to break even. It
costs us, on average $10 per
animal care day. One animal
care day is equal to the cost of
caring for one shelter animal
for one day. Since we hold
stray animals for six days
when they come into the shelter,
we spend at least $60 up
front on each one. Not to mention
that the average length of
stay for most shelter animals
is 19 days. That’s $190 per
animal. Our $80 adoption fee
for cats and $125 adoption fee
for dogs doesn’t even begin
to cover the cost of caring for
the animals at the shelter. It
actually costs us more to keep
them here longer, not to mention
it can have costly effects
on the animal’s health.
Hopefully this sheds some
light on the motives behind
our decision to offer free
adoptions on Spay Day. Please
know that we would never
knowingly let any of our animals
go into unfit homes. We
are only trying to think about
new, creative ways to get our
animals out of the shelter and
into loving, forever homes as
soon as possible.
Summer Pet Safety
Tips
Summer may seem like a long
way away, but it is never too early
to think about summer pet safety.
Here are some things you can do to
make sure your pets enjoy the warm
weather in a healthy way.
1) We may beat the heat by chillin’
out next to our air conditioner.
Your pets would love to join you
inside, so if at all possible, let
them take a break from the
heat as well. If it’s not
possible to let your pet inside,
make sure they have shade and
plenty of water.
2) Don’t leave your pets in the car!
You’ve heard it time and again,
but in a matter of minutes,
your car can turn into an oven.
3) Our pets are our babies. You
wouldn’t leave your baby unattended
in the pool, so don’t let
water-loving pooches swim by
themselves. They can get tired or
run into trouble and need your
help.
4) Barbecues are often a hallmark of
summer. Make sure your pets can
be included too, but in a safe way.
Ask your friends not to serve your
pets alcohol. This may seem
funny, but it can lead to many
problems including dehydration,
depression and sometimes a
coma.
5) While you’re grilling up a storm,
it may be tempting to feed your
pet some scraps. This is fine, but
in moderation. Overindulging
your pet can lead to a belly ache if
you’re not careful.
Hopefully, by following these summer
safety tips, you and your pet can
have a happy, healthy summer.
Hours:
Monday -- 11am - 4:30pm
Tuesday -- 11am-4:30pm
Wednesday -- 11am-4:30pm
Thursday -- 11am -4:30pm
Friday -- 11am-7pm (open late)
Saturday - 11am-4:30pm
* Open 6 days a week! *
Chemung County Humane
Society & SPCA, Inc.
2435 State Route 352
Elmira, NY 14903
Phone: 607-732-1827
Fax: 607-732-6351
Website: www.chemungspca.org
Email: develop@chemungspca.org
5

6
The Vet’s Corner
Ticks and Fleas:
The Importance of Preventative Care
Interview with Joshua Clay, VMD,
Corning Animal Hospital
Q: How do you tell the difference between
a flea and a tick?
A: Fleas are quite small, narrow and dark
brown or black in color. They also move
around a lot on the animal and you can see
them hopping and jumping.
Ticks are round and they
don’t move once they attach
themselves. They are
most often found around
the head, neck and ears.
Q: Why is it important to
give your animal preventative
flea and tick care?
A: Fleas and ticks are a lot
more than just a nuisance.
The main concern is that they can give diseases
to your pets. It’s a lot better to prevent
the problem than to wait until your pet has a
parasite and have to treat it.
Q: What kind of problems can fleas and
ticks cause?
A. The main disease that ticks cause is
Lyme disease. This is fairly common and
we see 15 to 20 cases every year in our
practice alone.
If you’re not careful, one flea can turn
into an infestation.
Fleas can transmit diseases as well, not only
to pets, but to humans. One example that is
very common is “Cat Scratch Fever” which is
caused by the bacteria that is found in flea dirt.
In animals, fleas can
cause pretty severe diseases.
In cats, fleas can
cause anemia and in rare
cases, fleas can transmit
plague. There are at
least two documented
instances of every year in the U.S. Fleas can
also give your pets tape worm because fleas
carry larva of one type of tape worm inside
them.
You can even develop flea infestation in
your house that can be expensive and time
consuming to clean up.
Q: What kind of preventative treatment
would you recommend?
A: The most effective types of preventative
treatments are topical products. What we
recommend in our practice is Advantage
and Advantix, but there are all different
kinds on the market.
It is important to note that there are a lot of
knock-off products on the market. These
are usually made of older chemicals that
can cause a lot of reactions. Plus, they are
usually only 60 percent effective. Talk to
your veterinarian about proper flea and tick
control and see
what product they
would recommend.
Q: Are there different
treatments
for cats and
dogs?
A: Yes, there are
different treatments
for cats and dogs. For example,
you never want to use Advantix on
a cat because it’s toxic to them. Make sure
to read the directions carefully and consult
your veterinarian before starting treatment.
The most common thing we see is people
who buy the wrong product in the store
and then put it on their cat. This sometimes
requires major treatment to get them well
again.
Q: Can your pet still get fleas or ticks if
you use preventative treatment?
A: We are now confident that these preventative
products can keep fleas off your pet
if used correctly. Tick control is not quite as
effective. In some cases, you may have to
use additional products to treat ticks more
effectively.
If you find ticks on your dog every week,
you should talk to your veterinarian and
may want to consider adding other products
to your preventative schedule. It’s not that
unusual to need to combine treatments.
There are preventive tick collars and other
spray on products that can be used to further
protect your pet. Dogs should definitely get
the Lyme disease vaccine as well.
Q: What should you do if you find a tick
on your animal?
A: The best thing to do is to use a pair of
tweezers, grasp near the tick’s head and use
a steady pull to fully remove it. Sometimes
if you yank, the head will break off and stay
inside the animal, so make sure to pull nice
and steady. Then apply Neosporin twice a
day for a few days. Owners should be on
the lookout for signs of illness and if your
pet becomes sick, call your vet and let them
know about the tick.
Ticks are common enough that you don’t
have to go to a vet every time your pet has
one. If your pet is getting a lot of ticks, talk
to your vet about what
you can do to reduce
exposure. I recommend an
annual screening for tickborne
diseases as well.
This is a simple in-office
test that is especially
helpful because if you
catch a dog that has been
exposed to Lyme disease
Ticks become larger the longer
they stay on your pet.
happening.
before they start showing
symptoms, you can usually
prevent the symptoms from
Q: Can I get fleas or ticks from my pet?
A: You can get fleas from your pets. I
have seen cases where the whole house has
become infested. Fleas can bite people and
cause dermatitis. These are crusty red bite
marks that can be uncomfortable.
Ticks generally stay on the animal once they
have embedded themselves. People whose
pets have tested positive for Lyme disease
might want to monitor their own exposure
to ticks. We sometimes talk to an owner
about how to do a tick check and how to
wear proper clothing to protect themselves.

Introducing Heather Murley, DVM
The Chemung County Humane
Society and SPCA would like to
introduce one of its newest staff
members, Heather Murley, DVM.
Dr. Murley is a familiar face to
the Chemung County SPCA as
she worked from 2004 to 2009
as a veterinarian for Shelter
Outreach Services (SOS) which
offers high volume, high quality,
low cost spay and neuter services
for shelters. SOS staffs the spay
and neuter clinics that operate out
of the Chemung County SPCA’s
building so Dr. Murley became
close with the staff and familiar
with the building during her five
years of service.
She now joins the Chemung SPCA
as its veterinarian of record, or
consulting veterinarian. This
means she will spend two days a
month at the shelter looking after
Dr. Murley will be the shelter’s
new Veterinarian of Record as their
previous Vet of Record, Brenda
Griffin, DVM now teaches veterinary
medicine in Florida.
that has occurred. She says the
facility improvements, such as the
addition of colony housing to the
cat adoption room, the animals’ increased
access to natural light and
improved enrichment activities
greatly reduces their stress level
and improves their quality of life.
A Message From the Board of
Directors of the Chemung County
Humane Society and SPCA
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for the
tremendous support we have received at the Chemung
County Humane Society and SPCA. Through the very
generous contributions of the community, we were able
to reach our 2009 fundraising goal of $350,000! When
we announced just over a year ago the gravity of our
financial situation, I would not have expected such a
response. With this funding, we were able to assist with
taking in more than 2,200 lost, stray and homeless animals
last year.
While we remain vigilant on monitoring controllable
costs, other costs like staff and animal health care will
continue to increase. Given this, our fundraising target
for 2010 has increased by 14 percent. I hope you will
join me in support of the animals. We appreciate all the
support we continue to receive from the community.
Please visit us at the shelter on Route 352 in Big Flats or
online at www.chemungspca.org.
Sincerely,
Darryl Heckle
President, Board of Directors
Chemung County Humane Society and SPCA
Dr. Murley is familiar with shelter
medicine and has worked in many
shelters across the country.
the shelter animals. The shelter
will continue to utilize local area
vets for every-day veterinary services
and for emergency medical
needs.
Currently, Dr. Murley is getting
a master’s degree in acupuncture
and oriental medicine from the
New York Chiropractic Institute.
She also works part time at
Colonial Veterinary Hospital in
Ithaca, NY, providing acupuncture
services for animals.
When asked about the changes
she has seen at the shelter, Dr.
Murley marvels at the progress
Moving forward with the shelter,
Dr. Murley wants “to take all
the work that’s been done to this
point, keep it going and elevate it,
so that the animals are as healthy
and happy as they can be.” She
also wants to work on further staff
training so animal health issues are
recognized more quickly and addressed
so they don’t escalate.
Dr. Murley started her work in
shelters more than 20 years ago.
When asked how the Chemung
County SPCA stacks up, she said,
“I’ve worked in shelters in Kentucky,
Pennsylvania, Michigan and
New York State, and a lot of those
shelters don’t have the engaging,
responsive community that exists
at the Chemung County SPCA.”
She explained further that, “Any
animal shelter has rough times,
but with the recession, the fact that
this shelter is still surviving and
even thriving is a testimony to the
good work the shelter has done.”
7

Little Voices Making a Big Difference
The fourth grade classes from Erwin Valley Elementary pose with
the letters they wrote to get donations for the Chemung County
SPCA.
On March 26, representatives from the Chemung County
Humane Society and SPCA visited Erwin Valley Elementary
School’s fourth-grade classes to pick up donations that were
raised in a very special way. The students wrote letters to
various companies to ask for donations for the shelter. The
outpouring of support shocked shelter staff and teachers alike.
Large boxes of rawhides and Kongs were just the beginning
of what turned out to be a successful donation drive.
To fulfill an English Language Arts (ELA) letter writing
requirement, the classes took the SPCA’s wish list and wrote
letters to the manufacturers of some of the items on the list
asking for donations.
“We never expected to hear back from the companies,” said
Sarah Michaelson, the teacher of one of the classes participating
in the project. “I wanted the students to have an authentic
experience writing a business letter, not a pretend letter to a
pretend company. Students learned their words have power.”
Michaelson went on to explain how the students got personalized
letters from companies who sent donations directly to
the Chemung County SPCA. These companies do not usually
make donations, but were so touched by the students’ letters
that they made an exception.
“We were delighted to receive these donations,’” said Barbara
McLean, Executive Director of the Chemung County Humane
Society and SPCA. “It means even more to us that the
students took the time to write letters on our behalf and that
the companies answered in such a positive way.”
Volunteer Profile
From left to right Marcia McPherson and Betty
Ling hold shelter residents Koala and Mary
Mabel during a Monday afternoon cat cuddling
session.
Volunteers Marcia McPherson
and Betty Ling started volunteering
on March 31 of last year. The
retired school teachers from Addison
volunteer whenever their
schedules allow, but have been
coming on Mondays for the last
few weeks. “After being retired
for a year, we looked at options
of what to do with our time,”
Betty said. “This option appealed
to us over other options.”
The pair mostly cuddles cats, but,
“if we see something that needs
to be done, we do it,” Marcia said. As for their favorite part of volunteering,
Marcia says it’s, “holding the cat,” while Betty thinks the best part is
the older cats. “It’s strange because we both agree that we like the older
cats more than the kittens,” Betty said. “The older cats have already established
personalities, while the kittens are just forming a personality.”
The pair agrees that this is a meaningful experience for them and it’s why
they volunteer to help the animals. “To me it’s something I can do in retirement
to feel like I’m still making a difference; I’m providing a needed
service,” Betty said. “I do this because the cats need socialization,” said
Marcia. “I enjoy it and the cats do, too.”
Paulette Millan and the staff of the Chemung
County SPCA in front of the shelter.
A French Connection
On Wednesday, April 14, the Chemung
County Humane Society and
SPCA had a trial run of their new
“Shelter-to-Shelter” program. This
program hopes to build relationships
with other shelters locally,
around the country, and in this
case, around the world.
Shelter representatives met with
Paulette Millan, a woman who
volunteers with the SPA Limoges
(Society for the Protection of Animals)
in Limoges, France. She was in the country visiting her daughter
who adopted a cat from the shelter last year, and her daughter arranged
for her to tour the shelter and meet with our staff.
With the translating help of her daughter and our quadra-lingual Executive
Director, Barbara McLean, Millan told shelter staff about the policies
and procedures in place at her shelter and the Chemung SPCA staff
shared their experiences with her. It was a great multi-cultural test run of
our “Shelter-to-Shelter” program.
A New Look for Employees
Our employees have a brand new look! To the left: Chemung SPCA
employees Jennifer Farrel and Audrianna Jones model the new Chemung
SPCA Staff t-shirt. The uniform was implemented in an effort to make the
staff more identifiable to the public.
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10

Fundraising Update
2009 started off with a lot of questions:
• Would we still be open at the end of
the year?
• Would we be able to provide the
same level of services?
• Would we be able to reach our fund
raising goal?
Fortunately, the answer to all of those
questions is “Yes.” Thanks to our
community, thanks to YOU, we are
open and able to care for the thousands
of animals a year that come
through our doors.
As mentioned in Board President
Darryl Heckle’s message, challenging
times are still ahead of us and we
hope we can count on your support
again this year.
To our end, we are exploring new
ways of raising money and saving
money, all while continuing to provide
the same high levels of service.
We recently began working with a
direct marketing agency, Alpha Dog
Marketing, to produce some of our
solicitation mailings, and in fact,
you have probably already received
one from them. Their clean, crisp,
professional marketing materials have
been well-received and have started
us off on the right foot for fundraising
success. Thanks to Alpha Dog, we are
able to reach more people in a much
more cost-effective way.
We are also happy to welcome back
Leanne Falkingham as our Animal
Behavior, Training and Outreach
Manager. In this role, Leanne will be
adding a new service to the community
by conducting trainings and
classes for the general public for a fee
that will provide income to the shelter.
This income will help to offset
the cost of adoptions – as mentioned
on Page 5. Due to staff restructuring,
this position was made possible
without adding to the total number of
personnel.
As always, we appreciate your donations.
We know that times are tough,
and that is why your generous gifts
mean so much to us. If the animals
could talk, we know they’d say
“Thank you,” too.
Nov. 1, 2009 to April 1, 2010
In an effort to save on production
costs for “For the
Animals,” expanded Memorials
and Honorariums, along
with Individual Donors, are
showcased online at
www.chemungspca.org.
We have updated our donor
software. Because of this,
there may be some in honor
of or in memory of gifts that
have been inadvertently left
off this list. If you believe this
has happened to you, please
contact Cindy Lewis-Black,
Development Coordinator at
607-732-1827, Ext. 212.
In Honor Of
“AJ”, “Bear”, “Alex” and
“Charlie”
“Amber”, “Callycat” &
“Trouble”
“Babe”
“Fritz”, “Bessie” & “Max”
“Shorty”
“Squirt”
“Stoner” and “Onyx”
Betty Ramberg’s Birthday
Colleen LaDelia’s Birthday
Dianne Stroup
Julie Albertalli’s Birthday
Mary Francis Cowley’s
Birthday
Peg Lyon’s Birthday
Samantha Oakes’ Birthday
Toby Lagonegro’s Birthday
In Memory Of
“Brahms”
“Bronco Frank”
“Brutus”
“Bubba”
“Buddy” (Faithful
Companion)
“Casey”
“Chelsea”
“Chloe”
“Copper”
“Denny”
“Emma Tucker”
“Emma Tucker Nicholson”
“Erik (a.k.a. Mr. B.)”: Our
Pool Buddy!
“Fred”
“Gizmo”
“Gordon” aka “Go Go”
“Gus”
“Jade”
Honorarium and Memorial List
“Jake”
“Kiarha” and “Beanie”
“Michael Day Rosplock”
“Miss Thistle”, “Totem” and
“Kitty”
“Mollie May”
“Morris” and “Bart”
“Muzzy”
“Rascal”
“Robbie”
“Ruby”
“Sadie”
“Samantha”
“Sandie” and “Lady”
“Sasha”
“Schatze”
“Scoobie”
“Scooter”
“Sheba”
“Spirit”
“Taffy”, “Spot the Cat” and
“Jam”
“Teddy” and “Billie”
“Tommy Hubbard”
“Transfer”
“Vlad”
Ann Hill
Ann Page
Betty Jane Pease
Betty Jane Smith
Blanche LaGier
Carl R. Holly
Cheryl Willette and “Tasha”
Cookie
Darla Ober
Debbie Weiland
Dorothy Hotter
Dorothy Koerner
Dr. William Lawless
Eleanor Sozanski
Eloise Frank
Ethel ‘Duffy’ Hoyt
Florence Marino
Geoff Davis
George Haskins
Gloria Jordan
Isabelle Schappert
James ‘Jim’ Delorenzo
Jane Churchman
Janet Longwell
Janet Savino
Jay Newkirk
Jeanette Fortuna
Jessica Eve Osteen
Jim Cristofaro
Jini VanEtten
Joan Monachino
John J. Hiney
John Murphy
John Waite, Sr.
Joseph Seidel, Jr.
Juliana Myhalyk and her dog
“Goldie”
K. Ross and “Shaggy”
Leslie Hamilton
Lou Caldarelli, Sr.
Lucy Brown
Marc and Helen Wright
Marion Hoff
Marjorie Haldeman
Marjorie Stermer
Mike Pooley
Mom and Dad
Nancy McMaster
Pasquale Perfetti
Pauline Fields
Peter Lepkowski
Philoman Harris
Robert Henbest
Ronald Saccucci
Sally Rolls
Tammy
Thomas Elliott
William H. Vandusen
Errata: It is very important that we
recognize our donors appropriately
and that our lists are correct. If we
have made a mistake, please let us
know by calling us at 732-1827. In
Honor/Memory of donations received
after April 1, 2010 will appear in our
next newsletter.
11

NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
P A I D
ELMIRA, NY
PERMIT # 91
Chemung County Humane
Society & SPCA, Inc.
2435 State Route 352
Elmira, NY 14903
Open Six Days a Week
Monday thru Saturday
Call For Hours
Phone: 607-732-1827
Fax: 607-732-6351
Website: www.chemungspca.org
Email: develop@chemungspca.org
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Yes I can help!
Method of Payment (check one):
Check VISA MasterCard
Return this completed form in the enclosed envelope
or
Donate on-line at www.chemungspca.org
Please make checks payable to the Chemung County SPCA. Thank you!
Account # ______________________________________ Exp. Date ____________
Signature ____________________________________________________________
Name _______________________________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________________
City ______________________________ State _____________ Zip ___________
Phone _______________________ E-mail _________________________________
Donations to our non-profit agency may be tax-deductible for those who itemize.
Make a donation to the CCHS/SPCA In Honor of, In Memory of, or as a General Donation..
Please fill in completely: In Honor of In Memory of General Donation Amount $ __________
This gift is in honor/memory of the following (put the pet’s name in quotes): Pet Person
Name ______________________________________________________________________________________
Relationship and Occasion _____________________________________________________________________
Send acknowledgement to: _____________________________________________________________________
Address/City/State/Zip ________________________________________________________________________
E-mail Address ______________________________________________________________________________
I prefer not to receive a thank you letter so my entire gift can go towards animal care.