Archive: Around Town

On May 23, 2010, “Summer”, a stray coonhound, was picked up by a Tompkins County Animal Control officers, a division of the SPCA.  She was found wandering in the Ulysses area with no collar or identification.  Staff were unable to locate Summer’s owner and after the state mandated five-day hold period expired, she was placed in the shelter’s adoption center.

For four months, the SPCA cared for Summer. She was well-behaved, enjoyed daily walks with volunteers, and was treated for eye and skin problems. She was also provided with plenty of healthy food, vaccinations and other preventative medicines while the search was on for a new home. 

In many shelters, dogs like Summer would not have been given four months – or however long it might take – to find a new home. Adult dogs with health problems are often euthanized by shelters that do not have the same No-Kill mission as the SPCA of Tompkins County.

Last weekend, a visitor in the SPCA Annex at The Shops at Ithaca Mall saw Summer’s photo on the “Dogs Available for Adoption” board. She knew this dog! She called a family member, who contacted the SPCA immediately. Summer, whose given name turned out to be Cece, belonged to a family in Hector, NY. She had gotten away from her home in Hector – about 25 miles south of Ulysses. Her family had called everywhere they could think of in their area, including the Schuyler County SPCA in nearby Watkins Glen.  But they never imagined that Cece would travel so far and end up at the SPCA in Tompkins County.

On Tuesday, September 21, 2010, Cece and her human mom were reunited.  Amidst tears from family and staff, Cece saw her guardian and after a tiny pause while she realized what was happening, bayed joyfully all the way out of the shelter to the car for the ride home, licking her mom and canine siblings.

We all know that dogs slip through collars, harnesses, fences and doors. They do not read maps, and don’t necessarily stay in their own municipality. If your dog wanders, remember to call and report your loss and pet’s description to shelters and rescue groups in your entire region. Microchipping your pet can prevent long-term separation or permanent loss, too.

Summer/Cece was incredibly lucky to be found in Tompkins County. Today, the SPCA is embarking upon its 10th year as a No-Kill shelter, celebrating the ability to provide strays like Cece a second chance at life. But Cece is not alone—several times since the opening of the SPCA Annex at The Shops at Ithaca Mall pets have been reunited with their guardians, who for whatever reason never thought to call the SPCA to find their lost pet.

The SPCA of Tompkins County was founded in 1902 to protect animals from cruelty and neglect. Since then, the SPCA of Tompkins County has evolved into an organization that shelters lost, homeless and victimized companion animals while offering educational and advocacy programs to our community. The agency combats chronic pet overpopulation, finds homes for all adoptable animals and provides resources for pet guardians to strengthen and celebrate the human-animal bond. The SPCA is a registered 501(c)(3) and depends solely on donations from the community to continue its work saving lives.

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