09/29/2026
Cattaraugus County SPCA making progress on services, project in â26
LITTLE VALLEY â As the largest animal shelter in the Southern Tier, the SPCA in Cattaraugus County sees a lot of cats and dogs come through its doors.
With all of the county and nearby communities in neighboring counties under its area of care, part of the nonprofitâs responsibility has come from partnering with municipalities, dog control officers (DCOs) and law enforcement.
Presenting to the Cattaraugus County Legislature on Sept. 23, SPCA Executive Director Kellie Roberts said the shelter on Route 16 north of Olean provides local municipalities and law enforcement with access to established shelter resources and with DCOs to accept dogs for transfer to the SPCA.
âDogs receive preventive care, spay/neuter surgery, medical treatment as needed and are adopted back into the local community,â she said. âWe support law enforcement agencies during animal-related emergencies and cruelty cases by providing shelter, care, medical coordination and court-related documentation and photographs.â
The main mission of the SPCA is to provide shelter and care for cats and dogs with nowhere else to go. In addition to its relationship with local government entities, Roberts the organization also spays or neuters every animal prior to adoption and supports community cats through trap, neuter, vaccinate and release.
âWeâre not just an animal shelter,â she said. âWeâre so much more.â
TO HELP BEST fulfill its mission, Roberts said the SPCA is requesting $155,000 in aid from the county for their 2027 fiscal plan, which is $10,000 less than requested last year. The organizationâs other income sources range from shelter programs such as adoption and intake fees and municipal service contracts, as well as donations, grants, fundraisers and events.
So far in 2026, the SPCA is taking in more animals than before, Roberts said, but theyâre also adopting the animals into homes even quicker. Compared to 2025, the animal intakes so far are up by 24% this year, while the live outcomes are up 26%.
Meanwhile, the average length of a stay in the shelter for cats is 10 days shorter compared with 2024, and the average length of a stay for dogs is 66 days shorter compared with 2024.
âRather than animals having a long length of stay with us, which isnât the goal of the shelter, the animals come in, theyâre vetted, spayed/neutered, whatever they need, and go back out for adoption,â she said.
Beyond the care for cats and dogs and housing animals inside the shelter, the SPCA is also a community resource. Roberts said the pet food pantry helps local families keep their pets at home and out of the shelter. The shelter also serves as a hub where community members can meet, build connections and spend time with others who share their interests.
âWe have our doors open to anybody who would like to come in,â she said. âWe know itâs a reciprocal relationship. Community members need things that we know we can help provide, and our animals and staff and our facilities are the beneficiaries of (community service).â
The SPCA also provides volunteer opportunities for people with disabilities, those completing community service and others building skills and experience. The shelter partners with schools, Scout troops and other local groups on service projects and community activities.
Nearly every animal entering the shelter comes from Cattaraugus County, Roberts said, and the remainder primarily come from neighboring communities. The resources entrusted to the SPCA are used to serve animals and residents in the local region.
âThe SPCA does not bring animals into the shelter through long-distance transport programs. We just think local impact is super important,â she said. âOur focus is the animals, people and communities of Cattaraugus County and the immediate surrounding area.â
THE MAJOR PROJECT for the SPCA during the past year is its $6 million campaign and the capital project to completely renovate and upgrade the shelter building.
With the campaign approaching its first million dollars, the campaign assessment was completed in early 2026, with the new campaign committee launched in March. Current efforts are focused on major gifts, as the campaign must reach approximately 60% to 70% of its goal before entering the public phase.
In the capital project, significant portions of the dog kennel area require repair or replacement. Roberts said the deteriorating kennel structures and aging infrastructure reduce usable capacity, and the existing layout makes modern animal care practices impossible. New Yorkâs Companion Animal Care Standards establish facility and animal care requirements that the current shelter was not designed to meet.
âThe building project isnât just about creating a nicer shelter,â she said. âItâs about creating a facility capable of supporting the work the community already depends on and then being able to offer even more programs and services.â
Within the organization itself, four new members have been added to the board. The hope is for the renewed board committee structure to add talent and experience and create a board member pipeline for the future.
Additionally, the SPCAâs first audit was conducted in 2025. Reported income was over $1 million, including the capital campaign, and the shelter received an unqualified opinion, which is the best and most favorable an organization hopes for.
Moving forward, the SPCAâs priorities include continuing to increase the number of local animals it can serve and strengthening relationships with municipalities and DCOs, Roberts said. The organization also hopes to advance the capital campaign toward its public phase and bring the current facility into compliance as much as possible with modern sheltering standards.
For more information or to support the SPCA, visit spcacattco.org or call (716) 372-8492.
