In 2022, NY State passed the Companion Animal Care Standards Act based on the Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters. Cattaraugus County is not a wealthy area, and while they do offer grants, New York State is not funding the project.

At the October 20, 2025, meeting of Coudersport Rotary Club at A&W West End Grill, Rotarian Ronnie Schenkein introduced Sandy Sleggs, a fellow member of the Board of Directors of the SPCA in Cattaraugus County. Sandy retired from her position as Assistant Human Resources Manager at Cutco and is a member of the Olean Rotary Club. Ronnie joined the Cattaraugus County SPCA Board when she was approached 9 years ago for advice on how to make major improvements in shelter operations. Sandy has served on the Board for 4 years.

The SPCA in Cattaraugus County has been in existence for 120 years. The current building is 40 years old. Although it has served its purpose, the concrete floors are cracking and wire doors are deteriorating.

The Cattaraugus SPCA Board of Directors invited the Department of Shelter Medicine at Cornell to tour the facility and advise how they could best meet the new Standards. The group from Cornell spent three days and issued a report with recommendations.

One was to hire an Executive Director. They found Kellie Roberts, who has many years of shelter experience. Next they worked with Animal Arts out of Colorado, an architectural firm that specializes in designing shelters and animal care facilities. The decision was made to renovate the existing building and put on an addition. It was important that this would enable the facility to stay open during the process since animals could be moved around.

There will be a low-cost spay/neuter clinic. Dogs and cats will be housed on separate aisles, so they don’t need to see each other. All surfaces will be non-porous so they can be easily disinfected. Each animal will have access to an area to sleep that will be separate from where they eliminate. They will all have access to the outdoors in safe enclosures. Noise levels will be reduced as there will be smaller numbers of dogs in each room.

Welcome additions will be a community room where educational programs can be held, a “meet and greet” room with a homelike atmosphere where prospective adopters can spend time with animals in a more natural setting, and offices, lockers and a break room for employees. The lobby will have a place to display featured pets for adoption.

The cost of the renovation is estimated to be $6 million. The cost per square foot is commensurate with other facilities around the country. The SPCA has excellent employees and a dedicated group of enthusiastic volunteers. The shelter is committed to not only meet but exceed the standards of care. Their hope is that when the animals housed in the facility experience reduced stress, they will be easier to socialize and be more readily adoptable.

The deadline for meeting the standards was set for December 2025, but the SPCA has been assured that as long as they are showing progress in moving toward their goals, there will be no penalty.

The Cattaraugus SPCA is in the early stages of a major fundraising effort. So far they have raised $500,000. They have been meeting with people they hope will be ambassadors to assist their efforts in a broader community of animal lovers.

Sandy Sleggs finished by quoting, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”