Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The McKean County SPCA needs help from dog lovers. The shelter is at capacity and asking for people to adopt or foster some of the dogs. They have a variety of sizes, breeds and ages. Many have already been spayed and neutered, and all are socialized. If you can't adopt a dog, think about taking one for a couple of weeks as a foster pet. The SPCA can help with expenses. You can visit the dogs at the shelter on Glenwood Avenue, or check them out first on Facebook at Facebook.com/MCSPCA The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The 2014 pet calendar in support of the McKean County SPCA has been printed and is available in a number of local outlets. This year’s publication features eight months with dog pictures, three months with cat photographs, and one month with “Dominique,” a donkey owned by a horse named Dillon Mullin, whose photograph also appears in the honorable mention portion of the calendar. “We have a nice variety in the monthly photos,” says Rick Frederick, a member of the calendar committee. “They are nicely set up by our professional photographer, Francie Long, who works with the pet owners for the best possible results.” The calendars are available in several downtown businesses, including the Fran Charles Shop, Orris Jewelers, the Main Street Mercantile, Cavallaro Painting and Wallpapering, and Ott & McHenry Pharmacy. Other area businesses carrying the items are Bradford Notary, The Cow Palace in Limestone, and the Derrick City Diner. Calendars may also be purchased at the Gle...

The McKean County SPCA says three cases of canine parvovirus have been reported in Bradford in the last three weeks, and are asking that dog owners make sure their pets are up to date on their shots. The disease is highly contagious and is spread from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact with their feces. It can either be in cardiac or intestinal form, with the cardiac form causing respiratory or cardiovascular failure in puppies, and the intestinal form causing severe vomiting and dysentery. Canine parvovirus will not infect humans. The SPCA suggests that anyone with questions or concerns contact their veterinarian. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

By Rick Frederick The McKean County SPCA kicks off its annual pet calendar contest Saturday at the Bradford Area Public Library. Pet owners are invited to bring their animals to the library between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., where Dana DiBlasi will take photographs for the “voting” phase of the contest, which will begin in early June. “This has been a popular event for us the last few years,” said Dick Gorton, President of the organization. “For a small fee of $5, pet owners can have a picture of their pet taken for the contest board, which circulates through the county in June and July. If you’ve seen the board in the last two years, many of the photos were taken by Dana.” Gorton also reminds contest entrants that they may bring pictures of their pets to the library on Saturday or to the McKean County SPCA shelter any time until the end of May. “The entry fee is the same,” he noted, “but some animals may be a bit shy or may be a little too big to come to the library, so their owners can ...

Tony Danias from the McKean County SPCA stopped by the station with these two puppies this afternoon. They were dropped off outside the shelter overnight. They're perfectly healthy, and have had their shots. They'll be ready for adoption in about a week.

For the second time in three days the SPCA has been asked to take care of a wounded bird. Duck hunters found the blue heron near Tuna Crossroads and took it to the SPCA. The SPCA’s Tony Danias is taking the bird to Mark Baker of Eagle’s Dream Bird Rehabilitation in Olean, where the bald eagle that was found Monday is still living. Baker thought the bird would have to be euthanized, but they are still treating its shattered wing. By the way, Tony tells us he's glad he's not in Ohio today looking for lions, tigers, bears, cheetahs and the other animals that are on the loose.

The McKean County SPCA had a temporary resident of a very different breed today – a baby bald eagle. Game commission officers found the wounded bird and took it to the SPCA for safe keeping until Mark Baker of Eagle’s Dream Bird Rehabilitation could come from Olean to pick it up. The bird doesn’t have its white cap yet because the caps don’t appear until the eagles are 4 years old.

The SPCA's Woofstock event scheduled for today has been postponed until next week due to weather. But ... Octoberfest at the Foster Brook Market is still going on until 5 p.m. It includes music, animals, pumpkin painting, face painting, kettle corn, games, chicken barbecue, bounce house and more.

A heat advisory is in effect until 8 o’clock tonight for the entire region. While the actual temperature is expected to be in the mid-90s, the heat index will make it feel as if it’s 104. People who spend time outside are urged to take extra precautions, wear light weight clothing and drink plenty of water. Remember to never leave children and pets in an unattended vehicle, where temperatures can reach lethal levels in a matter of minutes. The SPCA is asking for donations of ice to help keep the shelter animals cool. You can drop off the ice from 8:30 to noon today and tomorrow at 80 Glenwood Avenue.

A message from the SPCA: We are currently at the legal limit for the quantity of dogs & cats that we are allowed to keep at the shelter. There is an over abundance of animals, with more coming in daily, and no place for them to go. We don’t ever want to euthanize an animal, but when it becomes an over-crowding issue…we don’t have a choice. Due to two recent animal hoarding situations, we have over 20 dogs that will be coming into the shelter. These are animals that we are now aware of, & need to make room for. That doesn’t include the ones that will be brought in as strays, or turned over by their owners in the coming days. Animals are coming in faster than we can get homes for them! Again, we can only keep a certain number of animals at the shelter to stay within the laws of operating our shelter. Unless we can get some of these animals adopted, or fostered, we will have to make some tough choices. Please consider adopting or fostering a shelter animal today! Please spay/...

By Rick Frederick The McKean County SPCA is planning for its semi-annual Open House next Saturday, but this one comes with a twist. The event, billed as “Woofstock 2011,” is planned as a combination of open house, adoption opportunity, and a dog day of fun. According to Board member Lori Burkhouse, who is chairing the event, the dogs at the SPCA shelter “need individual attention and love, just like the animals in people’s homes. We want to give each one of our dogs that chance.” Each shelter dog will receive a “person for the day.” “This person will interact with his or her dog,” says Burkhouse. “The dogs and their people will go for walks, play outside, get some grooming, and pose for photos for the SPCA’s developing website. They’ll be just regular pets for a few hours.” Burkhouse noted that the overall success of the day for all of the dogs depends on getting volunteers to care for the animals from about noon until four p.m. “We already have about forty people, but we could use...

The McKean County SPCA kicks off its annual pet calendar contest Saturday at the Bradford Area Public Library. Pet owners are invited to bring their animals to the library between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., where Dana DiBlasi will take photographs for the “voting” phase of the contest, which will begin early in June. “This has been a popular event for us the last two years,” said Dick Gorton, President of the organization. “For a small fee of $5, pet owners can have a picture of their pet taken for the contest board, which circulates through the county in June and July. If you’ve seen the board in the last two years, many of the photos were taken by Dana.” Gorton also reminds contest entrants that they may bring 3 x 5 pictures of their pets to the library on Saturday or to the McKean County SPCA shelter any time until the contest ends. “The entry fee is the same,” he noted, “but some animals may be a bit shy, or maybe a little too big to come to the library, so their owners can use their ...

To honor Blou, who died one year ago in December Tyb and Cavallaro Paint and Decorating are sponsoring a BLOU CHRISTMAS, to benefit the McKean County SPCA.. From now until Christmas we will be collecting things needed by the shelter for their day-to-day operations. The following items will be accepted at Cavallaro’s, 12 Kennedy Street, during normal business hours: Paper towels, bleach, copy paper, dry dog and cat foot, laundry detergent, 40 gallon garbage bags, Fabuloso, treats, and cat litter; new and/or used leashes, collars, toys, blankets, towels, and bedding. Any cash donations will be gratefully accepted as well. Tyb and Jay Monti will match any cash donations up to a total of $500.00. Stop in and add an ornament to our tree in honor or memory of your pet for a donation of $2.00. Pictured, Jay Monti and Blou during National Night Out two years ago.

Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) welcomed hundreds of area senior citizens to his Eighth Annual Senior Expo at the Roulette Fire Hall on Oct. 8. "It was good to see the many people that come back year after year, but I was also especially pleased to hear from several folks that this was their first trip to the expo," Causer said. "I believe this is a great service to our older residents, as well as their families, and the fact that the events in Roulette and Bradford are growing every year confirms that." Among the most popular features of the expo are health screenings, such as blood pressure and carotid artery checks. Flu and pneumonia shots were also available. Seniors also had access to information from a wide variety of vendors, including the Potter County Education Council, the PACE/PACENET program, the Potter County Sheriff's Office, the PA Association of Retired State Employees, the state office of Attorney General, Charles Cole Memorial Hospital, Ham...

This young man tries to dunk Bradford City Police Chief Chris Lucoo (with a little help from Elm Street Manager Lisa Keck). Lucco and Mayor Tom Riel raised $105 for the McKean County SPCA by volunteering to be dunked. The second annual NNO Pet Parade.

Local photographer and artist Francie Long of Long Art Compay is running a special this Christmas season called “Pet Portraits are Special”. Schedule a photo session at the studio between now and December 15th and half of the profits will be donated to the McKean County SPCA. For more information, follow the link: http://www.longartphoto.com/spca/SPCA_Fund_Raiser.html

With your help, your animal shelter could win $10,000. Tell your friends, family and neighbors about this contest and ask them to vote for the McKean County SPCA! Click the link to vote http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/77612?refer=19937.05.1258167325.198869

The 26th annual Don Raabe Big 30 Charities Give-away day was Sunday at CNB. The Big 30 Charities gave-away $14,400 and has now give away $1.3 million dollars in it's history. Two players, who played in game 36 this past August, Andrew Olson from Kane and Stephen Jacobson of Salamanca handed out checks to recepients. The recipients included the Dan Beckwith Scholarship, Camp Care, McKean County Visiting Nurses Voice Care Fund, McKean County Special Olympics, Bradford Special Police, Sandra Jo Pennington, Dewey Fund, McKean County Visiting Nurses Bereavement Camp, Camp New Horizons, McKean County SPCA, Debbie Crum, Shawn Prencipe, James Menteer, Camp JJ, Twin Tier Pregnancy Care Center, Sam Benedict Chapter of Football Officials, Bill Satsman, Rodney Jones, Mary Dean, Elizabeth Yohe and the Bradford Area High School cheerleaders. ( Photo courtesy of Patti Arlington )

Chloe's Mom & Dad look over some of the items in the McKean County SPCA silent auction, while Chloe looks at some of the items for sale (and probably wonders if they're going to buy her a nice, new Christmas outfit.) These Shelties are just two of the many four-legged visitors to the open house, which is going on until 3 p.m. The SPCA is also holding a rabies clinic until 3 p.m. It's only $5 per cat or dog. You think Wade Aiken's job as a photographer for The Bradford Era is easy? Well, it can be a little difficult when one of the subjects of his photo insists on not facing the right way. That's Humane Officer Tony Danias looking on. Thanks to J&K Pets, Ott & McHenry Pharmacy, Northwest Savings Bank, Crescent Beer, Little Caeser's and W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company for making our broadcast possible.

Bradford City Police Officers Chris Lucco and Steve Green show some of their gear to people during National Night Out activities Tuesday. Emily Marshall entertained the crowd in Veterans Square, which included the delightful Hatcher family (minus Josh). These kids enjoy the giant slide at the Kids Carnival sponsored by the First United Methodist Church and the YMCA. Elm Street Manager Lisa Campogiani took time to pose with daughter Gabby and doggie before the pet parade. Ginny Hauser had her hands full with her (and husband Chris's) dogs so she got help from "aunt" Mary Anne Polucci-Sherman. Jay Monti and Blou were grand marshals for the parade. Heidi Mackowski and Tony Danias of the McKean County SPCA also participated, as did many other dogs. Linda Newman made sure her husband Dave got something to eat from Taste of Bradford in Veterans Square before he headed off to the pet parade.