The Fulton County Regional SPCA along with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department recently held a training to educate local probation officers on recognizing and responding to animal cruelty and neglect.
Led by Fulton County Regional SPCA Board President, Renee Earl and Lieutenant Jeffrey Fake of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, the two-hour training was presented to the Fulton County Probation Officers on Friday, December 15th.The training covered topics such as what defines animal cruelty, how to approach a residence with animals, how to recognize signs of past abuse, and how to document signs of neglect or abuse.
“The strength of the Probation Department relies on our knowledge of the available resources located within our community. By collaborating with our local SPCA, Probation has gained valuable information including what to be aware of when coming into contact with animals during our workday.” Explained Tom Bryson, Fulton County Probation Director. “Our local SPCA consistently goes above and beyond, and with the help of their services, Probation will be able to provide more information to the members of our community.”
“As an SPCA, our job is not only to care for the neglected and abused animals of our community but work towards creating a future where neglect and abuse can be prevented. We believe education and a united front between agencies is the key to this.” Notes Earl.
The SPCA’s Community Education Program has grown over the last few years to encompass smaller talks such as these but also larger Community Education seminars with sessions open to both the public and others developed specifically for law enforcement and other professional agencies. The last eight-hour seminar titled, Animal Cruelty Investigative and Veterinary Forensics, was held over two days and was attended by over 100 statewide law enforcement personnel, veterinary staff, and legal professionals.
“The more knowledge we have collectively as a community, the better advocates we can be for these animals that have no voice. If our local probation and police officers are educated on what to look for and we continue to prioritize open lines of communication, our hope is that we can obviate the need for SPCA crisis intervention services in the future.” Responds Earl. “Presenting to smaller groups like these is beneficial on many levels. Having everyone together in one room to ask and answer questions is a great resource for all involved. We are so grateful for the opportunity to educate and grow these critical partnerships.”
(LEFT) Recent Gloversville cruelty/neglect cases handled by SPCA – Dog Sissy has made a full recovery and has been adopted.
Fulton County Regional SPCA is a 501(c)3 registered not for profit, donation funded, and volunteer run organization located in Gloversville, New York. They provide immediate shelter and care for homeless animals as well as community education, training, and public awareness.
For more information on their services, visit fcrspca.org. To schedule a training on recognizing and responding to animal cruelty, please email contact@fcrspca.org. For press or media inquiries, please email PR@fcrspca.org.