The SBU@SPCA benefits dogs, cats and humans alike

For Emily Gustafson, seeing how many animals in the area need a home is the hardest part of being a SBU@SPCA coordinator.

Through the SBU@SPCA students take a weekly trip to the Cattaraugus County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Volunteers spend an hour walking dogs and playing with kittens. However, Gustafson, a senior biology major from Smethport, Pennsylvania, said it is much more than that.

“The volunteer system is there to help socialize the animals,” Gustafson said. “That way when people come to adopt them they are used to people and don’t act so crazy. Socialization really helps to calm them down around people, and knowing that is very rewarding.”

Gustafson recalled one dog, Ruger, who has been at the SPCA for over a year. At first Ruger was nervous about the volunteers but Gustafson said now he is one of the sweetest dogs there and one of her favorites.

“It is hard to imagine your dog or cat in that situation, in a shelter,” Gustafson said.“You just want to help them l have learned to acknowledge that what we are doing is helping in the best way that we can.”

Gustafson became involved with the SPCA after talking with Pam Ferman, the associate dean for student development, in the Career and Professional Readiness Center about applying to veterinary school. Ferman put her in touch with the current SBU@SPCA coordinator, and Gustafson started volunteering toward the end of her sophomore year. She became a coordinator her junior year and is now the lead coordinator.

“It is so rewarding to see the transformation and to know you are making a difference in the lives of animals who don’t really get affection otherwise,” said Gustafson.

Besides benefiting the animals, Gustafson said learning to give back and stress relief are two of the biggest benefits SPU@SPCA brings to its student volunteers.

“Volunteers knowing get the concept of giving back and helping the community they are living in and making it better,” said Gustafson. “Being able to take a mental break away from campus also really helps with stress relief.”

An aspect of working with the volunteers Gustafson enjoys is helping people who have not spent a lot of time with animals become more comfortable around them. She recalled a particularly rewarding moment when she showed one of the other coordinators how to hold a cat.

Gustafson and the other coordinators and volunteers are able to continue taking weekly trips to the SPCA because of the donations made to the Franciscan Center for Social Concern on Giving Tuesday, a national day of giving falling on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

“It may seem insignificant,” said Gustafson, “but a big portion of the donations we need go towards fuel for the van we use to get volunteers to the SPCA.”

Currently, the SBU@SPCA has over 150 volunteers signed up. Gustafson thinks part of what makes it so appealing is that it is a non-committal club. Students can go on as many Saturday trips to the SPCA as they would like. However, Gustafson believes it is hard for students to just come once.

“Once you try it, you will be so much more readily excited to volunteer,” said Gustafson. “Seeing the difference you are making will inspire you to keep going back.”

Article and photos by Elizabeth Egan, '23

Elizabeth Egan is a third-year journalism student, graduating early with the Class of 2023. Having worked at the FCSC’s soup kitchen and Warming House since her first year at Bonaventure, she is familiar with the benefits the FCSC can have on the community and the students. She uses that familiarity along with her developing journalism skills to tell the stories of the FCSC and its student volunteers. After graduation, Elizabeth hopes to work as a reporter and is beginning to seek out jobs at a number of newspapers and online publications. You can contact Elizabeth at eganea20@bonaventure.edu with any questions about her work.