SPCA Serving Erie County welcomes puppies

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The SPCA Serving Erie County welcomed 18 puppies from a shelter in Alabama on Wednesday. The puppies may be up for adoption as early as this weekend.

Gina Lattuca from the SPCA Serving Erie County says the dogs arrived from the Humane Society in Birmingham, originated in an overcrowded shelter in Louisiana.

"This is what we often see in the South," said Lattuca with WBEN. "Animal welfare and animal control is very, very different than it is up here in the North. Fortunately, we are one of the receiving shelters. Our donors contribute partially so that we save animals lives, even animals that are coming from other parts of the country where they would ultimately be euthanized."

Lattuca says the majority of these animals have already been checked over healthwise.

"They've already been spayed or neutered, if they're in good shape, if they manage the traveling stress, and then the shelter if they can manage that, they could be up for adoption as early as this weekend," Lattuca explained.

The Bissell Pet Foundation assisted in the transport of the puppies.

"Bissell spends millions of dollars every year doing rescues like this that you don't see on the commercials. You don't see it in our advertising. But this is a company that does it not just for the commercials or advertising. This is a company that does it because they believe in rescuing the lives of animals," Lattuca said.