BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Allies of the Buffalo City Animal Shelter are once again sounding the alarm — calling for help and demanding accountability for what they say are dangerous conditions inside the city-run facility.
Animal rights advocate Jake Jablonski, who has been rescuing dogs in Buffalo for five years, said the problems have gone on too long.
“I’m literally begging, I’m out here begging for help. Please. Someone actually cares, do something, please,” Jablonski said.
The 7 News I-Team has been following concerns at the Oak Street shelter for months, first exposing issues after receiving an anonymous letter about poor conditions.
WATCH: Below is our story from October 2024, when we first spoke to Jablonski after the 7 News I-Team received an anonymous letter about the conditions at the facility.
Jablonski said the shelter has become a place where vulnerable animals continue to suffer.
“These dogs are coming from already cruel situations, and they’re going into arguably worse in a place that they’re supposed to be safe and protected and cared for until we can find a new home, and it’s worse,” he said.
He added that the crisis is nothing new.
“Crisis level has been reached three years ago," he said. "It’s been past a crisis. It was a crisis when we had our last conversation, and it was awful. Then nothing has changed.”
City resident and volunteer Kelly Gorman has been working inside the shelter for three years.
“Over time, it’s become increasingly clear that there’s just simply not the resources there from the city to meet the needs of the community and the number of animals housed there,” Gorman said.
In June, Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon announced plans for a new shelter on Niagara Street. If approved, he said, construction could be complete by next spring.
But volunteers and advocates say animals can’t wait that long.
“While we’re waiting for the city to provide more details on what’s happening, we would like the city to come up with some sort of short-term plan to help these animals in their care,” Gorman said.
Jablonski echoed that frustration.
“We’re so fed up," he said. "I personally am really at such a wall of frustration at this point where, you know, people constantly ask, well, what can we do? And we tell them, and they are, you know, we’re going to thumbs up, but nothing changes.”
WATCH: 'We’re so fed up': Advocates sound alarm over Buffalo Animal Shelter conditions
So far, Scanlon’s administration has not responded to requests for comment from 7 News.
Meanwhile, Buffalo mayoral candidate and State Senator Sean Ryan has announced the creation of a Buffalo Animal Shelter Advisory Committee to address these concerns. That committee is scheduled to meet for the first time next Tuesday.
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