SPCA of Niagara Hires New Vet; Volunteers File Complaint | News

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. -- Pending their selection of an interim Executive Director, the Niagara County SPCA has hired the services of Dr. Grant Hobika, DVM, to the staff of its facility on Lockport Road.

Hobika will serve as an "independent veterinarian," overseeing the care and evaluation of all animals at the shelter and assisting in the development of new protocols for their care.

 They say this position will satisfy the current vacancy while they continue to search for a replacement for John Faso. The Board of Directors anticipates they will choose an interim director by sometime next week.

"The number of people who have submitted resumes has been so great that it will take some time to evaluate all applicants."

The Board also said that Dr. Hobika will have "significant input into the medical protocols and updated medical facilities at the shelter."

Meanwhile, a group of volunteers and members of the S-P-C-A of Niagara have filed a complaint with the state Attorney General's office, asking him to order the current board of directors to cease and desist.

They say they don't trust them to make any decisions about the future of the Niagara County shelter.

Lee Michel, Linda van Harssel and Margie Kwiatkowski spoke with Two on Your Side's Maryalice Demler about their groups concerns, namely, the actions of several board members whose conduct, for years, has undermined the shelter and created the "culture of distrust" highlighted in the investigative report done by Erie County SPCA Executive Director Barbara Carr.

The group is particularly disturbed that board member Kathy Paradowski went to a local newspaper and several television stations making allegations about shelter operations and even claims about then-Executive Director John Faso, some of which were discredited in Barbara Carr's report.

"We find it is unconscionable that Kathy Paradowski created a crisis in the media when, as a board member, she had the power all along to affect change in that shelter, but she never did," said Lee Michel.

Linda van Harssel agrees.

"Paradowski was part of that board that never asked about euthanasia or other animal health records, yet when she discovered the unusually high numbers, took that information to the media and created a frenzy, instead of taking them to the board to investigate and correct," said van Harssel.

"She exploited the situation and now the animals at the shelter will suffer. Unconscionable. She should be removed from the board immediately for her actions," added Kwiatkowski.

The group also takes issue with the amount of money the board is now spending on legal fees and public relations specialists, monies volunteers spent countless hours fundraising over the past several years.

"Eighty volunteers raised just under $12,000 at a fundraiser this year. That was up 20 % from last year. Over 500 people took part, 400 businesses donated," said van Harssel.

"And now to see that money, in my mind, get squandered,  We're paying a high-priced lawyer that doesn't represent the shelter-- he represents the board," she added.

The volunteers have not gotten a commitment from Cambria as to whether some of the current board members intend to stay or what the process for re-election to the board might include.

They've also not been given any assurances that the Membership of the SPCA of Niagara will be included in the voting process.

"The three board member that I named in my complaint initially, Kathy Paradowski, Bruno Scrufari and Chris Carlin, have violated many of the board's By-laws," said Michel.

"And when they went to the media, they opened the shelter to a lot of liability, and the possibility of many lawsuits, and I believe that will happen," she said.

"Paul Cambria is not working for the shelter, he's working for Kathy Paradowski, Bruno Scrufari, Chris Carlin and the rest of the board members.  We are not his main concern. Protecting those board members from their wrongdoing is his main concern," added Michel.

When asked about whether an Attorney General investigation might slow down the process, all three said it was important that things are done right, not necessarily quickly.

"It doesn't matter if it goes another 3 or 4 months, we need people who are in there who are going to work-- and work for the animals," said Kwiatkowski.

Click on the icon to watch Two On Your Side's Maryalice Demler's report.