The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

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SPCA Westchester Opens Doors to NEW $9 Million-Dollar Animal Rescue Center in Briarcliff Manor

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Are you a dog person or a cat person?

Personally, that’s a make-or-break question when meeting someone new. I’ll admit, I’m not a cat person. But that doesn’t mean I think they shouldn’t be treated like royalty, and with the brand new, state-of-the-art, $9 million SPCA facility, that isn’t a problem.

The local SPCA is 138 years old and before this renovation, hadn’t been touched since the 1950s. It had problems that prevented adoptions from happening, like the lack of indoor space for meet and greets. If the weather wasn’t ideal, the animals couldn’t go outside to meet with potential families which led to pauses in adoptions.

Thanks to a new and grand renovation, those (dog) days are over! With the 27,000 square foot, two-story new facility there is no room for the problems of the past.

With 77 indoor dog kennels, 33 outdoor day pens, four fenced in yards, six meet and greet rooms, a classroom, a brand new clinic, a music therapy room and more, the SPCA can now hold 250 rescue animals. Not only does it look and function better, but there’s been an increase in adoptions since reopening in September.

“The happier the animals are, the quicker they get adopted because they show their best selves when they’re not stressed and they’re happy,” Director of Development Lisa Bonanno-Spence said when I spoke to her.

And how could they not be happy? I mean, look at the place! The living options are endless. Are you a cat who likes to live alone? Easy. There are individual four-story cat condos for that.

Are you a cat who likes company? Perfect. Hang out in the Old English Library cattery, courtesy of a Tony-nominated Broadway set designer, and curl up next to the fire (literally, the bed looks like fire and sits in the faux fireplace.) Are you a dog who likes being front and center? I hear you. The Dog of the Day room that’s located at the entrance and resembles a family room with a TV dog house is the perfect fit.

“The more something reminds someone of their own home, the more they can envision that animal in their home,” Bonanno-Spence said in regards to the design, which also helps ease the shelter-to-home transition.

The idea for this project started over a decade ago and has always been the end goal. In 2017, floor plans and tours started happening to solidify a design and a year later the campaign launched. Thanks to previous adopters and supporters, eventually the funds were raised and the old buildings could be bulldozed down.

During the renovation the animals packed their suitcases and traveled down the road to a veterinarian/kennel in Cortlandt Manor. While the volunteers felt fortunate to find a space, it was half the size of their old one, which created concerns of being unable to help as many animals. Luckily, with the pandemic came a lot of families adopting and fostering which ultimately solved the spatial problem which Bonanno-Spence considered a silver lining.

After a year, it was finally time for the big reveal. Because I’m a home renovation show fanatic, I pictured this to be like “Extreme Makeover Edition” when Ty Pennington and the family would yell “MOVE. THAT. BUS!” only this time, it would be lots of barks, meows and tail wagging.

Even though the place looks completely different, I wonder if any of the handful of veterans who returned picked up their scent and thought to themselves…hm, I think I’ve done my business here before…Regardless, everyone felt that in comparison to the old shelter, “it was like the Four Seasons!”

A change in environment normally makes animals nervous, but these animals adjusted within the first 24 hours which shows it got their stamp of approval.

Bonanno-Spence said that all of the workers have always wanted a state-of-the-art center for their animals and for Westchester County and after years of planning it finally happened.

“When you come into this new building, you don’t even really feel like you are in an animal shelter, which is a good thing,” Bonanno-Spence said. “We’re just really hoping now that we have this that we’ll get in more people who want to help because the more people we have coming in to help, the more animals we can help.”

Go visit the new space at 590 North State Road in Briarcliff Manor from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. or donate to help fund the center by visiting spcawestchester.org/donate.  SPCA WESTCHESTER PHOTOS COURTESY OF SPCA, via Snootydog.com and Tischman Pets Photography.

 

Tara Mikolay Jewels and Generosity Add a Special Sparkle through the Holidays

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Community has always been the cornerstone of Chappaqua’s Desires by Mikolay, and, in these challenging and unprecedented times, owner Tara Mikolay has taken great strides to to stay connected to her legions of loyal customers and continue to give back.

We caught up with Tara to find out how Desires has survived, thrived, and continued to be the heart of the town this year.

Inside Press: How have you stayed connected with your customers during the pandemic?

Tara Mikolay: It may seem frivolous to think about jewelry during a pandemic, but, though the celebrations may look a little different, we are still honoring all of the same milestones- birthdays, anniversaries, bat mitzvahs- so we have worked tirelessly to adapt our business to safely help customers- old and new-mark these special occasions. We have done FaceTime shopping, shopping by text, DMs on social media, curbside pickup, local delivery and of course shopping online to meet the need in the “new normal”. In our over 15 years here, we have developed deep relationships with our customers, so they trust us!

 

Inside Press: What’s your favorite holiday gift this season?

Tara Mikolay: The floral pave diamond stud earring in white gold, ($1265 -less 10% off for our Holiday Sale!) we featured on the front of our holiday book are a personal favorite- they are versatile, sparkly, and can really pep up your Zoom meeting game! But more than just beautiful jewelry, we have holiday gifts at all price points…for almost anyone on your list. For example, our bestselling snowglobes FLY out of the store every season! Just send us your shopping list and let us do the rest!

 

Inside Press: You are always known for giving back. What organizations are you focusing on this year?

Tara Mikolay:  For most of us the holidays are vastly different this year, with many of us separated from loved ones. Despite this I am aware of how blessed we are…in the back of my mind I am ever so cognizant of all those who do without in this world.  Among others, we are supporting two organizations this season that are particularly near and dear to our hearts. The first is the Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry- we are constantly in awe of this organization and the good work that they do for so many in need! And- if you know me, you know what an animal lover I am- so we are ALWAYS supporting the SPCA, and selling the most gorgeous ornaments to benefit them!

Inside Press: What’s on YOUR holiday wish list this year?

Tara Mikolay: I have always wanted two pygmy goats…it is a fantasy of mine to have a farm and since we are home all the time now, it seems like the perfect time! There is nothing like the joy of watching animals frolic in my field and I think my fur babies would LOVE them! Though I have been hinting hard to Scott (Tara’s husband), I keep getting a firm no! So…instead I have my eye on these gorgeous gemstone stackable bracelets at the store from Jane Taylor. No one does colored stones like Jane…they are magnificent. And color makes me happy 🙂 Hoping to find those under the tree this year!

 

To order, contact:

Desires by Mikolay

55 King Street Chappaqua, NY

Call or text (914) 238-2223

info@desiresbymikolay.com

desiresbymikolay.com

@desiresbymikolay

 

Robin Chwatko likes to celebrate all holidays. She lives in Chappaqua with her son and rescue animals. And after speaking to Tara is obsessed with pygmy goats too…

Draw for Paws & Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue: More Than $25K Raised for SPCA of Westchester To Date

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“The Scarly Squad in Scarlett’s Garden shot on location at the Chwatko residence”. (L-R): Grace Frieder, Annabelle Fisher and Tate Shalov with Chwatko’s pets Ollie (dog) and Winnie (cat). PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON, DOUBLEVISION PHOTOGRAPHERS

Besides Scarlett Chwatko’s love of reading (see Bookmark Buddies story on page 27), she had a passion for art and animals. In fact, she often said “If I could, I would adopt every animal in the world I would”.  Scarlett grew up with rescue animals and most recently had a beloved dog named Ollie and cat named Winnie.

Her love of animals and the SPCA of Westchester was set an early age. In fact, for her fourth birthday, she wanted an animal party and her mother, Robin Chwatko, inquired if the SPCA of Westchester in Briarcliff Manor could help with that request. Sure enough, they did and several rescue puppies and kittens were brought to the party so that her friends could play with them. Instead of gifts, Scarlett asked all guests to make a donation to the SPCA of Westchester.

Scarlett’s relationship with the local SPCA only deepened over time. She often served as a cage captain during adoption events held throughout the year at the shelter. Cage captains accompany the pets in their cages during adoption events and help keep them calm and comforted.

Scarlett with her dog, Ollie
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBIN CHWATKO

Draw for Paws: Scarlett’s Idea

“Scarlett loved art and drawing and animals more than anything,” explains Robin. Scarlett came up with the idea of Draw for Paws. She was hoping that people would donate $20 to this SPCA of Westchester and in return she would draw their pets or favorite animal with the proceeds going directly to the organization. She created the original sketches, the concept, the Draw for Paws logo and the color scheme. She also wrote the mission statement for the organization at a “business meeting” with her mother at Starbucks.

Turning a Dream into Reality

For the holidays this past winter, Robin bought Scarlett the domain name for the website, drawforpaws.org and hired a graphic designer to help finetune her Draw for Paws logo sketch. “We have tried really hard to keep everything as close to her vision as possible,” said Robin.

Naming the Transport & Adoption Events

The SPCA of Westchester has a special relationship with an organization based in Mississippi called Homeward Bound. The SPCA works with them to transport hundreds of puppies a year from high kill shelters in the South to bring them to the SPCA here in Westchester to find their forever homes. These puppy adoption events held several times a year at the SPCA are hugely popular with many successful adoptions taking place but they are costly-roughly $50,000 a year to rescue, spay/neuter, transport and adopt out 300-400 puppies.

“When we knew Scarlett wasn’t doing well, I knew that people in the community would want to honor her. Although there are wonderful organizations that help kids with cancer, I knew that she would not want that to be her legacy,” explains Robin.

As Scarlett’s condition worsened, Robin reached out to the SPCA. Together they thought that naming the transport/adoption events in her honor would be an ideal way for the community to help an organization that Scarlett loved and was truly passionate about. Scarlett was always thinking about how she could help the animals at the SPCA. “She would donate all the blankets she received during hospital stays to the animals,” Robin recalls.

Cage captains, (L-R) Bryce Gell, Annabelle Fisher and Maddie Weiser at the inaugural Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue event
Photo courtesy of Robin Chwatko

Brainstorming A Name for the Transports

When Robin and Scarlett first conceptualized Draw for Paws, Scarlett said she wanted to create every picture on her own. Robin suggested that Scarlett “employ” a few of her friends to help with the artwork.  So she asked three of her friends, Annabelle Fisher, Grace Frieder and Tate Shalov (all rising fourth graders) to join her on this endeavor. These girls are all founding friends listed on the drawforpaws.org website.

After Scarlett’s passing, her friends came up with the name “Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue” for the transports and decided to call themselves the Scarly Squad, but their involvement didn’t stop there. The Scarly Squad looked through Scarlett’s artwork and chose pieces that appear on the Draw for Paws website. They, along with Scarlett’s friends, family, and teachers also helped serve as cage captains at the inaugural Draw for Paws/Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue adoption event held this past June at the SPCA in Briarcliff, which helped to raise more than $25,000 with funds that the community made in her honor at spca914.org/Scarlett and from contributions made on drawforpaws.org since the program launched. At this time, all contributions made on the Draw for Paws website will directly fund Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue transport/adoption events.

Anyone Can Be an Artist

“We knew Draw for Paws was a way to directly involve Scarlett’s friends and family,” explains Robin. Robin admits that she was a bit hesitant initially and was worried that the people would not like the portraits drawn by the child artists but the response has been overwhelmingly positive from both the artists and the recipients of the artwork.

In order to become a Draw for Paws artist, an artist profile is needed. Artists are required to fill in an outline of a bunny that Scarlett drew named the Scarly Bunny and add a few details about themselves on the website. “Her friends are literally drawing WITH Scarlett-  immersing themselves in her art by filling in this sketch. It is such a beautiful and special way to support her, remember her, and connect to her. It is also very therapeutic for so many of these kids who are feeling her loss.”

What’s Next for Draw for Paws

Robin hopes to expand the reach of Draw for Paws. Right now, the majority of the artists are local but they have had requests for portraits from Texas, New Jersey, Florida and California. “While our campaign will continue to fund Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue, we encourage kids anywhere to start a Draw for Paws Campaign to help animals. For example, if an artist based in Florida wants to protect sea turtles, we will promote their campaign on our site and help them get up and running,” explained Robin.

Beyond Puppy Portraits

“The portraits are really incredible. People love them and want multiple drawings by different artists to collect them.” And the artists aren’t only drawing dogs, they’ve made portraits of cats, chickens, hamsters and dophins.

Currently, the artist is chosen randomly. “You can get a 5-year-old or a teen drawing your portrait,” said Robin but she is working to get celebrities and well-established artists on board in the future. “My favorite day of the week is sending out the orders – I feel Scarlett every time I send a portrait to a recipient. It is amazing to be able to honor her vision and spirit exactly as she wished.”

Draw for Paws at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

Draw for Paws will have a special presence at this year’s Chappaqua Childrens Book Festival. Several illustrators will raffle original art as well as hold live “how to draw” demonstrations at the Draw for Paws booth.

Draw for Paws Portraits

German shepherd created by Rex, age 9, Manhattan
Cat created by Grace, age 9, Chappaqua
Chicken created by Ella, age 9, Tampa

How to Prevent Pet Loss: Local Experts Weigh In

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Laura Hill-Sulli, her husband Andre and dog Piper.

When Pleasantville resident Laura Hill-Sulli’s four-legged friend, Piper, went missing nearly four years ago she felt like she was living in her own personal nightmare.

Hill-Sulli’s story is like most who have had the unfortunate and agonizing experience of losing their pet. As Piper was playing in the yard, a neighbor walked by with their new puppy and Piper ran after it. When the neighbor went to grab Piper to bring her home, Piper panicked and ran off.

“We never had the need to have our yard fenced in because Piper always listened to us,” Hill-Sulli said. “I couldn’t understand why she would take off.”

Hill-Sulli immediately took to social media posting photos of Piper, a seven-year-old Merle Shetland Sheepdog, on several forums devoted to finding missing pets. She also left clothing outside her home to entice Piper with a familiar scent, made thousands of fliers and posted them throughout the community, contacted local rescue organizations, shelters and animal hospitals, and enlisted a pet communicator with the hope her family and Piper would be reunited.

“Every day we would receive what we would consider a valid sighting. So, at all hours of the day and night we would go to where the sighting was,” Hill-Sulli said. “The hardest part for me was we would get a phone call from someone who was so positive that they saw Piper. We would scour the area of where they claimed the sighting to be and we came up with nothing. It was like chasing the wind.”

When Piper was discovered in a gated community in Mount Kisco following her two-month adventure, Hill-Sulli took steps to ensure Piper would never go missing again. Along with erecting a metal spindle fence along their property, Piper is now microchipped and is always accompanied outside.

“I always had hope that we would get her back,” Hill-Sulli said. “Piper came running right over to me and I promptly picked her up and burst into tears.”

While Piper was found by someone who saw a posting on Facebook forum, Lost Pets of the Hudson Valley, Lisa Bonanno-Spence, of the SPCA of Westchester in Briarcliff Manor, said Facebook is a great resource to swiftly spread the word when a pet goes missing, but stressed the importance of contacting the police department, animal control and local shelters immediately.

“If no one knows your dog is missing in your neighborhood, they can’t help you,” said SPCA dog trainer Lisa Ricker. “The most important thing is getting the information to your local shelters because you want them to know right away that your dog is missing.”

Ricker added that having your dog microchipped enables shelters and animal control officers to reunite owners with their pets much faster. Off the roughly 200 stray or lost dogs the shelter gets a year, Ricker said many of them aren’t microchipped. It would make the search process go faster if the pet was microchipped and the microchip was registered, she said.

With dogs often running of their leash or out the door, jumping fences, bolting through an invisible fence, or digging holes under fencing, Ricker and Bonanno-Spence suggested pet owners train their dogs and attach a GPS tracker on their collar to pinpoint their exact location if they run off.

“You have to find what works for you,” Ricker said. “It’s an important resource because it can track your dog.”

Candy Higgins, who is on the board of directors for A New Chance Animal Rescue in Bedford Hills, advised pet owners use both a collar and a harness when walking their dog, especially on the Fourth of July or during thunderstorms when loud noises can often startle pets and cause them to run away.

She recommended pet owners not chase after their dog if they do get loose, citing that dogs have a flight instinct and will go into survival mode. Higgins also advised community members to contact their local authorities if they spot a missing dog. She stressed how vital it is to ensure a lost dog stays in an area to increase recovery, adding that approaching an already skittish animal may propel them to run off expanding the search zone.

“Call the number on the poster, call animal control, call the local veterinarian,” Higgins said. “The best possible thing you can do is report the dog, remember everything about the dog and what direction it was going in, and not approach or chase them.”

While there are no foolproof tactics to prevent your dog from getting loose, animal experts emphasized keeping all equipment, including microchips, GPS trackers, fences, and leashes in good working condition.

With the SPCA reuniting at least 120 dogs with their families annually, Ricker said it’s gratifying knowing the pet has a home to return to and the family is happy.

“It’s much nicer to know the dog is sleeping in their home at night instead of a shelter,” Bonanno-Spence added.

Local Jeweler Supports the SPCA of Westchester

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Scott and his American Bulldog rescue
Walk down King Street in Chappaqua, NY and you’ll spot tons of local businesses. Be it a clothing store, nail salon or a jewelry store–they’re all over. Many of these businesses have been around for decades and have well served the residents of the area. However, these businesses are not just good for selling products to locals, but many also grant significant support to various charities. Desires by Mikolay, one of the jewelers in town, is well known for its support of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals, or better known to many as the SPCA located in Briarcliff Manor.

Scott and Tara Mikolay, the powerhouse husband and wife team that owns Desires, became involved with the SPCA in 2008 because of their joint passion for animals. The couple has had six of their own rescue dogs over the years, ranging from an Australian Cattle Dog to an American Bulldog, so the idea of supporting a charity to raise awareness and support for rescue animals was a “natural fit,” according to Tara.

Tara and Scott care so deeply for the SPCA that they wanted to expand their contributions beyond the personal level by getting their business involved. Since 2008, they have hosted Shop for a Cause, a charity shopping event where they donate 10% of the night’s proceeds to the SPCA. This year, Desires had record success, raising over $4,000 over the course of the evening. The night was so successful because of the staff’s dedication to the cause, as well as the love and support brought in by each client.

In total, Desires has raised more than $45,000 for the organization through the annual holiday event as well as by offering “Gifts with Impact” throughout each year. Tara explained that it is incredibly useful to have “a platform in one of the most generous towns in the country.”

Mini, a beloved pug rescued by the Mikolays. She passed away this year at 16 years.
Although shopping for jewelry is one great way to help the SPCA, there are many other ways to get involved. The SPCA is always in need of committed volunteers and they have an Amazon wish list with products they need for the shelters. Even something as simple as liking the SPCA on Facebook can make a difference and according to Tara, “your impact, however big or small, is so meaningful.”

Tara explained that the SPCA is more than just a rescue organization. Their programs range from taking tireless care of each dog they take in to working to change animal abuse laws and education.

Tara and Scott’s connection to the SPCA runs deep. “Rescuing dogs for us is the only option. There are so many dogs in need and we have been blessed with the love of all of our dogs,” Tara said. The couple is even on the lookout for a companion for their current dog, Gus, and they will certainly be looking to rescue. With more than 1,300 orphaned animals rescued at the SPCA last year alone chances are Gus may just find a “furry friend” there.