WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Animals at the Lycoming County SPCA hope to be greeted with presents on Christmas Day. The organization is running its annual holiday toy drive.
"It can be hard for these guys here because they are kenneled animals, and they have a lot of downtime, so staff and volunteers do everything they can to give them enriching toys," said Melanie Huynh, a volunteer.
Huynh has been volunteering at the Lycoming County SPCA for seven years. She says toys go a long way for these animals.
"We like a lot of Nyla bones. The dogs love the jolly balls. We have two big yards here, and the pit bulls love pushing the big balls around with their heads," added Huynh.
This year the SPCA wants to give you a chance to see some furry friends open gifts. They will be live streaming on Christmas morning.
"The dogs love ripping open the paper and such, and it is nice because the community gets to be present for that. They have a lot of fun saying, 'Hey, I bought that' or 'That dog got that one,'" Huynh said.
With inflation, the price of supplies has risen. The Lycoming County SPCA is funded solely by donations, and they need certain products.
"Our greatest needs are non-clumping cat litter, canned and dry cat and kitten food. We obviously always need laundry detergent, bleach, and paper towels because we are cleaning up after hundreds of animals every day," said Alyssa Correll, the executive director at the Lycoming County SPCA.
However, people at the SPCA say the best gift you can give is adoption. Many animals have been at the shelter for years.
"We do not euthanize for space, and that means the animals will spend their lives here until they are adopted. It also means we have a long waiting list of animals that people are trying to surrender," Correll added.
Here is a link to the organization's Christmas wish list.
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