About

Core Values

Our central beliefs guiding all interactions with our coworkers, volunteers, donors, and community.

C – COMPASSION

I – INTEGRITY

R – RESILIENCE

C – COLLABORATION

L – LIFESAVING

E – EXCELLENCE

Compassion: We believe in the inherent goodness of people and pets.

• At the York County SPCA, grace is a cornerstone of all our interactions. We approach people with kindness, empathy, and understanding. Central to this value is that employees and volunteers should assume positive intent in our interactions with stakeholders – including colleagues, volunteers, customers, donors, and community members. We understand that everyone has their own story and motivations, and we choose to believe in the inherent goodness of individuals. By assuming positive intent, we foster trust, build meaningful relationships, and create a supportive community united in our shared mission of caring for animals in need.
   
• Anyone affiliated with the York County SPCA must treat every animal, colleague, volunteer, customer, donor, and community member with dignity and respect, acknowledging their individual needs and preferences. People are complicated and nuanced, and we should take time to understand different perspectives, which help guide our thinking and response.
   
• The York County SPCA’s compassionate duty to our community is fundamental to our mission and operations.  By addressing community needs, advocating, and building strong ties, we achieve our own goals and improve the overall well-being and development of the community in which we exist.

Integrity: Trust is the cornerstone of our success and is earned through consistent displays of integrity.

• Genuine intentions, ethical standards, and a commitment to the well-being of our team and York County pets guide our actions and decisions. We understand that public trust is not granted lightly; it is earned through consistent displays of integrity.
   
• At the York County SPCA, we conduct ourselves honestly, transparently, and ethically to build and maintain trust among colleagues, volunteers, customers, donors, and the York County community. We strive to be good stewards of donated resources.
   
• Our ethos is maintaining direct and honest communication with all stakeholders about internal processes, policies, and outcomes. Taking time to craft measured, truthful, and balanced responses helps ensure empathetic and trusting relationships.
   
• We aim to provide data-driven, measurable outcomes to ensure employees and volunteers understand the impact of their work and the community knows how their support enables us to save animal lives.

Resilience:  Resilience is the spring within us, always ready to bounce back, no matter how far we are pushed down.

• At the York County SPCA, employees and volunteers experience the emotional impact of life and death daily. We believe that creating a trusting, fun, and enjoyable environment is essential for the well-being of our staff, volunteers, and the animals in our care. We strive to incorporate playfulness, joy, and positivity into our daily operations, whether through enrichment activities for the animals, team-building exercises for staff, or community events that celebrate the bond between humans and animals.
   
• We recognize the importance of maintaining a healthy equilibrium between work responsibilities and personal well-being. We prioritize work-life balance for our staff and volunteers. Caring for animals is emotionally rewarding but also physically and mentally demanding. Therefore, we encourage employees to disconnect from work, we support time off for self-care, and we will continue to provide resources (and bad animal puns) for stress management.
   
• We encourage all employees to use the bulk of their paid time off each year. If a staff member or volunteer starts to feel the weight of compassion fatigue, we urge them to speak with their direct supervisor or another colleague so that we can support one another as a team.
   
• Building tight teams is critical to protecting our resiliency and ensuring a meaningful workplace experience. We are stronger together than we are alone—Walter Payton.

Collaboration: Building Bridges and Creating Partnerships Allows Us to Save More Lives

• At the York County SPCA, building partnerships with other animal service organizations, veterinary professionals, volunteers, the nonprofit community, and corporate partners ensures we maintain a 90% or greater save rate and allows us to advance our mission. Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much. – Helen Keller.
   
• We empower staff, volunteers, and stakeholders to make a positive difference in the lives of animals through education, training, and opportunities for growth and development. Cross-training and stepping outside your comfort zone and job description is our way of doing business. Working together as a team helps us remain adaptable to changing circumstances and needs within the community and the animal services landscape and ensures we can continue to meet emerging challenges.
   
• By examining our personal biases, we can successfully collaborate to help keep people and pets together.
   
• We embrace diversity in all forms and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where every voice is heard, valued, and respected. We recognize that diversity fosters innovation, creativity, and a broader perspective, which are essential for our continued growth and success.

Lifesaving: Saving lives is not just a duty but a noble and sacred endeavor.

• At the York County SPCA, we strive to save every animal’s life that can be saved. We do not believe in the euthanasia of healthy, thriving animals to create shelter space. We save lives by delivering essential services that provide animal care and public education, promoting responsible pet ownership, playing our role in public health and safety, and preventing animal suffering through an aggressive spay/neuter program. 
   
• As an animal care and services organization, we advocate for those in our community who have no voice. We work hard to stand up for animals and provide for their well-being with shelter, veterinary services, behavioral enrichment, foster programs, human service programs, cruelty investigation and prosecution, and adoption.

Excellence: Excellence is not just a goal – it's our DNA.

• The York County SPCA aims to be a leading animal resource center. We embrace change, challenges, and strategic risk. We are committed to providing the highest quality of care and service to every animal and human that comes through our doors.
   
• When we fall short of our goals, we own our responsibility for any misstep, study how to do better, and acknowledge that failure helps us grow and advance our mission. We move forward with passion, perseverance, and optimism.
   
• At the York County SPCA, we continuously evolve and improve ourselves. We understand that achieving greatness requires strategic innovation and focusing on the minutiae of operations. We strive for excellence in every facet of our work, from medical treatment and behavioral enrichment to adoption, fostering, and positive community outreach. 
   
• The York County SPCA values keeping animals, staff, volunteers, and members of the public safe. Safety protocols and training curricula are constantly revised and reinforced, and our decision-making processes keep safety at the forefront of our minds.
   
• We cultivate a forward-thinking environment that encourages creativity, curiosity, and continuous learning to better ourselves and our organization.