Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin announced that the Town of Hempstead recently secured a $52K grant from New York State to fund planned enhancements at the township’s Animal Shelter, with the monies earmarked to support the creation of two outdoor exercise/play areas for sheltered animals. The creation of the artificially turfed outdoor exercise/play areas will provide additional space for animal interaction at the facility, and help improve the quality of life for animals in township care through increased socialization – benefits that will allow said animals to be better candidates for adoption into welcoming local homes.
“The Town of Hempstead goes to great lengths to protect animals within our care, and this grant will significantly support the incredible work of our municipal Animal Shelter,” said Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin. “The addition of two exercise/play areas will provide shelter staff with the tools needed to improve the quality of life for sheltered animals through enhanced socialization space, and allow these animals to more easily transition to life in loving homes across the township upon adoption.”
The grant – provided to the Town of Hempstead by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets – is made available to certain animal shelters across the Empire State that successfully demonstrate viable plans to make infrastructural improvements that benefit the daily lives of sheltered dogs and cats. As the public animal shelter serving the nearly 800,000 residents of America’s largest township, the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter regularly houses hundreds of animals per month, and boasts one of the highest adoption rates in the nation. The planned addition of the two exercise/play areas is expected to help increase the shelter’s already high adoption rate – a key element in the awarding of this important grant funding to the Town of Hempstead.
“We will always work to safeguard the lives of animals being cared for at the township’s shelter,” said Senior Councilmember Dorothy Goosby. “The planned enhancements funded through this grant will be great in helping secure long-term homes for sheltered animals.”
“We are committed to treating all life with dignity here in the Town of Hempstead, including our animal friends,” said Councilmember Anthony D’Esposito. “This township will continue to find ways to support animals within our care, and constantly work to enhance our municipal animal shelter.”
“This grant funding will greatly support the work of the township’s animal shelter, and I am glad we were able to coordinate with partners in government to advance this important project,” said Councilmember Dennis Dunne, Sr.
“The importance of providing ample socialization space for animals in the care of the Town’s Animal Shelter cannot be understated, and I am thrilled the township will be receiving the necessary funding to enable us to provide these tools at the shelter,” said Councilmember Thomas Muscarella.
“The Town of Hempstead will do everything possible to enable animals at the township’s Animal Shelter to be adopted into loving homes,” said Councilmember Christopher Carini. “Enhancing socialization areas and adding these play spaces for animals will be a great addition to the many tools already used by Animal Shelter staff to enrich the lives of animals living at the shelter.”
“The staff at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter go above and beyond to support the hundreds of animals in township care,” said Councilmember Missy Miller. “This injection of funding will enable the staff to lead the building of additional recreational facilities that will be an amazing resource to the shelter as it seeks to connect animals with forever homes across our hometown.”
“Here in the Town of Hempstead, we recognize the importance of our animal friends, especially those being supported by the Animal Shelter,” said Clavin. “Anything we can do to help connect these special animals with forever homes is our priority, and this grant funding will allow us to provide important additions to our shelter facilities that aid us in that endeavor.”
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