Montville Poised To Receive $2 Million State Grant For Animal Shelter

MONTVILLE, CT — The State Bond Commission is poised to approve a $2 million grant-in-aid to the Montville Animal Shelter for the construction of a new shelter. The news comes after residents have fought for years to replace the existing shelter.

The current shelter has been racking up violations with the state and many say it needs to be replaced immediately as it is hazardous.

The commission meets Friday in Hartford when the grant for the Montville shelter will be on the agenda.

Ann Gaulin, with the Montville Animal Shelter Community Team, said they've been fighting for years for a new shelter.

"We've been working hard," Gaulin said. "We've had so many people helping us."

She said legislators were key in moving the project forward.

The Montville Animal Shelter Community Team packed council meetings with 50 to 80 people in recent months, according to Gaulin. The team recently held a Pup Rally fundraiser to provide resources for the animal shelter's medical fund. The team also just finished a food collection drive for the shelter.

"We're trying to get a lot of good things happening before the shelter (is built)," she said.

The town has proposed to construct a new Animal Control Facility at its Public Works complex at 225 Maple Ave. in the Uncasville section of town.

"This project has been in the works for six years, and for five of those six years the facility has failed state health inspections," Montville Mayor Lenny Bunnell said in a statement. "We wanted to take advantage of the governor's desire to regionalize more municipal functions, and I think this $2 million project will benefit the region. We've had plans drawn up for a new facility for a year, and now we can put them to use."

The animal shelter serves Montville, Salem, Bozrah, and the Mohegan Tribal Nation. The state bonding was advocated for by state senators Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) and Martha Marx (D-New London) and state representatives Kevin Ryan (D- Montville), Holly Cheeseman (R-East Lyme) and Katherine McCarty (R-Waterford).

"I've been advocating for the Montville animal control facility for more than three years. It is a true regional asset," Osten said in a statement. "The shelter has failed many state inspections, and it simply needs to be replaced. This project has local grassroots support, too."

Some of the issues with the shelter include a lack of potable water, structural issues, and a lack of heating.

Gaulin said she believes that after years of pushing the issue, it moved forward now because "we put so much effort into it."

"They see that the town wants it," she said.