Southington's Pound Puppies Need Help

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A local organization supporting the Southington Animal Control Department has big plans to help canines forced to stay at the dog pound.

The organization, called "Friends of Southington Animal Control," appeared before the Southington Town Council last month to report on its activities, notifying local leaders it is looking to replace the chain-link fencing at the pound, located at 646 Woodruff St., with glass doors on the kennels.

The group's charge is to aid the town's animal control department with items — such as pet food, supplies and facility improvements— to make their job easier and to humanely help animals requiring its services.

"In the short time that we've been organized, we've helped our local shelter raise money to provide Kuranda beds and bed coverings," said Susan Zabahonsky, a member of the group's board of directors, at the May 22 Southington Town Council meeting.

"This year, our primary focus is going to be on the indoor run enclosures."

The big project ongoing is replacing the chain-link fencing on the enclosures' doors, which Zabahonsky said can prove harmful for stressed animals, who tend to chew on the metal and injure themselves.

She said many of the dogs brought to the pound are abandoned dogs at the reservoir and in a great deal of emotional distress.

The hope is the glass enclosures will be safer for the dogs and better separate the animals, thus avoiding any cross-contamination from others there, Zabahonsky said.

"We're thinking this will be a great improvement," said Zabahonsky, who played a video tour of the dog pound in Southington and its needs.

So far, the group has raised about $10,000 of the $38,000 needed to reconfigure the enclosures and donations are always welcome to help the organization out.

In addition to community donations, the friends group is hoping to garner some grant funds from various benevolent sources.

Council members thanked the group for the work they're doing and expressed support for their endeavors.

Said Zabahonsky, "We're doing a great job of funding the pound just through community support. So, it doesn't put any burden on the taxpayer."

For more information on the Friends of the Southington Dog Pound, including donation information, click on this link.

For the minutes of the May 22 Southington Town Council meeting, click on this link.