Rockland Holds Ceremonial Groundbreaking For New Animal Shelter

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Accompanied by a chorus of barks, Rockland County officials and volunteers ceremoniously broke ground for a new animal shelter, manifesting a dream of many years.

"Today is a great day," said County Executive Ed Day. "We are now one step closer to completion ... It's a clear savings for residents and a victory for the animals we care about."

The $8.3 million project is fully funded, with money coming from Rockland County, several state grants, private donations and a contribution from The Hi Tor Animal Care Center. SEE: Hi Tor Donation Aids Rockland's New Animal Shelter Construction

Hi Tor, Rockland's only animal shelter, has suffered for years from overcrowding and underfunding, in a facility basically unchanged since 1972 near the county Fire Training Center in Pomona.

"The new facility will not only be far larger but will offer modern features needed to properly care for the animals and to better facilitate adoptions so they can find forever homes with families eager to welcome a new pet into their lives," said County Legislator Jay Hood.

Day and Hood also noted that the new facility will have proper spaces for the staff and volunteers, who they thanked for selfless service in poor conditions.

"Animals, like our youngest children, rely on us to care for them," Hood said. "Animals end up here for a variety of reasons — they could be lost, abandoned, homeless, and sometimes sadly they've been neglected and outright abused. Once they're in the shelter their good care is our mission."

Day said the county on Wednesday put out a request for bids from builders. Contract proposals would go through the legislative review process. The hope is to start construction in May 2022 and finish by the fall.

Everyone's been anxious to get started, Day acknowledged. The coronavirus pandemic set everything back more than a year, he said, "but we are moving forward."

The facility will be 14,000 square feet, three times larger than the current shelter. It will have indoor and outdoor spaces for dogs and cats, plus a small mammals and exotic pet area, a veterinary area including a surgery for spay and neuter procedures, rooms for meet-and-greets between people and prospective adoptees, temporary holding areas and quarantine areas.

"This design is based on professional assessment, after a study to determine exactly what we need," Day said.

Day particularly thanked the many private donors who helped make the project possible.

"This new shelter will be a tremendous asset to our community," he said.