Waterford has a median household income of $71,000, East Lyme’s is $84,000, and both towns are suburban, have nonexistent murder rates and are predominately white. New London, meanwhile, has a median household income of $43,126, roughly as many minorities as whites and much higher violent crime rates.
So do the three towns have enough in common to share an animal shelter? Depends on whom you ask.
“I think there is a very good chance,” Waterford First Selectman Dan Steward said. “Once we see (New London’s) policies, we can work these things out.”
Meanwhile, Animal Control Facility Study Committee co-chair Margaret Ormond isn’t so optimistic.
“(New London) is not holding the project up, let’s put it that way,” Ormond said. “Right now, we are too far apart.”
Waterford and East Lyme have been sharing an animal control facility and animal control officers for more than 40 years. Salem also uses the facility, although not the animal control officer, to house its animals.
The agreement between East Lyme and Waterford says that East Lyme will pay for the animal control vehicle, while Waterford will pay for the building, Steward said. The current building was built in 1956 for $6,000, Steward, Ormond and Animal Control Officer Robert Yuchniuk said. It does not meet several current building codes, and needs to be replaced, they said.
To potentially make the facility cheaper, New London could join in, as broader regionalization usually equals cost savings, Steward said. However, for New London to join in with East Lyme-Waterford, some things might have to change on both sides, he said.
“The cultural environment is different,” Steward said. “They have many more incidents than (East Lyme and Waterford) do.”
New London also , according to state records. That’s because New London doesn’t have the room to house all the animals, Steward said, with information derived from a meeting with New London Police Chief Margaret Ackley.
“They have animals that are specifically trained to attack police officers,” Steward said. “They have different challenges than we do.”
Waterford’s current adoption policy is non-negotiable, Ormond said in a previous interview. In Waterford, a healthy animal would never be euthanized, she said.
Ackley met with the animal shelter committee Monday night, although little was accomplished, Ormond said. Ackley deferred the questions to Police Captain Michael Lacey, who heads the animal control department in New London, Ormond said.
“(Ackley) said she does not micromanage,” Ormond said. “So I guess we will have to talk to Captain Lacey.” Lacey is currently on leave, but the committee hopes to meet with him sometime in May, Ormond said. Lacey has candidly refused changing any of New London’s policies in private conversations, but perhaps he will change his mind in a public meeting, Ormond said.
The decision to join with New London or not has to be done quickly, because it greatly changes the size and potentially the location of the building, Ormond says. Whatever the building would be with East Lyme-Waterford, it would be double with New London added, Ormond said.
The group looked at a rough drawing of a 27-run facility in April. Ormond’s logic would put the facility at more than 50 dog runs, along with a larger cat room.
The current location of the animal shelter, behind youth services, is the location the town will look at first, Zoning Official Michael Gladden said. If the shelter is too big to fit though, another spot would have to be found, Gladden said.
Funding
The animal control facility committee is still looking for donations, and is about to complete a fundraising brochure. Many townspeople have raised money, in a variety of creative ways.
The group asked for a $45,000 designation from the board of finance in March for a drawing of the facility, but the finance board denied the request. Board member George Peteros has been an outspoken critic of spending money on a new shelter.
“The town is currently laying off employees and cutting human services, yet we are supposed to appropriate money for the perceived needs of stray dogs that wander across the (New London) border,” Peteros said in an earlier interview. “That doesn’t make sense to me.”
The fact that not one of the people commenting on this article seemed to have thought that an unusual concern does suggest some serious differences in the things we place value on.
Before the three can agree to build an animal shelter, the they all need to agree on the same policies for dealing with the animals at that shelter. It becomes more difficult, although by no means impossible, when you are dealing with different animal populations.
I live in East Lyme and in the last week, my husband and I have seen two stray dogs wandering down the middle of Boston Post Road. Both dodged getting hit by multiple cars. I would say that since they were strays, they most likely wandered here all the way from New London except that when we got out of the car to see if they had a collar, their tags both had East Lyme phone numbers to call. This article reeks of discrimination.
Second, I'm reporting what was told to me about New London and Waterford's animal populations. Comparing a private hospital to a public entity like an animal shelter is apples to oranges. According to the people whose job it is to know, there is a difference between the animal populations of Waterford-East Lyme and New London. That isn't being discriminatory, its reporting the reality of the situation.
I would like to say that George Peteros strongly supported giving more to the social service grants, which includes organizations like the New London homeless shelter. His point was that the town shouldn't help out animals while people were still in desperate need.
Wayne. Really. Really. Yes, these homeless just sprout from the ground in Waterford. Waterford grows their own brand of homeless people. The homeless in Waterford come from New London. Staying in the area of Stop & Shop and A&P liquor allows them to return cans to those stores and buy liquor quickly. The location then allows them to walk back to the soup kitchen in New London for dinner. Along the way they urinate, cause problems, and steal. They eat in New London, and then come back to Waterford to sleep in the woods. But they most decidedly originate in New London.
There's even a chance that you might play a musical instrument or otherwise be involved in the very active arts community in New London. Having said that(and we want to give you a I"M NEW LONDON PROUD TShirt if you come to Riverside this Saturday) this article and some of the comments still sounds, if not racist, then elitist. Those of us who live in New London and love and appreciate this fine city are more than a little bit tired of being a scapegoat for others who might better use their time repairing their own towns, etc. Peteros is quoted as saying “The town is currently laying off employees and cutting human services, yet we are supposed to appropriate money for the perceived needs of stray dogs that wander across the (New London) border,That doesn’t make sense to me.” Those of us who live in New London are wondering the very same thing about people who cross our borders with their very many real needs for which our city bears the burden with little or no help from surrounding towns. He's worried about a few dogs that he seems to think come from New London and we're worried about actual human beings. Let's get real here.
"A nation can be judged by how it treats its animals." - Gandhi Officer Robert Yuchniuk Waterford East Lyme Animal Control
And not to defend Mr. Peteros again, but your point (He's worried about a few dogs that he seems to think come from New London and we're worried about actual human beings) is exactly his point. He is basically arguing in a limited budget, you can only fund so many things. He is arguing that the money should go to human services first, before it goes to animal services. He was in favor of giving more to the New London homeless shelters, along with other social services, but was overruled by the board of finance.
The address is right above. I personally am sending a donation today. Who else will take 5 minutes of your day and send a few bucks? This is how America used to do things, citizens, not gov solve most problems. Maybe Patch can keep in touch with the WELAC and post how the donations are doing over the next month or too. What do you say Paul?
If he's serious, I'd like to know how he's able to tell a Waterford homeless individual from a New London homeless individual or is he saying that there are no homeless people from Waterford? I'm very confused about his post and would appreciate some clarification if that's at all possible.
Each community would follow state statutes. And, it's vitally important that all ACO’s be police officers. They would then be equal. There will be differences in each community. But each community will have their own animal control officers take care of their animals. So community differences shouldn’t be a major part in how animals are treated. Disputes could be directed up the chain of command. Or, perhaps a board can be created from the onset to specifically address pound issues. Frankly, it is unacceptable to ignore this because of money. If the 3 or 4 communities served all put their share of $ in toward realizing this goal it can be done. Remember, costs should be pro-rated. FACTS ARE: THE FACILITIES ARE DESPERATELY IN NEED! When water bowls freeze in the winter; & there is no air conditioning in the stifling heat of summer; when food is spoiled by humidity; & poor air quality allows disease to run rampant THE ANIMALS SUFFER. This is inhumane. It is not acceptable to lock up pets in cold/damp/moldy/drafty/sweltering/tiny/rusty & inadequate cages that fragrantly violate current codes. These towns need to PUT THEIR BIG GIRL PANTS ON and JUST DO IT. Our children watch & learn from us. We need to teach them compassion and & step up today.
There must be a fairly new facility in the state or in New England with building plans that could be copied or used as a guide, rather than $45,000 for a brand new design. I know the Groton skate park got offered many thousands of dollars, just to have a certain brand vending machine be the only one allowed at the park. (monopolizing the sales for that company at that park). The amount was significant. Maybe since our facility is also adjacent to the skate park, we could look into a similar deal. Just ideas.....the facility is needed. But many are struggling to make ends meet as well. Can't we find a happy medium somewhere?
As for BJ..words cannot describe my disgust for you & your opinion on animals. I feel it is safe to say that you are not a pet owner & thank goodness for that! You would be one of those that leaves their animal out in the freezing cold in the winter & the scorching heat in the summer. Those of us that care about animals understand the need for a new facility. I think that people in the town are putting in a good effort to try & raise money on their own.
are you telling me if i smell like polyester i cant safely travel through New London? I would suggest warning signs or something people need to know!