HAMDEN, Connecticut — After decades of searching for a home for Hamden’s first municipally run animal shelter, the town has selected a spot.
They’re proposing to build the shelter, which would hold 20 dogs and 10 smaller animals near the corner of Putnam Avenue and Gallagher Road.
“We don’t want to propose something that’s in a residential neighborhood because residents don’t like that so much. And we wanted something that was close to an area where you could walk dogs,” said Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett.
The nearly 3.5 acres of town-owned land is in an industrial area, close to the Farmington Canal Trail.
The town’s engineer, Stephen White, said they’re working with a consultant who builds animal shelters. He said they’ve recommended the building to be one-level, and about 6,500 square feet.
“We don’t have a lot of space available with those constraints in Hamden. So, we were trying to use existing resources to come up with the best fit,” White said.
The town is also planning on building a brand-new fire station on the land, which Garrett said would be far enough from the shelter, estimating it’d be about a block away.
“This location is over three acres, so it’s plenty big to house our fire department and an animal shelter,” Garrett said, mentioning the sound-proofing technology that would be used in the build as well. “I personally live about a block away from one of our firehouses, and it’s really not a problem for my dogs, for dogs in the neighborhood.”
White said the technology has improved over the years and neither neighbor should be impacted.
“It shouldn’t impact them, and you can hear a fire alarm through a building but, not excessively so to where it’s distressing. And I think the sound proofing associated with the animal shelter should keep that to a level that’s safe for the staff and the animals,” White said.
The proposal comes after a decades-long search by the town for both projects.
“Any municipality that’s more than 50,000 residents is required to have an animal shelter. So, by law, we need to have one,” Garrett said.
Garrett and her team came close to sealing the deal last year, after the town picked a location on Main Street. However, the land ended up being part of the West Rock Ridge Preservation area, which the state bought out from the town. The town is now using that money toward this new project.
The shelter, Garrett said, is long overdue. The town has been relying on renting seven cages through North Haven Animal Control for years.
“What it also means is our animal control officer and assistant are running all over the place cleaning cages, feeding animals, and it’s pretty arduous,” Garrett said.
This is all just a proposal at this point, and the mayor said they need more money to make it a reality.
A local group, Gimme Shelter, has been raising funds for years, however the mayor said it won’t cover the cost of construction. To fill the gaps, the town has also set up a fund to raise money for the shelter. To find out how to donate, visit this link.
Hamden Chief of Police Edward Reynolds is also responding to the proposal. He sent FOX61 a statement saying, “We are pleased to announce that the much-needed animal shelter in Hamden has finally found a location. The site is conveniently located near the new fire station at the intersection of Putnam and Gallagher, where the canal line runs. This new location will provide a safe and comfortable shelter for animals in need, as well as offer opportunities for volunteer work and community involvement. Through their numerous fundraising events, Gimme Shelter and Lenny Young have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to the cause. We are excited to see the positive impact this animal shelter will have on our community and the lives of animals in need.”
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Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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