Cost Of New Animal Shelter In Rockland Skyrockets

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Rockland officials are looking for more money to replace the decrepit, overcrowded animal shelter that has served the county for 50 years.

The county held a ceremonial groundbreaking event in October 2021 for the new shelter, which is to be triple the size and was to be built using $8 million in county, state and private funds.

Now County Executive Ed Day has asked the Legislature to approve spending another $10 million. The construction cost: nearly $14 million. The whole project is expected to top $17 million.

"Like everything else, construction and material prices have skyrocketed significantly over the last 18 months," Day said.

Lawmakers are also being asked to OK a bid from Westchester contractor Piazza Inc. of Hawthorne, the “lowest, responsive, and responsible bidder” for the project, the Rockland Business Journal reported.

Hi Tor is the only animal care and control shelter in Rockland, taking in more than 2,500 animals each year. The county has traditionally provided some funding to and made county facilities available to Hi Tor for animal control and care. The county health department is charged with oversight.

The shelter's president faces a cascade of charges over a paperwork dispute, whether kittens received by the shelter came from Rockland or nearby New Jersey.

That has depressed volunteering and donations, causing an ongoing problem at the shelter, County Executive Ed Day told Patch. "It's a very difficult situation and I hope it will be resolved soon."

Meanwhile, Rockland Green, the public authority overseeing recycling and waste management, is moving ahead with its idea of taking over the shelter. Town Supervisor Howard Phillips of Haverstraw floated the possibility of expanding Rockland Green's charter and the County Legislature got New York State legislators to approve it.

However, some lawmakers said they had been misled by Rockland Green. They said they also had not seen a plan from the authority's officials, the Rockland Business Journal reported.

SEE ALSO:

• Rockland Officials Mull Management Changes At Animal Shelter
• Hi-Tor President Accused Of Felonies Over Shelter Operations
• Search Warrant Executed At Hi-Tor Animal Care Center
• Rockland Holds Ceremonial Groundbreaking For New Shelter
• Hi Tor Donation Aids Rockland's New Animal Shelter
• County Lends Dilapidated Building To Troubled Animal Shelter
• Hi Tor Won't Take Animals From Spring Valley
• Town Officials Check Hi Tor Animal Shelter
• Crisis At Hi Tor
• Rockland Lawmakers Approve Funding For New Animal Shelter