County Bows Out As Rockland Green, Hi-Tor Plan Future Animal Control

NEW CITY, NY — The Rockland County government's involvement in local animal control comes to an end Dec. 31 as the Hi-Tor animal shelter and the Rockland County Solid Waste Management Authority cooperate on a plan for the future.

Earlier this year, all but one of Rockland's town supervisors decided they wanted to remove control and leadership over the animal shelter from the beleaguered nonprofit, and decided to do it through the quasi-public waste management agency, also known as Rockland Green.

Hi Tor is the only shelter for stray and homeless animals in Rockland, taking in more than 2,500 animals each year, most from the towns' animal control officers. The county had traditionally provided some funding to and made county facilities available to Hi-Tor for animal control and care.

The shelter has been run by a small staff augmented by volunteers and supported through fundraising and contracts with municipalities for animal control. It has suffered for years from overcrowding and underfunding, in a facility basically unchanged since 1972. A new larger facility was to be built using county, state and private funds (a ceremonial groundbreaking event was held in October 2021); but the plan was scrapped when town officials expressed concerns about Hi-Tor's operations and competence.

Rockland Green, founded in 1994 to handle waste prevention, recovery, and disposal for the county, had its charter amended this year with approval from the Rockland County Legislature and New York State Legislature to allow it to also handle animal control.

On Thursday, Rockland County Executive Ed Day gave his final update on Hi-Tor at a midday news conference at which he and Haverstraw Town Supervisor Howard Phillips, who is the head of the board of Rockland Green signed a 2-year lease for the decrepit shelter facility.

The county has leased the old shelter to Rockland Green for $1 a year. The lease runs through Dec. 31, 2024, and then month-to-month. All maintenance, repairs, and alterations to the property are the responsibility of Rockland Green, with approval by the county.

"The ultimate goal is to do something that has been a dream for way too long — to have a brand-new animal shelter," Day said. "I’m very hopeful that finally we’re on that road."

He said county officials remain committed to saving taxpayer dollars. "We realize this changeover comes with a tax bite, we want to make sure at the county level of government we minimize that and work with the town supervisors to make sure it's being done in a proper way."

"We understood two things — we need to have a shelter for these animals, it needs to be safe and efficient, and we need to look after the taxpayers," Phillips said. "We have now a fixed plan for the next two years so we can now concentrate on building a new state-of-the-art facility."

Day acknowledged the support of the county legislature, which OK'd the lease on short notice.

Phillips was optimistic about the annual budget, which will go up $500,000 over current spending.

“Now Hi-Tor will have a budget that is guaranteed, we’re talking about $1.4 million; this will enable them to concentrate on the animals and not fundraise and fundraise and fundraise,” he said. “We have a fixed plan for the next two years and now we can concentrate on building a new state-of-the-art facility for the animals.”

The boards of Hi-Tor and Rockland Green signed a contract in mid-December under which Rockland Green will increase the taxes it levies to cover $1.4 million for the shelter and $225,000 for a lease on a planned new shelter location in Haverstraw, the Rockland Business Journal reported. The cost to taxpayers would be about $20 a year, except in Orangetown, which now has its own arrangements for animal control. Taxpayers there will pay about $2 a year to Rockland Green.

Phillips told the Business Journal that the agency plans to buy 427 Beach Road. It's near the Joint Sewer Authority plant and several parks. The cost: $3.8 million.

One of the attendees at the news conference was Tallulah, a puppy who was dumped in the shelter's driveway on a cold rainy day in mid-December. She is 6 weeks old.

"These animals find themselves in this situation due to human neglect," Phillips said.

To watch the full news conference, click here.

If you're interested in adopting or fostering a dog or cat, email dogs@hitor.org

SEE ALSO:

• Rockland Officials Mull Management Changes At Hi-Tor
• Criminal Charges Dismissed Against Hi-Tor President
• 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