Little Shelter OK’d As Cat Shelter Operator
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Huntington resident and Volunteer Coordinator for Little Shelter Kathy Riccoboni speaks in support of the organization, which will take over operations of the town's cat shelter, right, next month. Long Islander News photo/Connor Beach
By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com
The Huntington Town Board has approved a license agreement with Huntington-based Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center to operate the town’s cat shelter in East Northport.
Earlier this year, the board ordered previous cat shelter operator League for Animal Protection to vacate the 104 Deposit Road building by Nov. 30. The move came after the board learned LAP had its tax-exemption status revoked in 2015. The situation was later remedied, LAP officials have said, and members of the nonprofit asked that the board resign it as the shelter’s operator.
Around 50 speakers voiced their opinion on the situation during a hearing at last Wednesday’s town board meeting, ahead of the board’s vote on the proposal.
Fourteen spoke in favor of Little Shelter and the move to have it operate the cat shelter.
Little Shelter executive director David Ceely said in a phone interview Tuesday, “Little Shelter is a larger, stronger organization, and we want to make sure that facility grows and develops.”
He added that Little Shelter will take over as the managing agency of the town cat shelter starting in the beginning of January.
Proponents of LAP also spoke at the town board’s hearing, arguing for the board to keep the nonprofit as the shelter operator.
LAP volunteers Amy Schwing, and her daughter Julia, said The Grateful Paw shelter is as beneficial to the volunteers as it is to the cats it protects.
“I am very disappointed that you would take away a fully volunteer organization and replace it with an organization that doesn’t let young people volunteer,” Schwing said.
The Little Shelter doesn’t permit volunteers younger than 16 years old, according to its website.
Following the more than an hour long public hearing, the town board approved the agreement with Little Shelter, 3-1. Councilwoman Tracey Edwards voted against the resolution and Councilman Mark Cuthbertson abstained.
“I have not received one complaint in my office about The Grateful Paw,” Edwards said. “I have nothing against the Little Shelter, but we have to make sure that the facts are correct. I never received one complaint.”
Supervisor Frank Petrone said, “The loss of the IRS status was not the only reason a request for proposal was put together. The RFPs were done; they were evaluated by people not on this board and there were many reasons. When the RFPs can be released, you will see them.”
Editor's note: The Little Shelter will take over operations at the Town of Huntington Cat Shelter. The name "Grateful Paw" was used by League for Animal Protection, the former operator of the shelter. An earlier version of this story, and its print version in the Dec. 21, 2017 issue of The Long-Islander mistakenly stated otherwise.
