Hundreds of concerned residents, rescue workers and their four-legged friends rallied together Saturday afternoon outside the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter to express their outrage with its policies, staff and conditions.
They are demanding several changes from Town Supervisor Kate Murray, including an overhaul of the shelter's leadership, an end to its ban on volunteers and most of all, better services to increase adoptions and prevent killing the animals.
UPDATE: In response to Patch's video report about the protest, a spokeswoman for the Town of Hempstead defended the adoption coordinator and rescue liaison they recently hired. She said despite what protesters have said, the two new hires do have ties to various rescue groups that they have been working with over the past two weeks to boost adoptions. The spokesperson also said that Supervisor Kate Murray recently reached out to one local rescue organization, Last Hope Animal Rescue, and met with its president and board members on Friday.
It embraces the No Kill Equation for short term solutions. It then develops a marketing style centered on making the facility itself a fun place to visit and return: 1) All animals are showcased in large, open rooms. 2) Animals not able to live communally are transferred into rehab and then socialized. 3) Once balanced and healthy these animals are returned to the Adoption Center to be "presented" to the community. Like prison cages and killing? Hire another typical shelter director. Keep the status quo. Want a real change? See this site called Shelter Revolution = http://tinyurl.com/6yxl4ny I wrote to Kate Murray and quietly and respectfully, behind the scenes, made this same offer without strings or cost. All my advice for free. Guess she didn't care. Animals keep dying. I'll come out and implement this program and spend 3 years bringing it to life. In return I get $70,000 a year and a mandate to make necessary changes: we can start with organizational streamlining! You guys get the best system in the country - the pilot program for Shelter Revolution. :-)