Riverhead and North Fork Animal Welfare League strike deal for management of town shelter

Riverhead Town has reached an agreement with North Fork Animal Welfare League for management of the town’s animal shelter.

The town board is set to approve a three-year contract with NFAWL at tonight’s meeting, Supervisor Sean Walter said.

Riverhead will pay NFAWL $223,135 to run the shelter and take over the town’s animal control responsibilities in year one of the contract, Walter said. The contract provides for a cost of living increase of up to 2 percent in each succeeding year.

NFAWL president Richard Radoccia said the group’s board of directors agreed to the deal last night, following a meeting with town officials on Friday.

NFAWL will likely take over management of the shelter as of Feb. 1, Radoccia said. It will employ at least one full-time animal control officer and sufficient paid staff to keep the facility open and the animals cared for seven days a week.

“We’re going to come to the community for support to help make improvements to the existing shelter,” Radoccia said.

The town will remain owner of the facility and be responsible for its upkeep.

“We try to elevate the standard of care for the animals beyond what municipal agencies are required to do,” Radoccia said. “We will bring to Riverhead the same level of care we’ve been able to achieve in Southold.”

“I am ecstatic,” Walter said. “This is the culmination of a long effort.”

Councilman James Wooten, the town board liaison to the shelter, echoed Walter’s sentiments.

“We’ve wanted this for a long time. We just couldn’t get the numbers correct,” Wooten said.

“A public-private partnership has proven to be the best way to provide animal care at municipal shelters,” Wooten said, citing successful operations in Southampton and Southold. NFAWL manages the Southold Town shelter, as well.

“We think we can run the two shelters more efficiently than we can run one,” Radoccia said. “We’re excited that we’ll be providing services to the entire North Fork.”

NFAWL will celebrate its 50th anniversary in July, Radoccia said.

Wooten said he hopes the town will be able to eventually provide land at EPCAL adjacent to the dog park where a larger facility would be constructed. “I think that’s absolutely the perfect place,” he said.

Photo caption: Kennel attendant Lou Passantino with “Comet” outside the town’s Youngs Avenue shelter Tuesday afternoon.

RiverheadLOCAL photo by Peter Blasl

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