Fenced dog run installed at Stonington shelter
Stonington — A fenced dog run has been installed at the town's animal control shelter thanks to a donation from the estate of a local woman.
In 2013, the Alice R. Ziobro Trust donated $25,000 to the town specifically for the care of animals. Until recently, just $163 of the money had been spent.
In May, Marilyn Citron of Mystic approached the Board of Police Commissioners with the idea of using some of the money to create a fenced-in dog run to give dogs at the shelter a place to exercise and offer people looking to adopt a dog a place for them to interact with their prospective pets instead of inside the shelter. The commission supported the idea to use some of the $25,000 for the project. The project went forward after the trustee for the fund agreed it would be a good use of the money, according to Police Chief J. Darren Stewart.
The fence with gates was installed this month by Luther Fencing at a cost of $6,500. It created a large grassy enclosure with trees in front of the shelter and another fenced section to the side.
Stewart said the town had looked into the fence installation in the past but no funds were available for the work. He added the town is very appreciative of the donation.
Citron said the dog run is not only needed but something that other animal shelters in the region already have.
In her letter to the Board of Police Commissioners, Citron said she was requesting the money for the fenced area "so that the dogs have an opportunity to release energy and stress. Dogs confined to pounds for periods of time can develop kennel stress which often leads to making them less presentable and adoptable. The requested funds are consistent with what the benefactor intended. No single dog, even those waiting to be redeemed by owners, should suffer from solitary confinement and an inability to be outside and exercise."
Citron also requested the town implement "active and ongoing management of the donation."
She said the town's animal control officer is best positioned to identify areas of need for the animals and the pound.
She said this could include, but not be limited to, the purchase of food for dogs with special dietary needs, treating medical/surgical issues that often render dogs and cats unadoptable, making better use of social media to find owners of lost dogs and to promote stray dogs for adoption, and providing limited funds to citizens who are unable to pay for veterinary care that results in relinquishing or dumping their animals.
She added "an active trap, sterilize, release program to manage town feral colonies would be an important contribution to the reduction in these colonies.
"The generous donation made by the estate of Alice Ziobro was given to be used to help the animals. Please start using it. While I understand this is not an unlimited fund, it should be used for its intended purpose," her letter concluded.
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