Town News

Animal shelter unveils mobile van

Town looks to control pet population

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In its continuing mission to reduce the unwanted dog and cat population, the Town of Hempstead has introduced its new mobile surgical van, which will be used to perform spaying and neutering procedures in different communities.

At a press conference on March 24 at the town’s animal shelter in Wantagh, Supervisor Kate Murray and other officials unveiled the Mobile Vet Van, a state-of-the-art surgical suite with two operating tables, an X-ray machine and 12 cages. Murray said that is the only such facility owned by a municipal shelter in Nassau County.

Murray said the addition of the van is “another example of how the Town of Hempstead is leading the way in promoting safe, humane methods of reducing the population of animals in our shelters and on the streets.”

Earlier this year, the Hempstead Town Council passed legislation requiring all animals leaving the Beltagh Avenue shelter to be spayed or neutered. Murray explained that the van is another step to control the pet population. Spaying and neutering is a procedure that typically takes anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.

The shelter also employs a trap, neuter and return program for feral cats. The program was launched three years ago, and to date more than 8,000 cats have been fixed. Murray said that the van will be brought to known feral cat colonies in the town to spay and neuter more animals. “We’ll go right to the source of the problem,” she said.

Dr. Jeffrey Siegel, the town veterinarian, previously performed similar services in his personal truck. He said that any surgery could be performed in the van, and two doctors could be operating at the same time. “It’s a little small, but there’s enough room,” he said. “If you closed your eyes and you didn’t know it was a truck, you would think it was an office.”

The van will allow the shelter to host spaying and neutering events throughout the town. “It’s hopefully going to reduce the number of animals that are going to come into the shelter,” said Mike Pastore, the animal shelter director, adding that the idea for the van came up about a year ago.

Diane Madden, president of Hope for Hempstead Shelter and a frequent critic of animal shelter operations, said that the van is a good idea, but is a “quick fix” and ignores other issues at the shelter, specifically criticizing its hiring practices. She said that over the years, the town spent money renting a van when it could have purchased a state-of-the-art vehicle all along.

“Although this is a long overdue but welcomed addition, it did not come easy,” Madden said. “Advocates have been urging Hempstead Town for years to stop abusing tax dollars through uncontrolled and wasteful spending. It is unacceptable that the town must continue to have their hand forced into reforms.”

Town officials say the addition of the mobile surgical unit is a leap forward in the services that Hempstead offers, particularly for animal lovers.

“We proudly welcome this new Mobile Vet Surgical Suite to the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter,” Murray said. “We are confident that it will be a great tool in our efforts to reduce overpopulation.”