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The Town of Babylon’s new animal shelter is nearing completion.
After 20-plus years of operating on 51 Lamar Street in West Babylon, the Babylon Animal Adoption and Rescue Center will be moving to a new building in North Amityville this summer.
Back in December, GreaterBabylon toured the shelter in West Babylon, where shelter director Chris Elton discussed why a new location was sorely needed.
“There will be a lot less stress than [in] this old building,” said Elton. “It’s going to be a lot quieter. It’s not going to smell so much. It’s a real piece of engineering.”
Real plans for a new shelter began about four years ago, after Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer visited, said Elton.
“Within two weeks [after his visit] he committed to building a new building,” said Elton.
And last week, Schaffer and Deputy Town Supervisor Tony Martinez stopped by the planned shelter at 80 New Highway to check out the progress.
“This new facility is long overdue for the town, and I know that Chris Elton and his dedicated staff will make the most of the new features of the building,” said Schaffer. “Our animals will be more adoptable, and children in our community will have the chance to come in and learn about the importance of caring for them.”
The plan is to open over the summer, possibly in the early summer.
“It is very important for the animals,” Elton said. “It is going to be a big step up in life.”
the features
The Town of Babylon’s new animal shelter has a long list of amenities.
Here are some:
- The facility will include areas for cats to move freely between the indoors and outdoors, which will help acclimate feral cats to shelter life.
- Newly designated areas for dogs were created to help them keep calm.
- Dogs will have mirrored windows in their rooms so they won’t be distracted by other dogs and people.
- More efficient wash and drainage systems were implemented for better sanitation in the facility.
- There will be an on-site classroom that will be used in correspondence with local school districts and community groups for educational purposes.
prior coverage
Watch: We visit the Babylon Town animal shelter for the holidays
