Hempstead Town nixes adoption fee for some

Hempstead Town on Tuesday waived fees for veterans, senior citizens, volunteer firefighters, auxiliary police officers and the physically challenged who adopt dogs and cats at the town's beleaguered animal shelter.

The resolution was unanimously approved along with 86 other pieces of legislation in a single vote on the Town Board's administrative calendar.

The Town Board and Supervisor Kate Murray did not discuss the matter -- or any other on the calendar -- publicly. However, in a news release issued by her spokesman, Murray said: "We look forward to placing our furry friends in the perfect home with a loving companion."

It is not immediately clear how much money the move will cost the shelter, which last year had a $7.1-million budget. Spokesman Mike Deery said town and shelter officials did not keep track of demographic information about animal adopters.

"Right now we just screen folks to make sure they'll be good adopters," he said.

The town charges $85 to adopt a dog and $75 to adopt a cat from the shelter.

The move follows a string of bad publicity for the Wantagh shelter. Last month, Murray removed acting director Patricia Horan -- who was one of nine shelter employees paid more than $100,000 a year -- after a 17-year-old video surfaced that shows Horan and other shelter employees with a kitten about to be euthanized as an off-camera voice shouts "kill the kitty."

Horan has since been transferred to the town's department of General Services, where she earns $92,491.

A parade of speakers at yesterday's meeting criticized Murray's handling of the shelter.

Nassau Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals board president Bob Sowers told Murray it was imperative for the town to hire someone with a strong personality and experience with animals to run the shelter.

Otherwise, he said, "it will be nothing but the same result. That person must be a hands-on leader, not someone who sits in the office and delegates to others."

Murray said the town had received at least 35 resumes for the shelter director post and began interviewing candidates last week.

"We're looking for the best director we can, and I think we have reached out to you to be on the executive search committee," Murray told Sowers.

After Sowers said he had not received this call, Murray replied that she must have been mistaken.