Riverhead seeks private group to run animal shelter

When people talk about animal shelters, they often think about adopting an irresistible puppy or a cute kitten, but Riverhead Town Councilman Jim Wooten is hoping to find someone to adopt the town's shelter.

"We don't have the resources to be the gatekeeper who runs it and also be advocates for the animals," Wooten said. "It's time to see what reforms and efficiencies the private sector can offer to manage the facility."

The town issued a request on Sept. 10 for proposals from private groups interested in taking over the shelter's operations, but has yet to receive any formal replies. "We're keeping it open until Sept. 27," Wooten said.

The town has no plan for how the shelter would operate under a private group, or what role the town would have in covering its operating costs. Wooten said that, at best, a private group could come in and cover all the expenses of running the shelter, as well as upgrading its services.

Two towns on the East End, Southold and Southampton, already have private groups running their shelters.

This week, officials from the Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton will be meeting with Riverhead officials for a preliminary discussion of a possible takeover.

Pam Green, Kent's executive director, said the agency would not propose taking over the town shelter unless a lot of questions are resolved.

"There are problems inherent in that [kind of] arrangement, no doubt about it," she said. "It's not the kind of thing you can just jump into."

A no-kill shelter, Kent has been in business for 42 years and has started a $2-million fundraising drive to renovate its own facility.