Community Corner

New Montville Animal Shelter Nears Completion

New facility on Church Lane expected to open in the fall.

The volunteers and animals of the Montville Animal Shelter are looking forward to one key feature of the new building: air conditioning.

"The cats are so hot that they lie all day on the ice packs we give them," said Sue Goldblatt, president of Montville Pet Parents Inc. (MPP).

While the adoption area and office are air conditioned at the shelter's current location, 86 River Road, the animals' areas are not. The shelter's new location, 7 Church Lane, will be fully air conditioned.

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"The building is almost complete, we're looking to open sometime this fall, possibly late September," Goldblatt said.

In addition, the new building will have separate areas for cat and dog isolation for animals that are sick or injured. They did not have a space within their own building, and instead used two separate sides of the Department of Public Works garage, according to Goldblatt. 

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The shelter currently has three dogs and 35 to 40 cats, according to Goldblatt. The new shelter will be able to fit about the same amount of animals.

"The new shelter will also have a socialization area, where dogs can play outside," Goldblatt said. 

Goldblatt has been working with the Montville Pet Parents since 2006. The group is a non-profit volunteer organization that has fund raised toward the building of the shelter, pledging $80,000 toward it construction.

"We've also had In Kind donations for our security system, and roofing," Goldblatt said.

Transporting all of the animals will likely take two days, but they are looking forward to the move.

"As soon the township lets us know the building is ready, we will coordinate how to move all the animals from point A to point B." 

MPP is also working with two boys on their Eagle Scout projects. The scouts will be renovating the old sign to bring to the new shelter, landscaping and working on the dog socialization area, according to Goldblatt. 


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