Gerow: “… make things right in this county for the animals”
MONTICELLO – A new animal shelter will open next month in the Town
of Liberty and the town’s animal control officer is appealing to
the Sullivan County Legislature for a little help.
Joanne Gerow, who is involved in many things and founded what is now known as Catskill Animal Rescue, a non-profit on Old Monticello Road, made her case to the legislature’s Management and Budget Committee meeting.
“The Town of Liberty has proposed the possibility, and it’s in its infancy stages right now, the possibility of my rescue taking over the entire facility.”
Gerow said doing that would better facilitate her contracting with other municipalities and with the county. It would also keep money in the county, instead of paying $250 each to send municipally impounded dogs to a shelter in Middletown.
“And it shouldn’t be costing us $250, in another county, to funnel these dogs. It’s outrageous to me. This is all revenue that we can be circulating in our own county.”
Gerow suggested the county do what it did for the SPCA many years ago, giving that organization a small subsidy for operating expenses. That might cover a gap between what it will cost to operate the new shelter and what she is getting under contract with a few towns.
She is also willing to work with the sheriff office to have sentenced persons on parole or work-release do community’s service at the shelter.
Gerow said the new shelter, funded with help from Bethel Woods founder Alan Gerry, will be a big improvement. It will include space for 26 dogs, space for cats, a veterinary suite, a meet-and-greet room and office space.
“We need to make things right in this county for the animals,” Gerow said. She did not get a definitive commitment from legislators, yet.
