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City of Buffalo Animal Shelter conditions questioned

The Common Council should find out the location of the new shelter in the coming weeks.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — There's been a push for years to build a new City of Buffalo Animal Shelter, and on Wednesday we got some answers about how that process is moving forward.

The condition of the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter on Oak Street has concerned many people for years. On Wednesday, there was a rally outside Buffalo City Hall to support the animals and staff. At the same time, there was a committee meeting where the Common Council got an update on plans to build a new shelter.

A group of Western New York animal advocates gathered outside City Hall on Wednesday as they continue gathering signatures in an online petition pushing for change at the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter.

"We just want the world to see that it's very important to many of us," animal advocate Julie Rabbitt said.

They're asking for more funding for better conditions for the animals and staff. Some of their specific requests include being able to quarantine sick dogs and separating female dogs in heat from the males.

"Money makes the world go-round. We need more staff so that we can properly clean the cages. We need things like improved conditions for not only the animals, but the staff so that they can do their jobs. We need someone to answer the phone. We need better facilities. Sometimes there's no hot water for them to clean the cages with," Rabbitt said.

2 On Your Side got an update Wednesday afternoon from the Buffalo Common Council on where things stand with a Request For Proposal, or RFP, put out by the city to build a new shelter. Common Councilmember Mitch Nowakowski has a resolution calling for the city to immediately address the most urgent structural, health and safety deficiencies.

"I am meeting with a new interim director who will be running the animal shelter and be going over concerns that we have," Nowakowski said.

He says the issues with the shelter have been a concern for more than 20 years and it's time for change. He'd like the city to sell it and use the money on a new shelter.

"The Office of Strategic Planning was not able to tell me who specifically is working with the RFP now, but that in a few weeks, it will be sent to the Common Council and released on where the future of the animal shelter will go," Nowakowski said.

Nowakowski is also calling for a new staffing structure and is working with local SPCAs to alleviate overcrowding issues. 

The animal advocates said they will keep showing up until changes are made.

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