Animal shelters across the country are shifting their operations to adhere to guidelines around the coronavirus. The Islip Animal Shelter is no different, but the town shelter is still home to many animals in need of homes.
For the past couple of weeks, the shelter has been closed to the public, only allowing for previous business and scheduled adoptions to take place in careful conditions. The shelter will now operate by doing transactions through the front window, with adoptions available by appointment only. According to shelter supervisor Teri Gialcone, there have still been adoption inquiries while the shelter has been closed, about the same amount as normal. The shelter has still been taking in and releasing stray cats, and performed some transfers with local rescue organizations. And though volunteers have not been allowed in the building, the staff has been walking dogs and getting animals out and about during the day.
If you’re interested in adopting, visit the shelter website at www.islipny.gov/community-and-services/animal-shelter to see the adoptable pets through PetFinder. You can then email the staff at the shelter to request an application and express interest in a particular animal. You’ll be able to make an appointment to come in and meet the animal and if all goes well, the staff will aim to set up take-home for that day, in an effort to limit the number of visits to the office.
If you’re interested in fostering animals during this time, the Islip shelter is not able to fulfill those requests, as they do not have a fostering program. Gialcone suggests residents reach out to rescue shelters with fostering programs. This still helps the Islip shelter, as they are able to then transfer animals to rescue shelters with open space when needed.
“Just be patient, this is new to all of us,” Gialcone said of the new procedures.
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