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If any of Leora Levys dogs had ended up in the Greenwich Animal Shelter a year ago, she would have been appalled to see the conditions. As chairwoman of the Shelter Our Strays Committee, she has played a pivotal role in fixing that situation.
In Greenwich, the animal shelter was an old decrepit facility dating back to 1957 when I-95 was being built, Levy says. The building, tacked on to the Bruce Museum, may have met standards at the time but had become grossly inadequate as the decades progressed, she says.
For example, she said there was no separate area for dogs and cats. Nor was there anywhere designated specifically for a potential pet owner to interact with a would-be adoptee pet. Perhaps worst of all, if animal control needed to perform an autopsy on an animal, the remains were kept in the same freezer where the food and medical supplies were stored.
All of those issues and more are addressed with the new shelter. Its a wonderful facility, Levy says. Shes especially happy with the adoption area and encourages anyone looking for a pet to go to the new shelter and check it out.
It turns out Levy has a knack for helping to make life more comfortable for those in need and it extends beyond lost animals. She recently helped the military furnish a special facility to help soldiers with concussions recover. A cousin in Afghanistan said a facility was being established at Bagram Airfield, but the furnishings were meager: standard issue cots and décor.
Levy worked to outfit the recovery facility with couches and nicer furnishings to create a more comfortable environment. It gives them a nice quiet place with a home-like feel, she says.
The new Greenwich Animal Shelter held its official grand opening pn June 23 at 393 North St. Although the facility has been running since January, Levy said the animal control officers requested some time to settle into the new building.
We finally have all the systems they need to keep the animals in a clean, healthy and humane environment, Levy says.
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