Webster officials weigh building shelter after state rules tighten

At a July 2 town board workshop, Police Chief Dennis Colemire and Animal Control Officer Barbara Holland told Webster board members the town is at risk of violating New York State Agriculture & Markets sheltering standards and must choose between short‑term agreements with neighboring towns or building a permanent facility.

Chief Dennis Colemire said the town has been using a single kennel in the town‑hall equipment bay that is approved for 24‑hour holds but currently contains a dog that has been there “17 days,” and that the animal experienced heat‑related distress, forcing staff to relocate the kennel to a cooler bay. He said the town has exhausted informal placement and boarding options and is now weighing more permanent solutions.

“The services we were using for caring for sheltered animals ceased to exist,” Colemire said, describing regional veterinary consolidation and higher Agriculture & Markets standards that tightened municipal sheltering requirements. He said the town received a $400,000 state capital grant with a 10% local match but that engineering estimates placed construction costs in the high hundreds of thousands to more than $1 million depending on scope.

Barbara Holland, the town’s animal‑control officer, described pressure on rescues and veterinary hospitals: “I’ve been in veterinary medicine for 40 years and I’ve called in just about every favor I had and they’re all used up,” she said, adding that local rescues and hospitals are full and staffing shortages limit boarding options.

Board members pressed staff on operational details. Colemire said Webster has two primary part‑time animal‑control officers and three on‑call staff who cover nights and weekends; that small, mostly part‑time staff makes regular transport to distant shelters impractical because animals generally require multiple daily checks. He added that rescues and for‑profit boarding facilities have declined municipal animals because vaccination status and potential dangerous‑dog designations create liability and biosecurity concerns.

The speakers warned of potential legal and financial consequences under Agriculture & Markets law if the town remains noncompliant once the compliance period ends. Colemire said enforcement could include civil fines ranging from $100 to $1,000 per violation (which local staff were told could be assessed per day) and, in extreme cases, suspension of municipal sheltering operations.

Officials said they have pursued three principal routes: (1) an intermunicipal agreement (IMA) with a neighboring town to temporarily board Webster animals, (2) conversion or retrofit of existing town facilities, and (3) construction of a standalone shelter. Colemire said an IMA with nearby towns such as Penfield, Hamlin and Irondequoit was explored but partners either lacked space, were at capacity or would not commit to a long‑term arrangement. He said Irondequoit initially appeared willing but later withdrew because of capacity limits.

Board members questioned capital estimates and urged competitive procurement. One member noted that a nearby municipality built a comparable kennel for roughly half the figure the town had been quoted and urged the town to seek multiple architectural and construction bids rather than rely on a single engineering estimate.

Town staff outlined grant and interim options. In addition to the $400,000 capital award (10% match), Colemire and Holland referenced an open ASPCA equipment grant (up to $75,000) and a likely Agriculture & Markets construction grant opportunity in the fall; dollar amounts and application timing for the latter were not yet specified.

No formal vote was taken. The board directed staff to continue outreach to neighboring supervisors for cost and capacity benchmarks, to gather multiple engineering bids if a capital path is pursued, and to continue pursuing short‑term IMAs while evaluating capital options. Supervisor (or the meeting chair) said staff would return with comparative cost data and recommended procurement steps.

Next steps: staff will compile cost and capacity information from nearby municipalities, develop a multi‑bid procurement plan if the capital route is pursued, and continue to pursue short‑term boarding agreements and available grants. The board will consider a formal resolution or funding decision at a future meeting.