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Residents press Woonsocket council to restore animal shelter services, fund low‑cost spay/neuter clinic
Summary
Volunteers and residents described an ongoing cat overpopulation and gaps in animal control services, urged enforcement of state spay/neuter and abandonment laws, and asked the city to prioritize a new low‑cost spay/neuter clinic while a permanent shelter is planned.
Speakers at the April 21 Woonsocket City Council meeting urged the city to address a persistent animal‑control and feline overpopulation problem left after the municipal shelter closed in 2017. Residents described exhausted volunteer networks, overcapacity at nonprofit sanctuaries, and a need for low‑cost spay and neuter services.
Kathy (Kelly) — who identified herself as a long‑time volunteer working with traps, fosterers and rescues — asked the council to enforce state laws that require spaying and neutering and prohibit abandonment. "It is a cruel act to do this to these cats," she told the council, describing kittens found on hot rooftops with no shade or water.
Background and requests The city’s former animal shelter was closed in February 2017 after mold problems and prior operational concerns were raised over several years, speakers said. Since the closure, Woonsocket has relied heavily on rescues and volunteer networks such as the Woonsocket Cat Sanctuary, Paws Watch Community Cat Center and Scruffy Paws in Warwick. Paws Watch reported handling dozens of Woonsocket cats in a single year, volunteers said.
Volunteers and sanctuary representatives told the council they need two things: enforceable municipal action on breeding and abandonment, and a city‑supported, low‑cost spay/neuter clinic to reduce future intake. Kathy asked for a city official to meet with volunteers to lay out a collaborative plan.
What council heard Council members acknowledged the long history of the shelter’s operational problems and said they are pursuing a new animal shelter site and other steps. Speakers noted volunteers often cover trapping, transport and medical costs out of pocket and said the city’s support would multiply those efforts.
Ending Speakers asked the council to follow up quickly with a point person to coordinate volunteers, rescues and animal control. The council did not take formal action on animal control at the April 21 meeting; speakers asked staff and elected officials to meet with volunteer groups to develop next steps.
