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North Hempstead residents urge town cat shelter after deadly Medford sanctuary fire
Summary
Residents at the April 1 Town of North Hempstead meeting urged the board to create a cat shelter and to improve voucher outreach after a fire at Happy Cat Sanctuary in Medford killed a rescuer; speakers said program logistics, lack of publicity and limited clinic hours hinder current rescue efforts.
Dozens of residents urged North Hempstead officials on April 1 to create a dedicated cat shelter and to fix logistical hurdles in the town's trap-neuter-return (TNR) voucher program after a fire at Happy Cat Sanctuary in Medford killed a rescuer.
"The TNR voucher program is a good thing," a public commenter who addressed the board said, but added that few vouchers are used because residents are unaware of the program and rescuers must pick up physical vouchers at the shelter and show ID. The speaker urged the town to automate or publicize the program and said Helping Paws in East Meadow is one of few low-cost clinics available for rescues.
Several other residents described the impact of the Medford fire and the rescue community's scramble to place animals. "This fire may have been intentionally set," Liz Diamond said in a prepared statement mourning the death of the rescuer and the loss of the sanctuary; she and other speakers said Happy Cat served as a lifeline for hundreds of cats and that its loss increases pressure on local rescuers.
At least one commenter cited a town feasibility study that, he said, estimated a renovation could allow the town to house about 33 cats; the town's presiding officer and staff cautioned that grants often require matching funds and that the town's current shelter was built and equipped to serve dogs and may not safely house cats without renovation or separate facilities.
Speakers suggested immediate steps the town could take: improve public information about vouchers, change voucher pickup logistics, pursue matching grants or private fundraising, and explore regional cooperation so neighboring shelters could absorb animals during emergencies. Pete Gaffney, a Westbury resident, also offered to email staff contract details about local delivery operations and other neighborhood issues.
The board did not adopt a new shelter policy during the meeting; public speakers requested follow-up briefings and clarity on available matching funds and capital options.
Next steps noted on the record included residents asking the board to provide more detail on grant terms and whether the town could identify a small initial space to begin accepting cats. The board acknowledged the complexity of grant requirements and pointed to a two-decade history of prior decisions about shelter capacity.
