Residents urge Hempstead to act after volunteers say two dogs were held in prolonged isolation at town shelter

Summary

Volunteers and residents told the Town of Hempstead board that two dogs, called Lance and Ziggy, have been confined in isolation for months with no outdoor access; they demanded immediate behavioral assessments, policy changes and clearer communication. The board did not take formal action at the meeting.

Volunteers and residents pressed the Town of Hempstead Board on Feb. 24 to take immediate steps after describing two dogs at the town animal shelter who they said have been kept in long-term isolation.

At the meeting, several speakers named the dogs Lance and Ziggy and described extended periods in kennels without outdoor access or walks. “Ziggy has been jailed since September 27. It’s 150 days he’s been there. 0 fresh air, 0 human contact,” volunteer Weser Gasperman said. Volunteer Danielle Kenny said Lance had been confined for “243 days” and calculated the shelter’s cost of isolation for the two dogs as about $27,500, attributing the figure to earlier statements about daily boarding costs.

Speakers who volunteer or work with rescues urged the board to adopt concrete steps: immediate…

Residents urge Hempstead to act after volunteers say two dogs were held in prolonged isolation at town shelter

Summary

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