County Seeks Non-Profit to Replace SPCA as No-Stray Deadline Looms

As July 1 looms in the near future, county and local representatives have yet to find a non-profit entity to manage a proposed facility that will house Delaware County's stray animal population once the 's animal boarding contracts with 29 county municipalities expire next month.

Mario Civera Jr. said despite initially progressive talks last month with Dinah's Way, a non-profit animal welfare organization in Chester County, the subcommittee has since found the group incapable of running the facility which is set for completion in October or November.

Civera said Dinah's Way representatives did not have adequate finances or experience to take on running an animal shelter that would replace the SPCA as a safe haven for stray animals once the former organization's contracts with county municipalities expire.

"When I saw that the conversation was getting weak, I though we have to move on," he said.

The has however secured a location for the proposed shelter owned by the Darby Townships joint sewer authority at Calcon Hook Road, across from the Delaware County Emergency Training Center.

Civera said members of the training center and the Delaware County AFL-CIO have agreed to build the proposed new shelter, however it will not be completed for an approximate six months, leaving a window of time after the July 1 expiration during which many Delaware County strays will have no place of asylum.

He said once the COG finalizes contractual agreements between the training center and the sewer authority, he plans to reach out to the SPCA once again to request an extension of its July 1 deadline.

"I don't believe [the SPCA] will," Civera said. "I believe they're going to be hard-nosed with it."

Director of Community Relations at the Delaware County SPCA Justina Calgiano said her organization is .

"In definitely one month our policy will have changed to no longer accept stray animals through animal control," Calgiano said.

She said the SPCA will no longer accept strays from animal control officers or citizens.

"We would direct them to their local municipal office or the police station, since we don't know of an existing facility," Calgiano said of the SPCA's response to stray animals after June 30.

Calgiano said the SPCA will continue to act as a safe haven for animals in cruelty situations, with the hope of finding new homes for such abused animals.

"We had 2,411 adoptions last year, and we're looking to do 2,800 this year," Calgiano said.

manager Samantha Reiner said despite her municipality having a small stray animal population, she remains uncomfortable with the SPCA's decision to allow the contracts to expire without any solid resolution in place.

"Stray dogs will be at the mercy of good Samaritans to find them or Mother Nature," Reiner said. "It' a shame. There's no resolution."

Manager Jeffery Smith said the borough has been working with 28 other municipalities affected by the change that form the COG to reach a solution. He said discussions have focused on finding another private entity to accommodate the county's animal boarding needs.

"The thought process is to work with another entity to pick up the pieces in terms of animal boarding," Smith said.

He said Media Borough will not be significantly affected by the July 1 animal boarding contract expirations, as it does not have a significant stray animal population.

"There were no strays this year, and none in 2010," Smith said. "It's still an issue the borough council deems to be extremely important."

He said he doubted any additional animal shelter would be able to open its doors by the July 1 expiration and thinks the COG subcommittee will likely return to the SPCA to request flexibility in extending the deadline until a new facility is in order.

"I don't think anyone will be able to open their doors in the period prescribed,"Smith said.