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Hamden mayoral candidate discusses town’s first-ever animal shelter

On September 14, Ibiza Tapas Wine Bar hosted Pets and Politics, the second of three “meet & greets” for the 2021 Hamden Mayoral candidates. Republican mayoral candidate Ronald “Ron” Gambardella took the stage in discussing plans for the first-ever animal shelter in Hamden.

The proposed animal shelter has been up for debate in the mayor’s office since 2004, yet the town’s financial instability and newer effects of COVID-19 have delayed the plan.

Gambardella has a 14-point plan in his proposal, which highlights the design and construction of a modern, aesthetically pleasing animal shelter for Hamden. 

Finding the location of a new animal shelter has been a pestering issue. Gambardella is eying up a two-and-a-half-acre plot of land on Putnam Avenue.

“Putnam Avenue is a well-traveled road,” said Gambardella. “It’s in the southern part of town, which current past administrations tend to avoid when it comes to major projects.”

Hamden has been slammed with a financial crisis plagued by debt and COVID-19. Gambardella does not want another dollar taken from taxpayers for the animal shelter. Instead, he is looking at corporate sponsorships.

“The animal shelter will be built closer to the road where people would drive by,” Gambardella said. “It will be ideal for corporate sponsorship.”

Location in relation to corporate sponsorships

The corporate sponsorship will allow businesses to advertise in exchange for donations to the animal shelter. Gambardella is also looking to build partnerships with veterinarians to have them come into the facility in exchange for promotions.

Animal shelters mainly serve as temporary homes for pets in need before finding their forever homes, and donations and support are crucial to that experience. Volunteers can only supply so much.

“Your Community Yoga Center,” located on Putnam Ave, is one small business that has previously shown support for Gambardella’s idea. The center held two yoga class fundraisers in April of 2019, donating to the shelter’s Capital Campaign Fund.

For shelters to be successful, many believe the adoption experience must be enjoyable for the individuals and families coming into the facility. Gambardella aims to feature Livestream cameras for the animals, which could potentially provide more ideal experiences for those interested in adoption.

“Many times in an animal shelter environment, when someone comes in the dogs get very elevated and they can be aggressive,” said Kathy Hoyt, a real estate agent at William Raveis. “With this camera idea, you could really get a taste of their personality.”

Hoyt previously ran against Democrat Josh Elliott for a seat in the 88th House District in 2020. She was in attendance at Pets and Politics in support of Gambardella. 

The animal shelter expects to get volunteers from Hamden High School and other animal lovers within the community, offering up opportunities to work with animals and make a difference in the community.

Gambardella is a pet owner himself, as he is the owner of a Cane Corso Mastiff named Sam. Similar to other pet owners, Gambardella treats his dog as his own kid.

“[My] dog is lovable. His tail’s constantly wagging,” Gambardella said. “He wants to play constantly. I love that dog.”

The passion Gambardella expresses for his own dog reflects how much heart is being invested in getting Hamden’s first-ever animal shelter started.

“This is going to be much more than just an animal shelter.”

Gambardella on his animal shelter proposal

Additional information regarding Gambardella’s 14-point plan and his campaign focuses can be found on his website.

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