Proposed Hopewell shelter could give towns a no-kill option for unwanted animals
The establishment of an animal shelter in Hopewell could provide answers for multiple towns in Mercer County, but questions still surround the latest vision for the facility.
Hopewell Mayor Vanessa Sandom said the township has discussed opening an animal shelter for a significant period of time. During that time, township officials have looked at different locations.
Now, they hope to establish the shelter somewhere on a 170-acre tract of land that the township is acquiring from a past settlement with Merrill Lynch. The property, which includes the Oldis farm and the Timberlane horse farm, is located across from Hopewell’s municipal building.
The original agreement with Merrill Lynch stipulated that the land must be used for open space or recreation purposes, Sandom said. Township officials recently met with the property’s current owners, Sansome Pacific Properties, Inc., a company based in San Francisco, to seek permission for the shelter.
“If they are willing to change the use, then there are a couple of things that need to happen right away,” Sandom said.
One of the first steps will involve collaborating with the nonprofit organization or organizations that would manage the shelter. The township would lease the property to those groups, and the nonprofits would raise the funds necessary to build and run the facility.
Mark Phillips, executive director of EASEL Animal Rescue League, said that he envisions the creation of the shelter as a two-phase process. The first phase would establish a facility that would serve Hopewell and possibly towns such as Ewing and Lawrence, if they are interested. The second phase would involve increasing the size of the shelter and expanding its services to the rest of Mercer County, Phillips said.
“In running a facility like this, the idea would be to involve all the rescue groups in the area,” he said.
Currently, EASEL works primarily with animals from the Ewing Animal Shelter. The organization’s volunteers come from throughout the county, Phillips said.
Mercer County does not have a centralized shelter. Trenton, Hamilton and Ewing have municipal shelters, and towns that do not have municipal shelters often contract with independent facilities for those services.
Phillips said that animals in shelters are often euthanized after a seven day period due to space restrictions. Part of the vision for a shelter in Hopewell would be to prevent similar outcomes.
“The shelter that we’re talking about hopefully would have the capacity to allow for no euthanization,” Phillips said.
Sandom said she thinks the location would be a good fit for the shelter.
“It’s ideally suited. It’s huge, it’s 170 acres, and it’s right next to the exit and entrance for the turnpike,” Sandom said.
Phillips said that despite the property’s proximity to Route 295, it is a secluded, rural space. That would ensure that sounds, such as barking dogs, wouldn’t disturb residents in the surrounding communities.
The location, which currently hosts a horse farm, has the potential to serve animals such as horses, in addition to cats and dogs.
There has also been discussion of opening a shop that would sell items such as T-shirts. Sandom said there is the possibility of a partnership with an organization that serves young adults with special needs. The shop could provide an opportunity for those adults to gain retail experience, Sandom said.
“It’s a lot of land, and we’re looking for ways to maximize the use of the land,” she said.
Hopewell currently pays a fee to send abandoned dogs and cats to Hopewell Veterinary Group. If the space for the shelter is approved, Sandom said she would speak with officials from nearby towns, such as Ewing and Lawrence, about their interest in participating.
Lawrence Township Manager Richard Krawczun said that Lawrence currently sends abandoned animals to SAVE, a nonprofit shelter based in Princeton. He said that township officials would be open to a discussion about sharing services with a shelter in Hopewell. The decision would be weighed based on what is most cost effective for the township, Krawczun said.
Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann said he has always supported the idea of a regional animal shelter, especially one that is run by a nonprofit organization.
“I’m excited about the idea,” Steinmann said.
One Mercer County town that is not likely to participate is Hamilton. Business Administrator John Ricci said that Hamilton plans to rebuild a new, larger municipal shelter at its current location. The township plans to go to bid for the construction this spring.
