What an honor to stand up and be a voice! It's time Attleboro moves toward the future and provides a new Shelter that will accommodate the needs of our community today and for years to come. A new animal shelter is more than just a building and very different than a residential design. It is a home (although temporary) to Attleboro's animals in need. The combination of animal behavior, disease control and noise control make building an animal shelter much different than a building we may see in an industrial park, and definitely not comparable to the homes we reside in.

Animal problems affect everyone, from the stray and abandoned to the neglected and abused. Attleboro's animals need the basic amenities to keep them safe, healthy and mentally stimulated while they prepare for their next step in life.

The new shelter will allow us to provide the environment that promotes and protects the health and well-being of the animals in our care.

I can only speak on behalf of Attleboro, but pleased to say the days of the mean ole dog catcher and the grungy dog pounds are long gone! Did you know Animal Control fields many calls per day seeking advice from pet owners in our community? People call with questions on training, questions on spays and neuters and more.

When a stray animal is picked up, we work closely with Animal Control to share the pic and any info on the new intake so we can hopefully get him or her home ASAP! When the owner is located, Animal Control takes the time to discuss ways to keep their pets safe in the future and the risk involved when an animal is loose in the community. We also tell them that we offer low-cost micro-chipping to residents and the difference a chip can make in a stray pet. We also remind people that it is important to spay and neuter their pets and yes we offer low cost certificates for that too.

When an animal is going to stay with us, we closely evaluate the needs of that animal. We provide proper food based on the animal's needs (some of them require special diets), training to work on any manners that need reassuring or any behaviors that need managing and that is all done with positive based training. When a resident of the community calls and wants to surrender their pet due to behavioral issues, we work closely with them to assist when possible as a means to keep the animal in the home and out of the shelter.

People stop by the  shelter with their dogs and if we see a choke chain or prong collar, we suggest other forms of collars and harnesses such as Martingales and Easy Walks along with Gentle Leaders, again trying to make a difference for the animals within our community sometimes is the difference with keeping them in the home and out of the shelter.

Did you know we will soon be in discussions with our schools? We feel the future is all we have when it comes to the safety and well-being of the animals in our community. We are proud of our Animal Control officers, our community, our volunteers and our supporters. Thank you for helping us help them!!! The next time you see Attleboro's green or white Animal Control truck driving around within the community, know they are making a difference. The next time you stop by and see some of the volunteers, know we love them as if they were our own

Each council member has the opportunity to make this dream a reality. Each one has the chance to make a difference. I and many others who attended last night urge the council to vote yes and approve the bond for the new shelter on Jan. 22 and make that choice to make a difference!