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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Wantagh Adoption Center Closure
What is the timing of the Wantagh Adoption Center closure?
The last day of operation will be Sunday, March 8, 2009
How many pets are now sheltered at the Wantagh site, and will be impacted by the closing?
There currently are 80 pets at the Wantagh Adoption Center. (Feb. 20, 2009)
Of those, 23 are dogs and 57 are cats.
By the March 8 closing date, we anticipate the total number of pets there will be
about 50.
What will happen to the animals that are located at the Wantagh Adoption Center?
All of the animals at the Wantagh Center that are not adopted prior to the March 8 will be relocated to the Bideawee Adoption Centers in Westhampton and Manhattan.
Does Bideawee plan any community-based or special events in the Wantagh area to promote pet adoption in the immediate area, particularly for those unable to travel to Westhampton or Manhattan?
Yes. Once all of the current Wantagh on-site pets are relocated, Bideawee will host monthly pet adoption days on selected Saturdays at the Wantagh Center.
The adoption events will be announced and promoted in advance to area
residents and interested pet owners. We encourage potential adoptive
pet parents to visit the events section on the home page of our website for details at www.bideawee.org.
In addition, we want to reaffirm that the ongoing programs at the Wantagh Learning Center will continue uninterrupted. Those programs include animal behavior and training classes, pet therapy, Reading to Dogs, bereavement counseling groups, and public education programs.
Will the announced changes in any way impact the Wantagh Pet Memorial Park?
No. The Wantagh Pet Memorial Park will continue to provide burial and cremation services.
Are the other two Bideawee Adoption Centers impacted by the recently announced realignment of its operations?
Absolutely not. All operations at the Bideawee Centers in Westhampton and Manhattan are unchanged, and each will continue to offer the full range of animal welfare programs and services uninterrupted.
Where should people who live in the Wantagh area and interested in adopting now go to find a Bideawee pet?
Both the Manhattan and Westhampton Adoption Centers continue to operate without any change or interruption and have a variety of pets on-site that are available for adoption.
We also encourage prospective adoptive pet parents to visit our website, where
we update information on pets available for adoption daily on the home page of our website at www.bideawee.org.
Did the Board or management consider any other options, other than closure of the Wantagh Center, as an alternative solution?
Over the past several years, the Bideawee Board and management have been revisiting the Bideawee business model to assess its efficiencies and cost effectiveness for both short and long term planning and viability. Moreover, as the economy increasingly spiraled downward, Bideawee conducted a comprehensive review of all aspects of the organization, developing various scenarios under which the organization could address and respond to those dire conditions in today's unprecedented economic climate.
The changes announced today will help Bideawee survive this current economic downturn and position us to grow and thrive as the economy recovers and we move into the future.
Is the Wantagh Pet Memorial Park closing?
No. Unlike the Wantagh Adoption Center, the Pet Memorial Park has a perpetual endowment reserved for the maintenance of the Memorial Park. This fund is regulated by the state and our auditors have reviewed both the fund and our investments held for the fund to ensure that it is adequately maintained. The income from this fund, along with our annual maintenance dues, is more than enough to maintain the Pet Memorial Park for the foreseeable future.
The changes announced today will help Bideawee survive this current economic downturn and position us to grow and thrive as the economy recovers and we move into the future.
Who should people contact if they are interested in adopting one of the pets at the Wantagh center before it closes?
Wantagh Customer Service at 516-785-4687, ext. 0
