5/18/2021
Protesters unhappy with animal shelter inaction
Several dozen vocal North Providence residents held a “North Providence Needs A New Shelter Peaceful Show of Support” rally along Mineral Spring Avenue on Sunday afternoon to demonstrate and advocate for a new animal shelter in the town. Demonstrators were not shy about placing the blame for the delayed shelter on the shoulders of the town’s elected officials. (Breeze photos by Robert Emerson)
NORTH PROVIDENCE – Signs from protesters along Mineral Spring Avenue on Sunday highlighted everything from the current animal shelter’s noncompliance with Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management standards to town officials’ inaction on getting a new shelter built.
NORTH PROVIDENCE – Tired of being told that a new animal shelter is right around the corner, a group of local advocates is planning a rally to draw attention to the situation.
Karen Vaillancourt, who is organizing the event with Cathy Lanni, said that while the topic of a new shelter has been spoken about since at least 2014, appropriate money “has yet to be set aside and used to build a proper, to-code animal shelter in North Providence,” and an architect experienced in building state-of-the-art shelters has not been engaged.
They’re inviting anyone who wants to join the cause to the North Providence Public Safety Complex, 1835 Mineral Spring Ave., this Sunday, May 16, for a rally running from 1 to 2 p.m. The event is titled “North Providence Needs A New Shelter Peaceful Show of Support,” and will be held on the sidewalk in front of the complex on busy Mineral Spring Avenue.