To the editor,

For 48 years, the Bristol Animal Shelter has been part of our community, providing care and protection to animals in need. As a volunteer there for five years, I’m writing with deep concern about the uncertainty surrounding its future. In 2007, the Friends organization raised the money to build a modern, state-of-the-art facility. That investment reflected a strong commitment to the shelter’s mission.

Today, however, there’s uncertainty about the shelter’s future. While it’s unclear whether closure is planned, we are being required to remove our two resident animals, James, the shelter’s cat since 2014, and Abby, the bunny who has been here since 2018. We’re also not being allowed to take in animals from other shelters, even though we have available kennels, rooms, and cages, and the capacity to help. The shelter’s expenses for the animals are funded by the Friends of the Bristol Animal Shelter, not by the town. We also have a volunteer veterinarian who comes to the shelter once a month at no cost to provide veterinary care. Why would we turn away the chance to help more animals when the space, funding, and professional support are already in place?

Rhode Island law treats animal cruelty as a serious offense, with criminal penalties for harming animals. If harming animals is taken so seriously, why aren’t we also prioritizing their protection and supporting the places and people who care for them? Protecting animals should mean more than responding after harm. It should mean supporting the people and facilities that provide care, education, safety, and compassion every day. We have a facility built through community fundraising, empty space to help more animals, dedicated volunteers, including a professional veterinarian who donates time, and an organization funding animal expenses. Why not build on that rather than cut it back?

Our community deserves transparency, an explanation, and a real opportunity to be heard. Before further decisions are made, I urge the town administration and police department to communicate openly, and work with the shelter’s volunteers and Friends organization to find a solution. After five years of volunteering, I know how much dedication goes into keeping this shelter running, and I believe it deserves serious consideration. Please do not overlook the investment made in this facility, the people who sustain it, or the animals whose lives we have the opportunity to improve. Animals can’t speak for themselves. It’s on us to speak up. I hope Bristol will choose transparency, compassion, and cooperation as we consider the future of this important community resource.

Shannon Lopes
Bristol