The Town of North Branford website posted news marking Sept. 1 as the start of the new municipal agreement between the towns of North Branford and East Haven to have East Haven provide animal control services to North Branford.

As previously reported, after months of study and collaboration, North Branford’s Town Council voted on July 18 to move its animal control services and shelter municipal agreement from Branford to East Haven. Branford had provided the services to North Branford through a municipal agreement first initiated in 2005.

The new agreement with East Haven sets the cost of services to North Branford at $135,000 annually for the first two years, then increases by 4% annually. It also stipulates an agreement between the two towns to review call volume to North Branford after the first year of the agreement. As a service-only contract, there is no obligation for North Branford to assume any costs or percentage costs associated with East Haven shelter facility improvements or expansion.

In the former North Branford-Branford municipal agreement, North Branford paid approximately 30% of annual operations and was also responsible for approximately 30% of capital project costs. The arrangement became a point of discussion among the Town Council members following the Town of Branford’s 2020 decision to renovate and expand the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter located at 749 East Main Street.

The project, originally bonded at $2,895,000 by the Town of Branford in September 2020, was hit with a $1.7 million cost increase due to market and supply chain issues, causing Branford to increase project bonding to $4,595,000 in July 2021. At that time, Branford sent North Branford a proposed capital cost provision amendment to the original municipal agreement. The amendment offered a capital expense cost share savings to North Branford by allowing for payment of one-third of capital project expenses based on net project costs, after all fundraising. Without the amended language, North Branford's costs for the shelter expansion/renovation project, as estimated in 2021, would be approximately $1,816,444 spread out over 15 years.

Ultimately, the the CosgroveSavingLives capital fundraising campaign raised approximately $1.8 million to help offset the final $4.895 million shelter expansion and renovation project cost. The Branford shelter celebrated its grand opening May 8.

In a press released following the council’s vote on July 18, Town Manager Michael Downes said the switch to East Haven animal control services is anticipated to save the Town of North Branford approximately $40,000 annually.

Calls for animal control services in Northford and North Branford may be directed to North Branford's dispatch center at 203-484-2703 for non-emergency contacts and 911 for emergency calls. The East Haven Animal Shelter can be reached directly at 203-468-3249. For more info about the shelter, visit its website at easthavenanimalshelter.com.