Hempstead Town Notebook: Pet Adoption, Senior Crime Prevention

Animal Shelter Open House

The Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter is hosting a Valentine’s Day Open House on Saturday, Feb. 11. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., where employees will be on hand to help residents find an adoptable cat or dog to welcome into your home.

Visitors are welcome to stop in and learn more about the benefits of pet adoption and tips about pet ownership. The town's veterinarian will be available to answer residents' pet medical questions. Also, visitors will have a chance to learn more about the Animal Shelter’s fostering programs.

All of the Hempstead Town Animal Shelter's dogs and cats have been spay-neutered, received age appropriate vaccinations and tested for feline AIDS/leukemia. The shelter also offers a microchipping program. The microchipping program places a safe implant in each pet to help lost pets reunite with their owners.

For more information, call the shelter, located at 3320 Beltagh Ave. in Wantagh, at (516) 785-5220. The shelter's adoption hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Distraction Burglary Seminars

To prepare and educate senior residents about protecting themselves from dangerous criminal activity -- including a string of recent distraction burglaries -- the town has kicked off a series of Senior Citizens' Crime Prevention Seminars that began on Jan. 6 at the East Meadow Senior Center.

All seminars are free of charge, and open to all senior residents living in the Town of Hempstead.

Distraction burglaries typically involve multiple criminals targeting seniors at their homes. Usually, one person diverts the senior citizen's attention at the front door with a bogus service or sales pitch, while another breaks into the home and steals money and/or valuable items.

In the case of inclement weather, check with individual senior centers on event dates by calling the phone numbers listed. The seminar schedule is as follows:

Senior Citizen Crime Prevention Schedule

• Baldwin Senior Center, 1810 Grand Ave., Baldwin, (516) 546-7110 - Monday, Feb. 6, 11 a.m.
• Bellmore Senior Center, 2000 Bellmore Ave., Bellmore, (516) 221-9696 - Tuesday, Feb. 28, 11 a.m.
• Cedarhurst Senior Center, Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Ave., Cedarhurst, (516) 295-1177 - Monday, Feb. 6, 2 p.m.
• Elmont Senior Center, 138 Elmont Road, Elmont, (516) 354-4777 - Monday, February 13, 11 a.m.
• Franklin Square Senior Center, 1182 Martha Place, Franklin Square , (516) 328-3010 - Monday, Feb. 13, 1 p.m.
• Green Acres Senior Center, 400 Flower Road, Valley Stream, (516) 872-8810 - Tuesday, Feb. 21, 11 a.m.
• Hempstead Senior Center, 260 Clinton St., Hempstead, (516) 489-8500 - Friday, Feb. 10, 1 p.m.
• Levittown Senior Center, 555 North Newbridge Road, Levittown, (516) 433-5454 - Tuesday, Feb. 7, 1 p.m.
• Merrick Senior Center, 2550 Clubhouse Road, Merrick, (516) 868-4777 - Tuesday, Feb. 14, 1 p.m.
• Oceanside Senior Center, 2900 Rockaway Ave., Oceanside, (516) 766-8888 - Monday, Jan. 23, 11 a.m.
• Rosa Parks Senior Center, 2 Babylon Turnpike, Roosevelt, (516) 867-1612 - Friday, Feb. 3, 11 a.m.
• Salisbury Senior Center, 460 Salisbury Park Drive, Westbury, (516) 333-5440 - Tuesday, Feb. 7, 11 a.m.
• Uniondale-Hempstead Senior Center, 840 Uniondale Ave., Uniondale, (516) 292-1313 - Friday, Feb. 3, 1 p.m
• Uniondale-Merrick Senior Center, 750 Jerusalem Ave., Uniondale, (516) 538-5050 - Friday, Feb. 10, 11 a.m.  
• Wantagh Senior Center, 1150 Seamans Neck Road, Wantagh, (516) 785-8505 -  Friday, Feb. 17, 11 a.m.