The Branford Community Foundation (BCF) is pleased to announce the creation of a new fund: The Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter Medical and Wellness Endowment Fund. In partnership with Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter, the designated fund aims to help provide necessary veterinary care for abandoned and stray animals who come through the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter for years to come. 

Twenty-one years ago, local volunteers joined together to create the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter. At the time, it was a unique idea – a municipal animal shelter devoted to both public safety and to pet adoptions, with regional reach and support. 

Today, the Shelter has grown beyond what anyone might have imagined two decades ago. Each year, 500-1000 animals come to the Shelter, are cared for, and adopted to loving families from across the Shoreline and Beyond! More than 20,000 people visit the Shelter each year! In 2023, after extensive renovations and an expansion, the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter re-opened, which now includes an adoption center and a wellness wing. 

“In the past few years, we have seen such a huge increase in the number of animal surrenders, abandonments, and neglect cases and many of them arrive at the shelter requiring medical care. Unfortunately, the cost for Veterinary care for all these animals has increased dramatically over the last few years. These animals now often require surgery, medical care and/or physical therapy and wellness care before they can begin their journey of adoption to a loving family. The Dan Cosgrove Shelter provides extraordinary care to all of these animals and we want to ensure the same care for all our animals for years to come,” said Laura Burban, Director of Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter. 

“We have partnered with the Branford Community Foundation to create the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter Medical and Wellness Endowment Fund. With your help, we can grow this fund to our goal of $2,000,000 so that we can care for the animals that will come to our shelter in perpetuity.” 

“The Branford Community Foundation is proud to partner with the Animal Shelter in the creation of this new endowment fund to support veterinary care for the animals that come through their doors,” said BCF Executive Director, Liza Petra. “The work that they do in the community and will continue to be able to do for many years to come as a result of this endowment, is essential.” 

To learn more about the fund, and to donate, please visit branfordcommunityfoundation.org.